Pure and raw glycerol in the diet of broiler chickens, its effect on the production parameters and slaughter value

Abstract. The experiment was performed with a total of 180 day-old, ROSS 308 combination, meat-type hybrid chickens that were divided according to sex into the control group (C1 and C2 with 30♀ and 30♂, respectively) and two experimental groups: GLY-P1 and P2 with pure glycerol (30♀ and 30♂), and GLY-R1 and R2 with raw glycerol (30♀ and 30♂). The chickens received three feeding mixtures during the experiment: the pre-fattening mixture (BR 1) until Day 14, the fattening mixture (BR 2) from Day 15 to Day 30, and the post-fattening mixture from Day 31 to Day 40 (BR 3). 50 % of the soybean oil in feeding mixtures used in the experimental groups (GLY-P and GLY-R) was replaced with pure or raw glycerol at a ratio of 1:2. The feed and water were available ad libitum for consumption. The mean live weight of both male and female chickens in experimental groups on Days 15 and 40 was statistically significantly higher (P≤0.05, P≤0.01) than that in the control group. The consumption of the feeding mixture during the entire 40-day fattening period was higher in female and male chickens in experimental groups. The differences in the mean weight of processed carcass between the control and experimental groups were very significant (P≤0.01). Glycerol obtained during rapeseed processing is a suitable source of energy and can be added in feeds designed for farm animals.