Impact of galactose, lactose, and Grobiotic-B70 on growth performance and energy utilization when fed to broiler chicks

Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.

Three chick assays were conducted to determine the effect of increasing dietary galactose (GAL), lactose (LAC), and Grobiotic-B70, a LAC fermentation product, on growth performance, toxicity, and energy utilization when fed to commercial broiler chicks. One-day-old male commercial broiler chicks were randomly assigned to treatments in each assay. In all assays, a 22% CP corn-soybean meal-dextrose basal diet containing a growth-promoting antibiotic (Bacitracin methylene disalicylate) was fed. In assay 1, GAL was added at 2, 4, 6, 10, or 15%. In assay 2, Grobiotic-B70 was added at 5%. In assay 3, GAL, LAC, and Grobiotic-B70 were each added at 2, 4, and 6%. All additions were made in place of dextrose, and diets were fed from 0 to 20 or 21 d of age. In assay 1, the 15% GAL treatment resulted in high mortality (27%) by d 3 and was terminated. The 10% GAL treatment also resulted in increased mortality, most of which occurred during the 7-to-14-d period. Inclusion of 2 and 4% GAL resulted in an improvement (P < 0.05) in growth compared to the basal diet. Inclusion of 2, 4, 6, and 10% GAL resulted in a significant linear decrease in MEn (r2 = 0.85). In chick assay 2, 5% Grobiotic-B70 increased growth during the first 2 wk. In chick assay 3, 6% Grobiotic increased weight gain (P < 0.05) from 0 to 14 d, and addition of 2 or 4% GAL, 2 or 4% LAC, and 4 or 6% Grobiotic-B70 increased weight gain (P < 0.08) from 0 to 21 d. Our results indicate that levels of 10 to 15% GAL are toxic. In contrast, low levels of GAL and Grobiotic-B70, and possibly LAC, may increase growth of commercial broiler chicks.

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