Impact of early feeding of highly available carbohydrate source on subsequent growth performance, carcass traits, blood biochemical parameters, and intestinal morphology of broilers

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of early dextrose (Dex) feeding on subsequent growth performance of broilers. A total of 700 male day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated into 50 floor pens (in a balanced completely randomized design with 2 treatments) receiving either a control corn–soybean meal-based diet (control treatment) or a diet in which corn was partially (5%) replaced by Dex Monohydrate (Dex treatment). The performance data were recorded at 7, 20, 30, 40 d. Samples of the birds were slaughtered at 7, and 40 d of age, and their carcass, serum, and intestinal morphology traits were analyzed. The results showed that early feeding of the Dex resulted in significant improvement in weight gain (WG) during d 1 to 7 (P < 0.01), 21-30 (P < 0.05), and 1-40 (P < 0.01), as well as the carcass traits at d 40 (P < 0.05). Feeding Dex increased serum glucose, total protein, globulin, triiodothyronine (T3), and T3/T4 ratio (P < 0.05). Duodenal villi height, crypt depth, and villus to crypt ratio (V/C) were affected (P < 0.05) by early Dex feeding. In conclusion, early feeding of a highly available carbohydrate source (Dex) improves subsequent growth performance and carcass traits of broilers.