1. Revue Méd. Vét., 2012, 163, 12, 621-627
621
Introduction
Free choice feeding (FCF) based on whole grains has attrac-
ted a lot of attention since 1970 because using whole grains
saves the cost of grinding, packing, and pelleting [23]. Free
choice feeding applications are on the agenda again especially
in EU countries since there is public interest in animal welfare
and rights. Chickens have the ability to select a mix of feeds
which provides a diet close to the optimum when two or more
feeds are offered [6, 7, 25].A diet which is formulated to meet
the requirements of the average size bird in a flock will contain
excessive amounts for those below the mean and be inadequate
for those above the mean. Free choice feeding is important
when environmental factors, physiological state, and other in-
dividual bird differences are important since it gives individual
birds a chance to select feeds [9].
The main non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) constituents in
the endosperm cell walls of triticale are pentosans with some
SUMMARY
The effects of free choice feeding (FCF) based on whole triticale on growth,
meat quality, carcass characteristics, and digestive functions were investiga-
ted. Eight hundred 1 day old Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly divi-
ded into 5 equal groups according to the dietary regimens: birds from the
control group were fed with standard diets based on maize and soybean meal
whereas in the other groups, free choice of triticale feeding starting since the
1st day (groups 2 and 3) or from the 21st day of age (groups 4 and 5) eventually
coupled to dietary xylanase (1 g/kg of food) addition (groups 3 and 5) was
also established. The highest body weight and weight gains, the lowest feed
consumption and the best food efficiency were observed in the control group.
Furthermore, carcass traits, meat quality and digestive functions were not ne-
gatively altered by free choice feeding with triticale and/or dietary enzyme
inclusion. The results showed that broilers starting FCF at 1 day of age didn’t
prefer to eat whole cereal, and that xylanase supplementation had negative
effect on growth especially in the starter period (from day 1 to day 21) and
suggest that broilers do not select feed to maximize growth when offered free
choice.
Keywords: Broiler, carcass, diets, free choice feeding,
food efficiency, gastrointestinal traits, growth perfor-
mance, meat quality, triticale, xylanase.
RÉSUMÉ
Effets des grains de triticale offerts en libre service sur la croissance,
la qualité de la viande, les caractéristiques des carcasses et les paramètres
gastro-intestinaux chez le poulet
Les effets sur la croissance, la qualité de la viande, les caractéristiques des
carcasses et les fonctions digestives des grains de triticale offerts en libre ser-
vice ont été explorés chez le poulet. Au total, 800 poussins Ross 308 de 1
jour ont été aléatoirement répartis en 5 groupes égaux en fonction du régime
alimentaire institué : les oiseaux du groupe témoin ont été nourris avec des
régimes standards (maïs et tourteau de soja) alors qu’en plus, dans les autres
groupes le triticale en libre service a été proposé dès l’âge de 1 jour (groupes
2 et 3) ou à l’âge de 21 jours (groupes 4 et 5) et a éventuellement été associé
à l’ajout dans la ration de xylanase (1g/kg) (groupes 3 et 5). Les poids vifs et
les gains de poids les plus élevés, l’ingéré alimentaire le plus faible et la meil-
leur conversion alimentaire ont été obtenus chez les témoins. En outre, les
caractéristiques des carcasses, la qualité de la viande et les fonctions diges-
tives n’ont été négativement altérées ni par le triticale offert en libre service
ni par l’inclusion dans la ration de l’enzyme. Ces résultats montrent que les
poussins de 1 jour n’ont pas de préférence pour le triticale en libre service et
que la xylanase dans la ration retarde la croissance, plus particulièrement du-
rant la phase de démarrage (du 1er au 21ème jour) et suggèrent que les poulets
ne consomment pas spontanément les aliments même en libre service de
façon optimale pour une croissance maximale.
Mots clés : Poulet, carcasse, rations alimentaires, libre
service, efficacité alimentaire, paramètres gastro-intesti-
naux, croissance, qualité de la viande, triticale, xylanase.
The effects of free choice feeding based on
whole triticale on growth, meat quality, car-
cass characteristics and gastrointestinal
traits in broilers
K. ÖZEK1*, Y. KONCA2, A.U. ÇATLI3, K.T. WELLMANN4
1 Department of Animal and Fisheries Research, General Directorate of Agricultural Research, Mailbox: 51, 06171 Yenimahalle, Ankara, TURKEY.
