Effects of Ethoxyquin Feed Preservative and Peroxide Level on Broiler Performance

Abstract

Rancidity development in feeds and feed ingredients reduces the feeds' nutritive value and produces toxic peroxides. This investigation was conducted to determine the effects of different levels of peroxide on broiler performance and to determine the effectiveness of ethoxyquin in ameliorating the adverse effects of peroxides. Poultry fat was oxidized to contain 0, 50, 100, and 175 meq peroxide/kg and added to diets to provide 0, 2, 4, or 7 meq peroxide/kg feed, respectively. Liquid ethoxyquin was incorporated into the diets at 0, 62.5, and 125 ppm. Each of the 12 diets was fed to 8 replicate pens with 35 males and 35 females/pen. Body weights at 21 and 42 days of age were significantly lower in birds fed diets containing 4 or 7 meq peroxide/kg feed. At 49 days of age, the reduction in body weight was significant only at the 7 meq/kg level. Reductions in feed efficiency showed a similar pattern, but the depression was significant only at the highest peroxide level. Supplementation of 62.5 and 125 ppm ethoxyquin resulted in significantly heavier birds at 49 days of age but had no significant effect on feed efficiency. Beneficial effects of ethoxyquin supplementation were evident at higher peroxide levels. The study showed that at least 4 meq peroxide/kg feed was required to significantly affect bird performance, and that the addition of ethoxyquin could alleviate the deleterious effects of dietary peroxide.

The response of turkeys to diets containing fat differing in degree of oxidation

“…Dibner et al (1996) obtained similar results, while Calabotta and Shermer (1985) and Cabel et al (1988) reported otherwise. The smaller differences in feed utilisation found in our experiment than in the final body weight of turkeys indicate that the main factor lowering gain of the birds was decreased consumption of feed containing oxidized fat.…”

“…In the experiment of Calabotta and Shermer (1985) lower body weight of chickens was found when the birds were fed a diet with a low content of peroxides, from 1 to 2 mEq 0 2 /kg. In the experiment of Cabel et al (1988) the body weight of 49-day-old chickens was lower only in the group receiving the highest amount of peroxides (7 mE 0 2 /kg). In the study by Dibner et al (1996) the body weight of 3-week old chickens fed diets containing 4 mEq 0 2 /kg, was not significantly lower than in the control group.…”

“…In recent years supplementation of feed mixtures with fat has become the subject of controversy since fat oxidation may lower the nutritional value of diets and lead to the formation of toxic products (Cabel et al, 1988). In many earlier studies (Lipstein et al, 1965;L'Estrange et al, 1966;Lea et al, 1966) it was reported that diets containing both oxidized fat and appropriate amounts of antioxidants (vitamin A and selenium) were not harmful to the health of birds and did not lower chicken or turkey performance.…”

“…The diets differed in the peroxide value of the added fat, which equaled from: < 5, 50, 100 and 150 mEq 0 2 /kg. The degree of oxidation and fat content were chosen so that the highest lipid peroxide content per kg of feed approached 7 mEq 0 2 (Table 2), i.e., the amount lowering body weight gains of chickens in the experiments of Cabel et al (1988). Fat (a mixture of rape seed oil and poultry fat at a proportion of 66:34) was oxidized under controlled conditions as described by Zduhczyk et al (2000).…”

“…Similarly, Matyka (1981) found that adding highly oxidized fat to chicken diets only slightly lowered feed consumption, nutrient digestibility, and body weight gain, but did cause subclinical changes in their bodies. More recent experiments show that the oxidation products of fat in feeds can decrease the growth rate of birds (Cabel et al, 1988), cause many unfavourable changes in their bodies (Dibner et al, 1996), and even lower the shelf-life of the meat from them (Asghar et al, 1989). It is possible that broilers from new, fast-growing lines are less tolerant to high levels of fat in the diet and are more susceptible to metabolic disorders (Scheele et al, 1993).…”