EFFECT OF SUCROSE THERMAL OLIGOSACCHARIDE CARAMEL, DIETARY VITAMIN-MINERAL LEVEL, AND BROODING TEMPERATURE ON GROWTH AND INTESTINAL BACTERIAL-POPULATIONS OF BROILER-CHICKENS

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of sucrose ther mal oligosaccharide caramel (STOC) and dietary vitamin-mineral (V/M) l evel on growth performance and intestinal microflora of broiler chicke ns. In Experiment 1, Peterson x Arbor Acres male broilers (n = 384) we re randomly allocated into four groups that were fed either the contro l diet or diets containing the antibiotic virginiamycin (11 mg/kg), 3. 7% STOC or 7.5% STOC for 4 wk at brooding temperatures of 32 to 29.7 C . Weight gains for broilers in Experiment 1 were greater (P < 0.001) f or birds fed STOC diets, with weight gains of 763, 822, 1,124, and 1,0 80 g for birds on the control, antibiotic, 3.7% STOC, and 7.5% STOC di ets, respectively. Feed intake and feed conversion by birds fed STOC d iets were also significantly improved. Cecal bifidobacterial numbers w ere increased (P < 0.03) over the control diet with numbers being 5.98 , 6.99, 7.47, and 7.39 log(10) cfu/g cecal DM, respectively. In Experi ment 2, Peterson x Hubbard male broilers (n = 384) were used in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement with two levels of V/M premix (0.5 or 1% o f the diet), two levels of STOC (0 or 3.5% of the diet), and two brood ing temperatures, normal (32 to 23.6 C) or high (32 to 29.7 C) for 4 w k. Feeding the STOC diet improved (P < 0.05) weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion of broilers. The effect of STOC on animal perform ance was less evident when broilers were fed twice the NRC recommended levels of V/M. Feeding the STOC diets resulted in a significantly gre ater increase in weight gain at high brooding temperatures than at nor mal brooding temperatures. There was also a reduction (P < 0.05) in nu mbers of total aerobes and coliforms in the ceca of birds fed diets co ntaining STOC. Feeding STOC has potential to improve growth performanc e of broiler chickens.