Productive efficiency in broiler chicken Cobb 500 and Ross 308 fed with sorghum-soybean meal diets reduced in crude protein

Armando García Reyna, Arturo Cortes Cuevas, Gabriela Gómez Verduzco, Ernesto Ávila González

Abstract


Background. Reducing crude protein (CP) in broiler diets using the ideal protein concept requires the addition of synthetic amino acids (AA) to maintain productive and economic efficiency in broiler chickens. Objective. To evaluate the live performance and carcass characteristics in two broiler strains fed sorghum-soybean meal-based diets with 2% of reduced crude protein during each feeding phase. Methodology. Six hundred unsexed Cobb 500 and six hundred unsexed Ross308 one-day-old broiler chicks were used. A completely randomized design with four treatments and 6 replicates of 50 chicks each was employed. Treatments were: 1. Cobb 500 normal diet, 2. Cobb 500 2% CP reduced diet, 3. Ross 308 normal diet, 4. Ross 308 2% PC reduced diet.  Four-phase feeding programs were established: 1 to 10 d, 11 to 21 d, 22 to 42 d and 43 to 49 d. All diets met the nutritional recommendations of each strain. Synthetic amino acids (methionine, lysine and threonine) were supplemented to fulfill these nutritional recommendations. Results. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) improved (P<0.05) when using the normal diets in both strains. The mortality rate attributable to ascites syndrome was similar (P>0.05) between diets in both strains. The 2% reduction in crude protein (CP) decreased (P<0.05) the carcass yield in both strains and breast yield only in the Cobb 500 strain. Skin yellowness (P<0.05) was reduced in the Ross 308 strain, while no change (P>0.05) was observed when CP was reduced in the Cobb 500 strain. The European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) was similar (P>0.05) between diets in the Cobb 500 strain at 42 and 49 days of age. In the case of the Gross Profit Margin (GPM), no changes (P>0.05) were reported between the normal and reduced diets at 49 days and for the carcass sale in both strains. Implications: Feed costs decreased to 3.2% CP, which implied a recuperation opportunity to evaluate the gross profit margin (GPM), at 49 days and in the carcass, in both strains. Conclusions: The supplementation of three synthetic amino acids (Lys, Met, and Thr) in diets with a 2% reduction in crude protein failed to maintain poultry productivity, although a profitable opportunity exists for the sale of chickens at 49 days in both strains.

Keywords


Performance; protein reduction; amino acids; feed cost

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URN: http://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/urn:ISSN:1870-0462-tsaes.v29i2.67763

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.56369/tsaes.6776

Copyright (c) 2026 ARTURO CORTES CUEVAS, Armando García-Reyna, Gabriela Gómez Verduzco, Ernesto Ávila González

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