2Animal Science Department, Agriculture Faculty, Erciyes University, 38400 Develi, Kayseri, TURKEY.
3Poultry Research Institute, 09600 Erbeyli, Aydın, TURKEY.
4Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 06530 Lodumlu, Ankara, TURKEY.
*Corresponding author: kozek@gmka.org.tr or kozek@tagem.gov.tr

2. Revue Méd. Vét., 2012, 163, 12, 621-627
622 ÖZEK (K.) AND COLLABORATORS
β-glucans. The soluble NSP cell-wall components of wheat,
rye, and triticale depress the performance of broiler and inhi-
bited nutrient digestion in the gut due to high viscosity and
water retention [8, 20]. Xylanase can break xylans into small
pieces, and reduce gut viscosity. Consequently the negative ef-
fects of the NSP constituents of triticale can be alleviated by
including xylanase [12]. Choice feeding is generally started at
1 week of age [11, 19]. There are few studies in which choice
feeding was started at 1 day of age [6]. Wheat, corn, barley
and sorghum have been used as the whole cereal in most FCF
studies [1, 4, 10]. There are only a few studies using triticale
as whole cereal [13]. The aim of this experiment was to assess
the effects of FCF based on whole triticale on performance,
meat quality, carcass characteristics, and digestive functions.
Material and Methods
BIRDS AND PROTOCOL DESIGN
The trial was conducted in an environmentally controlled
floor pen house of commercial design. The birds were reared
in pens up to 42 days of age and each pen contained 40 birds.
Wood shavings were used as litter material. Experimental feeds
and drinking water were offered ad libitum. Bird density was
10 chicks / m2. Choice fed pens were equipped with two fee-
ders and one drinking trough. A photoperiod of 23 hours per
day was maintained. The temperature in the experimental
house was maintained at 32°C during the first week and gra-
dually decreased by 3°C increments in the second and third
week and birds were exposed to natural environmental condi-
tions thereafter.
Eight hundred Ross 308 birds were randomly divided into 5
treatment groups of 160 birds each. Each treatment group was
further subdivided into four replicates. Each replicate (pen) in-
cluded 40 (20 males + 20 females) birds. Chickens of the group
1 serve as controls and were fed with basal starter (from day 1
to day 21) and grower (from day 22 to day 42) diets based on
maize and soybean meal. The basal starter and grower diets
were formulated to meet or exceed NRC recommendations
[18]. In the 4 other groups, free choice of triticale feeding was
inserted since the first day (groups 2 and 3) or from the 21st
day of age (groups 4 and 5) and xylanase (Kavimix Safizyme®
xp containing 1.400.000 IFP endo-1,4 β xylanase, 1g/kg of
food) was eventually added to the diets (groups 3 and 5). The
basal diets and triticale were analyzed for dry matter, crude
ash, crude protein, crude oil, crude fiber, sugar, starch, calcium,
and total phosphorus [3]. Metabolisable energy contents of
feeds were calculated based on chemical composition [2].
Composition of starter and grower diets and triticale are pre-
sented in Table I. The experimental protocol was approved by
the Ethic Committee from Ankara Poultry Research Institute.
PERFORMANCE ANALYSES
The body weights were measured individually at 1, 21, 42
day of age, while feed consumption (FC) per pen was recorded
each week. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated for
each growing period and for the whole experimental period.
Dead birds were recorded daily, removed and results were cor-
rected by the number of birds alive.
CARCASS AND GASTRO-INTESTINAL TRAITS
At the end of the experiment, 16 birds (8 females and 8
males) with a body weight close to pen average were selected
from each treatment group, weighed and slaughtered to deter-
mine carcass characteristics, gastrointestinal traits, and meat
quality. After evisceration, hot carcass, pancreas, liver, crop,
proventriculus, gizzard, abdominal fat and small intestine were
weighed individually. The gizzard, crop, proventriculus and
small intestine were completely emptied before weighing.
Weights of internal organs were expressed as percentages of
body weight.
