Different sources and levels of vegetable oils in broiler chicken nutrition

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of soybean, flax and rapeseed oil on productive performance and carcass quality of broilers chickens. At the beginning of the experiment six groups of 40 one day-old chicks, hybrid line Cobb 500 was formed, with five replications. For nutrition two feed mixtures were used. During the first two weeks, in preparation period, chickens were fed with starter mixture, and then with grower mixture until the end of the experiment. Control group was fed with mixture of standard composition and quality based on corn and soybean meal with the addition of 4% and 8% soybean oil, while the experimental group included 4% and 8% flaxseed oil and 4% and 8% rapeseed oil. The experiment lasted 35 days. During the experimental period, chickens were fed and watered ad libitum and microclimatic conditions were constantly monitored. Control of body weight and feed consumption was carried out every seven days. At the end of the experiment 10 chickens from each group were sacrificed for the purpose of testing the carcass quality. Upon completion of the experiment, control group achieved weight of 2122g and 2053g, and the experimental group with flax oil 2164g and 2094g, and the group with rapeseed oil weighs of 2121g and 2081g. Chickens on treatment with 4% flax oil in the diet achieved significantly higher body mass (P<0.05) at the end of the experiment compared with the groups who were on treatment with 8% rapeseed and soybean oil. Soybean oil at a rate of 4% showed significantly (P<0.05) increased final body weight compared to body mass of chicks in a group with the addition of 8% soybean oil. Feed conversion ratio was lowest in the group with the addition of 4% flax oil and rapeseed oil, and the highest in the group with the addition of 8% flax oil. The differences found in the carcass quality between the control and experimental groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05). The largest amount of abdominal fat (18.9 g) was in the group with the addition of 4% rapeseed oil and lowest in the group with the addition of 8% soybean oil (12.6 g). Based on these results it can be concluded that the addition of 4% oil showed better productive results, but had no effect on carcass quality of chickens.