Effect of White Lupine Seeds Inclusion on Broiler Chickens Performance, Digestibility and Villi Structure

480 male broiler chickens were used in a 35-day study to determine the influence of white lupin inclusion (0, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 g/kg) on their performance and diet utilization as well as on ileal villi height and crypt depth. One-dayold male Ross 308 chicks were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments (ten replications per treatment). Birds fed diets with 150 g/kg white lupine were characterized by lower BWG, FI and higher FCR than the control birds. The use of 300 g/kg of white lupine decreased BWG by 400 g in comparison with the control (P<0.05). White lupine seeds were found to exert a negative effect on dietary AMEn and ileal crude fat digestibility as well as on crude protein (P<0.05). Ileal digesta viscosity increased together with the increase of white lupine seed content in experimental diets. The inclusion of 150 g/kg of white lupine seeds in experimental diet increased digesta viscosity from 1.76 cP (control treatment) to 2.41 cP (P<0.05). The highest digesta viscosity was determined when 300 g/kg of white lupine seeds was used – 3.74 cP. Villi height and villi surface area decreased as white lupine seeds content increased (P<0.05). The shallowest (P<0.05) crypts were determined in the control birds.