Breast meat samples were taken from each carcass to deter-
mine meat quality. Breast meat pH was measured at two diffe-
rent times (1 and 24 hours after slaughter). Breast meat
samples were analyzed for dry matter, crude protein, crude ash
and crude oil.
Duodenal digesta pH was determined using a pH meter
(Hanna Instruments-8413). The duodenum (pancreatic loop)
was carefully excised. Several tubes were filled from each sam-
ple and centrifuged (4000 x g for 10 minutes at 23°C) The su-
pernatant was withdrawn and the viscosity of an aliquot (0.5
mL) was measured using a Brookfield Digital Viscometer
(Model DV-II+PRO, Brookfield Engineering Laboratories,
Stoughton, MA, USA) maintained at 40°C and expressed in
cP.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
The data were first analysed using one-way ANOVA (one-
factor analysis of variance procedure) in statistical software
SPSS 15.0 (SPSS 15: Command Syntax Reference, 2006,
SPSS Inc., Chicago Ill). Each replicate mean was used as the
experimental unit for all variables evaluated. Post-hoc analyses
were carried out to determine differences between treatments
using Duncan’s multiple range tests. Differences were consi-
dered as significant when p value was less than 0.05.
The two-way ANOVA procedure of SPSS 15.0 was used to
investigate the effects of ‘starting day’and ‘enzyme’within the
FCF treatments. Each pen mean was used as the experimental
unit. Post-hoc analyses were applied to test for differences bet-
ween treatments means using Duncan’s multiple range test. A
significance level of 5% was used to declare differences.
Results
The growth performances are summarized in Table II. Com-
pared to growth in the controls fed with basal starter and gro-
wer diets (group 1), growth (evaluated throughout body
weights and weight gains) was significantly delayed in all
groups submitted to free choice feeding (FCF) with triticale
for the whole experimental period (P < 0.001 for body weights
measured on day 42 and P < 0.01 for weight gains calculated
for the whole period). The growth retardation was evidenced
since the 21st day in the group 3 (submitted to FCF since the

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EFFECTS OF FREE CHOICE FEEDING WITH TRITICALE IN BROILERS. 623
1st day and receiving xylanase) (P < 0.001) and was signifi-
cantly more marked in this group than in the groups 2 and 4
(submitted to FCF since the 1st day and from day 21, respecti-
vely) (P < 0.001) whereas the effect was minimal in the group
5 (submitted to FCF from day 21 and receiving xylanase). In
addition, it was also noted that body weights recorded on day
21 were significantly depressed when FCF started on day 1 (P
< 0.01) or when xylanase was included in the diet (p < 0.05).
A significant interaction between starting day for FCF and en-
zyme addition on final body weight (P < 0.01) was also obtai-
ned, weights decreasing when FCF started on day 1 and
enzyme was included in the ration.
Food consumption for the whole period was significantly in-
creased in all groups feeding freely with triticale compared to
the control group (P < 0.05). The increase in food intake was
evidenced since the starting period (from day 1 to day 21) for
the groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.001) and only in the growing period
for the groups 4 and 5 (receiving triticale from day 21) (P <
0.05). However, no significant effect of the starting day for
FCF was observed on the total food consumption. On the other
hand, enzyme addition has not significantly altered the food
intake. In the groups freely feeding with triticale, the propor-
tions of the consumed whole cereal gradually increased accor-
ding to time for the 2 considered periods (day 1 - day 21 and
day 22 - day 42) and for the second period, the percentages of
consumed triticale were similar whatever the starting day for
FCF (day 1 vs. day 21) (Table II).
Consequently, food efficiency was significantly altered in all
groups submitted to FCF with triticale compared to the
controls for the whole experimental period (P < 0.01) and si-
gnificant elevations of the food conversion ratio were detected
since the FCF was established, in the starting period for the
groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.001) and in the growing period for the
groups 4 and 5 (P < 0.05) (start on day 1 vs. start on day 21
TABLE I: Composition of starter and grower diets and triticale.
