Broiler resilience, right from the start
Nourishing day-old chicks is essential to obtaining good zootechnical and economic performance. A windowed hatching process, followed by intensive handling procedures and transport, induces a great deal of stress on day-old chicks. In these challenging conditions, through the presence of the remaining yolk, nature provides day-old chicks with the time and necessary nutrients to survive. Furthermore, feeding day-old chicks with additional proper nutrients is essential to stimulating intestinal development. As the intestine is the first-line defense, it is vital in determining the final nutrient efficiency and in developing the immune system and, hence, in preventing disease.
Facilitate the change
Earlyfeed experts at Agrifirm have developed a functional feed ingredients (FFI) concept – called GalliSac – to support the early development stages of life in young birds. This concept is also the core of their early feed, which is called GalliFirst.
Upon hatching, whether it is a fast-growing or slow-growing broiler, the chick enters a new environment and experiences a severe switch from the lipoprotein-based nutrient supply in the egg to plant-based and carbohydrate-rich dry feed. Producers make this switch to realize a rapid and continuous increase in dry feed intake. However, this abrupt change from yolk-based nutrition to plant-based dry feed can disrupt feed intake and thus the supply of essential nutrients.
The first feed is crucial to the bird’s overall success. That’s why Agrifirm offers the DNA of its successful pre-starter GalliFirst. It is important to understand that early feed intake is needed to trigger the development of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and to encourage the absorption of the yolk. When early uptake of digestible nutrients is achieved, chicks experience a smoother transition and become stronger, right from the start.
Empowering young birds: enhancing resilience with FFI concepts
GalliSac provides functional feed ingredient concepts from the Agrimprove range to help young birds cope with key challenges during their first days:
- Antioxidative capacity: Newly hatched chicks face multiple stressors, which can cause serious issues for their health. Vitanox increases the antioxidative capacity, especially in the lumen, and supports gut wall development and closure of tight junctions.
- Microflora development: The GIT of day-old chicks is almost sterile, so the first substrate has a huge influence on the microflora. Agrimprove’s patented MCFAs help steer growth in the right direction and stimulate the presence of Lactobacilli in the ceca, offering additional protection for a healthy and effective GIT.
- Feed intake: Due to the birds’ rapid growth in the first few days, quick and increasing feed intake is mandatory. M-Prove helps stimulate feed intake in the early stages and supports sufficient nutrient supply right from the start.
- As the avian immune system needs time to develop, any contamination with mycotoxins will not only affect feed intake and gut development negatively, but it will also have a significant negative effect on the development of the immune system. Especially when birds are vaccinated, this can have a long-term negative impact on the animal’s health and performance. Vitafix mycotoxin binders eliminate most relevant mycotoxins for poultry at an economic inclusion level.
A study in Poland, involving 250,000 broilers, divided into 2 treatments (control 149,000 broilers, GalliFirst (30/broiler) 101,000 broilers), thinned at 34 days and concluded at 42 days, clearly shows the impact on the long-term effects of improving resilience right from the start.
| Time measurement | Positive control | Positive control + GalliFirst | Difference (g) | Difference (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body weight (g / bird) | Day 7 | 180 | 185 | 5 | +2,8% |
| Body weight (g / bird) | Day 14 | 498 | 504 | 6 | +1,2% |
| Body weight (g / bird) | Day 21 | 972 | 981 | 9 | +0,9% |
| Body weight (g / bird) | Day 28 | 1491 | 1505 | 14 | +0,9% |
| Body weight (g / bird) | Day 34 | 1986 | 2011 | 25 | +1,3% |
| Body weight (g / bird) | Day 42 | 2745 | 2844 | 99 | +3,6% |
Depending on customer needs, GalliSac can be included in a premix, a concentrate, or supplemented directly in the feed.
Our Earlyfeed experts take your own regional raw materials into account and can support you in recommending the optimal solution for feeding day-old chicks … right from the start.
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