The Effects of Medium Chain Fatty Acids in Mash and Crumbled Pellet Diets on Growth Performance of Broilers

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) in mash and crumbled pellet broiler diets. A total 400 male chicks (Cobb 500; initial BW 0.092 lb) were housed 4 Petersime batteries used an 18-d study. Treatments randomly assigned 80 cages within location block resulting 8 per treatment with 5 cage at placement. arranged a 2 × factorial main feed type (mash pellet) 0.5% MCFA inclusion (no inclusion, control; hexanoic acid, C6; octanoic C8; decanoic C10; dodecanoic C12). Fat inclusions diets equalized using soybean oil control diet. Prior crumbling, conditioned 185°F for approximately 20 s pelleted (CPM, model CL-5, Crawfordsville, IN) 5/32 7/8 in. ring die. Dietary treatments fed full duration There no evidence form interactions. From d 0 18, had improved (P < 0.001) body weight gain (BWG), intake (FI), conversion ratio (FCR), final compared those For overall period, there effect > 0.10) on performance. Pelleting crumbling growth performance regardless inclusion. did not positively influence broilers.