Starter diet Grower diet Triticale
- enzyme + enzyme - enzyme + enzyme
Ingredients (% DM)
Corn 54.65 54.65 58.00 58.00
Soybean meal 33.50 33.50 25.45 25.45
Full-fat soybean 5.00 5.00 0.90 0.90
Soybean oil 3.20 3.20 4.10 4.10
Dicalcium phosphate 1.90 1.90 0.60 0.60
VMP 0.35 0.35 0.35 0.35
Limestone 0.49 0.49 0.53 0.53
Salt 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.30
DL methionine 0.28 0.28 0.23 0.23
NaHCO3 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05
L Lysine 0.03 0.03 0.04 0.04
Anticoccidian1 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.10
Antioxidant 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05
Xylanase2 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.10
Swadust 0.10 0.00 0.10 0.00
Composition
DM3 (% raw matter) 87.63 87.63 87.64 87.64 91.50
Crude protein3 (% DM) 22.11 22.11 20.02 20.02 10.60
Crude oil3 (% DM) 6.32 6.32 7.95 7.95 1.80
Crude fiber3 (% DM) 2.32 2.32 2.36 2.36 3.20
Crude ash3 (% DM) 5.35 5.35 4.91 4.91 2.30
Ca3 (% DM) 0.85 0.85 0.80 0.80 0.05
Total P3 (% DM) 0.69 0.69 0.60 0.60 0.15
ME4 (kcal/kg) 3088 3088 3219 3219 12.89
Available P4 (% DM) 0.46 0.46 0.40 0.40 0.10
Methionine4 (% DM) 0.60 0.60 0.53 0.53
Lysine4 (% DM) 1.21 1.21 1.10 1.10
Methionine + Cystine4 (% DM) 0.95 0.95 0.86 0.86
DM: dry matter; ME: metabolisable energy; VMP: vitamin and trace mineral premix supplying per kg of diet vitamin A, 12.000 IU; vitamin D3, 1.500
IU; vitamin E, 30 mg; vitamin K3, 5 mg; vitamin B1, 3 mg; vitamin B2, 6 mg; vitamin B6, 5 mg; vitamin B12, 0.03 mg; nicotinamide, 40 mg; cal-
cium-D-pantothenate, 10 mg; folic acid, 0.75 mg; D-biotin, 0.075 mg; choline chloride, 375 mg; Mn, 80 mg; Fe, 40 mg; Zn, 60 mg; Cu, 5 mg; I, 0.5
mg; Co, 0.2 mg and Se, 0.15 mg.; 1: Narasin 70 mg per kg of diet; 2: Kavimix Safizyme® xpd ; 3: determined chemically; 4: calculated.

4. Revue Méd. Vét., 2012, 163, 12, 621-627
624 ÖZEK (K.) AND COLLABORATORS
for the first period: P < 0.001). In addition, the dietary enzyme
addition has not significantly affected food efficiency (Table II).
As shown in Table III, carcass traits (carcass, abdominal fat,
breast and rump weights) were not significantly different
among groups; however, the abdominal fat accumulation has
significantly increased with the FCF duration (FCF starting on
day 1 vs. FCF starting on day 21: P < 0.05). Breast meat pH
measured 1 hour after slaughter were significantly higher in
the groups 2 (receiving triticale on day 1) and 5 (receiving tri-
ticale on day 21 and xylanase) than in the others (P < 0.001)
and a highly significant (P < 0.001) interaction between star-
ting day and enzyme addition was also evidenced. By contrast,
breast meat pH measured 24 hours after slaughter was signifi-
cantly declined in all groups receiving triticale as free choice
feeding compared to the controls (P < 0.05).
Proventriculus weights were significantly increased in birds
of the group 2 (submitted to FCF since the 1st day) compared
to the others (P < 0.05). Furthermore, it was also observed that
the proventriculus weight was significantly more elevated
when triticale was given since the first day compared to FCF
starting on day 21 (P < 0.05) whereas it was significantly de-
pressed when enzyme was added to the diets (P < 0.01). As
expected, the gizzard weights were significantly greater when
birds have received triticale compared to the controls (P <
0.05). The duodenal pH was markedly decreased in the group
5 (submitted to FCF from the day 21 with xylanase included
into the diets) compared to the other groups (P < 0.001). Ad-
ditionally, starting day of FCF or enzyme addition had a signi-
ficant effect on duodenal pH: it was significantly depressed
when FCF started on day 21 (P < 0.01) or when enzyme was
included to diets (P < 0.05) and a significant interaction bet-
ween the 2 dietary procedures was also noticed (P < 0.01).Al-
though differences between groups were not significant, the
minimal duodenal viscosity was recorded in the group 5 and
the highest in the group 3. The other gastrointestinal traits were
TABLE II: Effects of free choice feeding (FCF) using triticale as whole cereal on growth, food intake and food conversion ratio (FCR) in
broilers.
