The effect of thermal processing on pre-starter diets based on corn or sorghum for male broiler chicks

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the effects of thermal processing and different carbohydrate sources on performance, development of digestive organs, and pancreatic enzyme activity in broiler chicks during the pre-starter phase. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (pelleting or extrusion processing, and corn or sorghum) and included six replicates of 15 chicks each. The experimental diets were provided only during the pre-starter period (1–7 d). From 8 to 21 days of age, all chicks received a corn-soybean meat mash diet. At 7 days of age, chicks fed corn-based pelleted diets showed the best performance. When the feed was extruded, the best performance at 14 and 21 days old was observed with the sorghum-based diet. Chicks fed pelleted diets showed greater duodenum, jejunum, and ileum weights. Regarding carbohydrate sources, sorghum-fed chicks showed greater pancreas, jejunum, and ileum weights. Broiler chicks fed corn-based extruded diets exhibited higher pancreatic amylase activity. Extruded sorghum-based diets improved duodenum and jejunum villus development, whereas pelleted corn-based diets enhanced duodenal villus development. Although extruded sorghum diets did not affect digestive organ development, they improved duodenum and jejunum villus morphology, resulting in better performance up to 21 days of age. However, the corn-based extruded feed provided increased production of the pancreatic amylase enzyme. Sorghum-based feed, regardless of thermal processing, improved the development of digestive tract organs.