Z. BENGHARBI1, S. DAHMOUNI1, A. MOUATS1, M. PETKOVA2 and M. HALBOUCHE1
1 Université de Mostaganem, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de Vie, Laboratoire de Physiologie Animale Appliquée, Mostaganem 27000, Algérie
2 Institute of Animal Science, Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, Kostinbrod 2232, Bulgaria
Bengharbi, Z., S. Dahmouni, A. Mouats, M. Petkova and M. Halbouche, 2016. Dietary linseed inclusion and early-age acclimation effects on carcass yield, organs development and thermal resistance of broilers in hot climate. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 22 (Suppl. 1): 34–41
Poultry and particularly commercial broilers performance is known to be highly sensitive to temperature–associated environmental challenges. Dietary ground linseed (GLS) inclusion and early age thermal conditioning (EA TC) effects on the correlation of carcass yield and weight development of some organs at three different ages were studied. One-day old broiler chicks (n=400) were randomly allocated into 2 equal groups (n=200). At 5 days-old, one of the groups (AC) was exposed to 39±1°C for 24 hours, while the other was control (C). At 17 d-old, both groups were subsequently divided into two equal subgroups: C and AC groups were fed basal diet, where CL and ACL birds were fed 5% GLS (Linum usitatissimum) supplemented diet till marketing age of 54 days. Both fed diets had isocaloric metabolizable energy. Groups of birds were slaughtered at 30 d-old (A1), 43 d-old (A2) and 53d-old (A3). Results showed that as a whole, acclimated birds displayed higher yields of the scalded, eviscerated and skinned carcass at A1, while that of the eviscerated carcass at A2 was decreased in EA TC birds. Leg content was significantly augmented in birds fed GLS at A2. Dietary GLS supplementation led to a decrease of the gizzard at A1 and A3, while EA TC diminished the percentage of heart at A2, and intestine at A1 and A2. Both factors acted in dependence of the age on the valuable carcass cuts where considerable increase in breast percentage at A3 compared to A2 was noticed. In conclusion, combination of both factors (early-age acclimation and dietary 5% linseed supplementation) affects carcass yield in a positive way and seems, in hot countries, to be a better strategy to improve animal’s performance, nutritional quality and economic development. Therefore, it could be recommended to farmers to use this combination for better performance and improved thermoresistance in hot climate or during heat stress.