Group effect (one way ANOVA) Two way ANOVA
1 2 3 4 5 SEM FCF1 FCF21 + Enzyme - Enzyme SEM
Mortality (%) 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.10 0.25 0.62 0.62 0.25 0.13
Body weight (g)
Day 21 823a 816a 785b 823a 818a 3.1 801A 820B 801α 820β 3.6
Day 42 2428a 2296bc 2237c 2245bc 2307b 10.3 2267 2276 2270 2269 11.1
Weight gains (g)
D1-D21 776a 770a 738b 777a 772a 4.8 754A 775B 755α 774β 5.3
D22-D42 1605a 1480b 1452b 1422b 1489b 18.4 1466 1456 1469 1449 13.1
D1-D42 2381a 2250b 2190b 2199b 2261b 20.5 2220 2231 2224 2223 15.3
Food intake (g)
D1-D21 1123a 1189b 1178b 1129a 1137a 7.7 1183A 1133B 1157 1159 8.8
D22-D42 3033a 3269b 3177ab 3312b 3336b 32.0 3223 3295 3256 3262 30.0
D1-D42 4156a 4458b 4355b 4383b 4473b 34.9 4406 4428 4414 4421 31.4
Triticale intake1 (%)
D1-D7 2 2 - -
D8-D14 11 17 - -
D15-D21 33 34 - -
D1-D21 21 24 - -
D22-D28 27 30 26 28
D29-D35 26 28 26 30
D36-D42 34 35 35 36
D22-D42 29 31 29 31
D1-D42 27 29 - -
FCR (g/g)
D1-D21 1.45a 1.57b 1.60b 1.46a 1.48a 0.02 1.57A 1.46B 1.54 1.50 0.02
D22-D42 1.93a 2.27b 2.18b 2.29b 2.24b 0.04 2.23 2.26 2.21 2.28 0.03
D1-D42 1.77a 2.02b 1.98b 2.00b 1.98b 0.02 2.00 1.98 1.98 2.00 0.02
FCR: food conversion ration; 1: calculated as proportion of the total food intake; G1: control group; G2: Free choice feeding since day 1; G3: Free
choice feeding since day 1 and xylanase (1g/kg); G4: Free choice feeding from day 21; G5: Free choice feeding from day 21 and xylanase (1g/kg);
FCF1: Free choice feeding since day 1; FCF21: Free choice feeding from day 21; SEM: Pooled standard error mean.
Different superscripts a,b,c indicate significant differences (P < 0.05 or more) between groups; Different superscripts A,B indicate significant differences
(P < 0.05 or more) according to the date for free choice feeding; Different superscripts α,β indicate significant differences (P < 0.05 or more) according
to the addition enzyme.

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EFFECTS OF FREE CHOICE FEEDING WITH TRITICALE IN BROILERS. 625
not significantly modified according to the triticale feeding
and/or xylanase addition.
Discussion
Comparing body weights within FCF treatments, the birds
started FCF at 1 day of age did not show enough performance
in the starter period. As lysine is very important for early
growth [14] and lysine intake during the first two weeks of life
affects breast meat [17], it was probable that the birds in the
choice feeding treatments could have eaten less lysine compa-
red with controls in this trial. In addition, xylanase supplemen-
tation had a detrimental effect on growth rate in the first period
(P < 0.05) but no effect in the growing period. Moreover,
growth rates were lower in FCF treatments in both periods
compared to the controls. These results are in agreement with
a previous study in which the body weights of the control birds
remained higher than those in a choice feeding trial based on
low protein high energy and low energy high protein feeds
[24]. Broilers choose feeds for normal growth and health, not
to reach maximum growth rate [23] whereas commercial feeds
are formulated for maximum growth rate. Consequently,
growth rates of broilers fed with commercial feeds are faster
than those given FCF based on triticale. PETERSON [21]
noted that broilers fed with whole or crumbled wheat for 6
hours and standard feed for 18 hours in a day had the same
meat quality and performance as birds fed only with standard
feed. On the other hand, there are several studies that showed
that choice feeding did not affect body weights. LEESON and
CASTON [15] reported that FCF based on whole corn and
wheat started at 7 days of age did not affect weights. In the
same way, OLVER and JONKER [19] have also observed no
significant effect of choice feeding on body weights.
