| Abstract: | The objective of this study was to determine the effects of processing and dietary inclusion level of flaxseed on broiler performance and nutrient utilisation. Flaxseed was included in the diet fed to day‐old broilers for the first 3 weeks as whole seed, ground seed, autoclaved whole seed, ground autoclaved whole seed or whole seed pelleted with the other ingredients, at levels of 0, 100, 120 and 140 g kg?1. Chicks fed the pelleted flaxseed‐containing diets had heavier body weights, consumed more feed and had better feed/gain ratios than those fed the other flaxseed‐containing diets during the 3 weeks period (P < 0.01). The flaxseed level in the diet also had very significant (P < 0.01) effects on body weight and feed/gain ratio at the end of weeks 1 and 3, with the diets containing 100 g kg?1 flaxseed resulting in better performance than the other flaxseed‐containing diets. Among the flaxseed containing diets, the pelleted diets led to higher apparent ether extract digestibilities, with values of 778 and 770 g kg?1 for the diets containing 100 and 140 g kg?1 flaxseed respectively. This better utilisation of ether extract by young broilers may explain the significantly (P < 0.05) higher AMEn (apparent metabolisable energy) value of 2924 kcal kg?1 for the pelleted 140 g kg?1 flaxseed‐containing diet. This was 15.4–17.5% higher than for the diets with the same level of flaxseed but provided as raw or autoclaved whole seed. The pelleting of flaxseed allowed an inclusion rate of 100 g kg?1 without any reduction in the performance and nutrient utilisation of broilers. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry |
