Unhydrolyzed vegetable sucrose polyester in broiler diets

Duplicate 42-d broiler studies were conducted in pens with litter on the fl oor, beginning with 1-d-old chicks obtained from a commercial hatchery. Sev en replicate pens, each starting with 12 male and 12 female chicks, receive d each dietary treatment in a randomized-block design. Dietary treatments c omprised 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5% unhydrolyzed vegetable sucrose poly ester (UVSP) added to the starting and finishing diets at the expense of fi ller. In both studies, up to 2.5% UVSP did not have a significant negative effect on body weights, daily feed intake, feed conversion, or litter moisture. I n Experiment 2, average body weights were significantly greater than contro l for groups that received 0.5, 2.0, or 2.5% UVSP. However, the degree of s hank yellowness as measured with a Minolta Chroma-meter was consistently an d significantly reduced by 0.5% or more UVSP. Although xanthophyll levels w ere intentionally lowered somewhat to improve sensitivity (7.9 and 9.6 mg/k g for starter and finished feeds, respectively), it is obvious that the uti lization of xanthophyll was reduced somewhat by UVSP. Additional pigment ti tration trials could provide valuable information about the levels required to overcome this effect.