Food intake was significantly increased throughout the entire
experimental period in FCF treatment birds and was dependent
for the duration of FCF. When FCF started on day 1, chickens
have consumed only 3.5 g triticale during the 1st week, repre-
senting only 2% of total feed intake. Thereafter, the consumed
triticale proportions gradually increased according to time, ex-
cept during the transition between starter and grower rations
(day 15 - day 28) in which a slight drop in the triticale
consumption was recorded. Considering both periods, the birds
submitted to FCF since the 1st day (groups 2 and 3) or from
the 21st day (groups 4 and 5) ate 27% whole triticale and 73%
crumbled feed and triticale consumptions in all FCF treatments
were similar in the last weeks. In fact, it was observed that
TABLE III: Effects of free choice feeding (FCF) using triticale as whole cereal on carcass characteristics, meat quality, and gastrointestinal traits
in broilers.
Group effect (one way ANOVA) Two way ANOVA
1 2 3 4 5 SEM FCF1 FCF21 + Enzyme - Enzyme SEM
Carcass traits
Carcass weight (g) 1894 1850 1877 1856 1824 23.0 1863 1839 1850 1852 25.4
Abdominal fat (g) 51 65 62 52 56 2.1 63A 54B 58 58 2.4
Breast (g) 623 582 603 607 603 7.6 593 605 603 595 8.3
Rump (g) 516 511 511 512 499 7.3 511 501 505 507 7.9
Meat quality
Dry matter (%) 25.6 25.0 25.3 24.9 25.5 0.09 25.2 25.2 25.4 25.0 0.11
Crude ash (%) 1.15 1.13 1.11 1.13 1.09 0.02 1.12 1.11 1.11 1.12 0.02
Crude protein (%) 24.2 25.0 23.9 23.4 23.0 0.29 24.4 23.2 23.5 24.2 0.34
Crude fat (%) 1.23 1.32 1.37 1.30 1.35 0.06 1.34 1.33 1.36 1.31 0.05
Breast pH1 5.99a 6.22b 5.89a 5.87a 6.25b 0.03 6.06 6.04 6.04 6.04 0.04
Breast pH24 6.02a 5.96b 5.93b 5.95b 5.93b 0.01 5.94 5.94 5.93 5.95 0.01
Gastrointestinal traits
Crop (g) 0.18 0.18 0.17 0.18 0.19 0.01 0.18 0.19 0.18 0.18 0.01
Proventriculus (g) 0.32a 0.38b 0.32a 0.34a 0.29a 0.01 0.35A 0.32B 0.31α 0.36β 0.01
Gizzard (g) 1.58a 1.79b 1.76b 1.76b 1.75b 0.02 1.78 1.76 1.76 1.78 0.02
Liver (g) 2.34 2.55 2.50 2.56 2.53 0.04 2.52 2.54 2.55 2.55 0.05
Pancreas (g) 0.27 0.26 0.25 0.27 0.25 0.01 0.26 0.26 0.25 0.26 0.01
Small intestine (g) 3.26 3.47 3.30 3.15 3.22 0.05 3.38 3.18 3.26 3.31 0.06
Duodenal pH 6.27a 6.27a 6.24a 6.19a 5.97b 0.02 6.26A 6.09B 6.11α 6.23β 0.02
Duodenal viscosity (cP) 1.31 1.49 1.63 1.52 1.29 0.04 1.56 1.40 1.44 1.51 0.34
G1: control group; G2: Free choice feeding since day 1; G3: Free choice feeding since day 1 and xylanase (1g/kg); G4: Free choice feeding from day
21; G5: Free choice feeding from day 21 and xylanase (1g/kg); FCF1: Free choice feeding since day 1; FCF21: Free choice feeding from day 21; SEM:
Pooled standard error mean.
