Effects of Granite Grit Supplementation to Broiler Diets on Performance and Carcass Characteristics

Abstract

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of granite grit supplementation to broiler diets on performance and carcass characteristics. For this purpose a total of 160 Ross 308 male broiler chicks aged seven day were used. One control group and one treatment group were designed for 5 weeks of experimental period. Each group was divided into 4 replicates of 20 chicks each in pens. Granite grit (Ankara-Turkey) was added at the level of 0 and 0.8% to the basal diets for control and treatment groups, respectively. Granite grit supplementation had no significant effect on final weight, weight gain and feed conversion ratio. However grit improved feed conversion ratio during the experiment at 2.19% (P>0.05). Feed intake during the first period and during the experiment was significantly reduced by grit supplementation (P<0.05). The relative weight of gizzard was increased (P<0.001) and the relative weight of abdominal fat was decreased (P<0.05) with granite grit supplementation to the diets of broilers. Dietary treatments did not affect blood serum total cholesterol and triglyceride. As a conclusion granite grit may be useful supplement in broilers in the field due to having some improvements in performance and in the relative weight of gizzard and reduction in relative weight of abdominal fat.