The influence of inclusion of pellet binder on physical pellet quality, growth performance, carcass characteristics and total tract apparent retention of nutrients was examined. Broiler starter (Days 1–21, pellet diameter: 2.5 mm) and finisher (Days 22–42, pellet diameter: 4 mm) diets were formulated and then allocated to one of the seven treatments including control diet, and diets including sodium bentonite (10 and 20 g/kg), wheat gluten (10 and 20 g/kg) and wheat (100 and 200 g/kg). All ingredients used as a pellet binder significantly (P < 0.05) increased the pellet-durability index compared with control diet. Wheat gluten and wheat at both inclusion rates were significantly (P < 0.05) more efficient than was sodium bentonite in improving pellet hardness. From Day 1 to Day 42, chickens fed 10 g/kg wheat gluten and 100 and 200 g/kg wheat gained significantly (P < 0.05) more weight than did control. During starters, birds fed 200 g/kg wheat showed the highest feed intake (P < 0.05). On Day 42, all the pellet binders resulted in a heavier heart weight than in the control (P < 0.05). At Day 21, the length of ileum was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in birds fed 10 and 20 g/kg sodium bentonite, 10 g/kg wheat gluten and 200 g/kg wheat, but at Day 42, it was greater in birds fed 20 g/kg wheat gluten and 200 g/kg wheat than in those fed the control diet. Inclusion of wheat gluten (10 and 20 g/kg) and wheat (100 and 200 g/kg) increased (P < 0.05) fat apparent retention. Birds fed 20 g/kg wheat gluten had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher total tract apparent retention of crude fibre, also calcium apparent retention improved by wheat gluten inclusion at concentrations of 10 and 20 g/kg compared with control (P < 0.05). Overall, inclusion of 10 g/kg wheat gluten, and 100 and 200 g/kg of wheat improved physical pellet quality and weight gain in broilers.

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The worldwide shift towards the application of highly digestible and texture-less ingredients in broiler diets, to increase dietary nutrient density and to gain the genetic potential of modern broilers, has resulted in contemporary broiler diets suffer from a lack of fibre and texture (Mateos et al., 2012). The majority of the broiler feed is provided in crumbled or pelleted form. Broilers show further

The influence of a bacterial 6-phytase on growth performance, coefficient of apparent ileal digestibility (CAID) of nutrients, blood parameters, and bone mineralization in broilers was evaluated. A total of 630 one-day-old male broilers were allocated to 7 dietary treatments, including positive control (PC) diet containing dicalcium phosphate, the PC marginally reduced in available P (avP) by 0.1% and calcium (Ca) by 0.2% vs. PC (NC1) or moderately reduced by 0.15 and 0.3% vs. PC (NC2), respectively, and four further diets comprising the NC1 and NC2 supplemented with 500 or 1000 FTU/kg of phytase in starter and finisher phases. A constant Ca to avP ratio was maintained across all diets. The body weight gain (BWG) and feed per unit gain (FCR) of birds fed NC1 and NC2 diets supplemented with phytase (500 and 1000 U/kg) was equivalent to that of birds fed the PC diet at 35 days. Phytase supplementation in the NC1 diet linearly increased the CAID of nitrogen (N) (p < 0.01), phosphorus (P) (p < 0.01), and Ca (p < 0.05). Additionally, phytase reduced (p < 0.01) excreta P concentration by approximately 27%, improved (p < 0.001) toe ash, and tended to increase tibia ash (p = 0.08), comparable with the PC. In conclusion, the addition of bacterial 6-phytase dosed in the range of 500–1000 FTU/kg was effective in replacing 1.5 g/kg avP and 3 g/kg Ca in broilers fed pelleted diets, using bone quality, BWG, and FCR as outcome measures.