Different superscripts a,b,c indicate significant differences (P < 0.05 or more) between groups; Different superscripts A,B indicate significant differences
(P < 0.05 or more) according to the date for free choice feeding; Different superscripts α,β indicate significant differences (P < 0.05 or more) according
to the addition enzyme.

6. Revue Méd. Vét., 2012, 163, 12, 621-627
626 ÖZEK (K.) AND COLLABORATORS
broilers which started FCF at 1 day of age didn’t prefer eating
whole cereal. Since birds consumed feeds according to their
nutritional purpose and supply in protein, energy and minerals,
they did not privileged food flavours [23].
Overall feed conversion of the birds in free choice treatments
was worse compared with control birds. Starting FCF at 1 day
of age had a negative effect on feed conversion, particularly
during the starter period and enzyme addition into feed did not
improve feed efficiency in the present study. ZARGHI and
GOLIAN [26] also reported that xylanase addition in diets
containing different triticale contents did not affect feed
conversion. However, POURREZA et al. [22] observed that
when a diet containing 65% triticale was supplemented with
100, 200 and 400 g/kg xylanase, feed conversion was signifi-
cantly improved.
There was no significant difference between control and free
choice treatments for carcass characteristics except that starting
FCF since one day of age significantly increased abdominal
fat weight (P < 0.05). By contrast, LEESON and CASTON
[15] reported that carcass weight was heavier in the controls
than in the FCF treatment broilers. One of the most important
parameters for evaluating FCF is meat quality. In this study,
some important and various meat quality parameters (chemical
composition and pH measured one hour and 24 hours after
slaughter) were investigated. Whereas the chemical composi-
tion of meat was not affected by FCF based on triticale and/
or dietary enzyme addition, it was observed that breast meat
pH measured one hour after slaughter tended to increase in
broilers freely fed with triticale whereas this parameter signi-
ficantly declined 24 hours after slaughtering.
As far as gastrointestinal traits were concerned, the gizzard
relative weight (gizzard weight / body weight) was signifi-
cantly enlarged in all broilers freely fed with triticale compared
to the controls (P < 0.05). A large and active functioning giz-
zard may well play a role in the chicken resistance to cocci-
diosis [5, 9, 23]. MASTIKA and CUMMING [16] observed
that if birds persist in eating harder feeds, their gizzards seem
to adapt quickly to cope with the feed. This result agree with
the result of OLVER and JONKER [19] who observed that the
gizzard weights from birds freely fed with whole cereal were
heavier than those from birds fed with standard feed. Within
FCF treatments, the proventriculus weights of the birds which
started choice feeding at 1 day of age were heavier compared
with birds which started choice feeding at 21 days of age. Mo-
reover, enzyme supplementation in feed significantly decrea-
sed proventriculus weight. As known, the proventriculus
secretes digestive enzymes for breaking down feeds. Consu-
ming whole grain requires a proventriculus that is actively wor-
king. In the present study, differences in proventriculus weight
between starting day treatments may be related to the organ
activity.
In addition, a delayed starting day (on day 21) for FCF (P <
0.01) and / or xylanase addition to diets (P < 0.05) induced a
significant decline in the duodenal pH which was not coupled
to improvement of food efficiency in the current study. Xyla-
nase is usually added to diets in order to reduce intestinal vis-
cosity, and improve feed conversion in this way [12]. Contrary
to expectation, enzyme addition did not significantly affect
duodenal viscosity in the present trial. No other differences
were observed between the control and FCF treatment birds
with liver, pancreas, crop, and small intestine weights expres-
sed as percentages of live BW.
As a conclusion, broilers prefer to eat low amounts of triti-
cale in the first week when offered as free choice. Offering tri-
ticale at 1 day of age doesn’t have any advantage over growth
performance and xylanase supplementation had negative effect
on body weight for 1-21 day. Globally, the results suggest that
broilers do not select feed to maximize growth when whole
cereal such as triticale was freely offered.
Acknowledgements
Authors are very grateful to the personnel of Erbeyli Poultry
Research Institute for the careful execution of the trial. This
study was supported by a grant from Turkish Ministry ofAgri-
culture-General Directorate of Agricultural Research.
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