Growth performance, nutrients digestibility, intestinal microbiota and histology altered in broilers fed maize- or sorghum-based diets
Aaqil Ahmad, Asad Sultan, Shabana Naz, Naila Chand, Zia Ul Islam, Ibrahim A. Alhidary, Rifat Ullah Khan, Samia H. Abdelrahman, Sifa Dai
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of varying levels of sorghum-based diets as an alternative to maize in broiler nutrition. A total of 320 one-day-old male Ross 708 broiler chickens were randomly allocated to four treatment groups (5 pens per treatment and 16 birds per pen), comprising a control group with a basal diet and groups receiving sorghum-based diets with 20%, 40%, and 100% maize replacement. The overall weight gain was significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in the control group, followed by 20%, 40%, and 100% sorghum replacement. Additionally, overall feed intake was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the 20% sorghum replacement group compared to the control and other groups. Broilers fed sorghum-based diets exhibited a significantly (p < 0.01) increased feed conversion ratio. Carcass characteristics showed no significant differences between broilers fed corn and sorghum; however, the digestibility of crude protein and apparent metabolizable energy significantly (p < 0.01) increased in the 20% sorghum-corn replacement compared to the 40% and 100% replacement levels. Ileal villus height and width did not differ among the corn-sorghum-based diets, regardless of the replacement percentage. Furthermore, among the cecal microbiota, Lactobacillus count was significantly (p < 0.041) higher in the 20% corn-sorghum diet compared to the 40% and 100% replacement levels. These findings suggest that replacing corn up to 20% of corn with sorghum in broiler diet positively impact growth performance, gut health, nutrient digestibility, and cecal microbiota in broilers. However, larger replacements (40% and 100%) may have negative implications for broiler production and health.