PERFORMANCE OF BROILERS FED WITH INCLUSION ANIMAL CREATINE IN THE FEED

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the productive performance and carcass characteristics of broilers fed with creatine inclusion in the diet. Were evaluated one hundred and sixteen Cobb 500-day-old chicks were divided into four phases: 1 to 7, 8 to 21, 9 to 35 and 22 to 49 days of age, and four experimental diets were formulated, pre-initial, initial, growth and termination, respectively. All diets were produced based on corn and soybean meal. The birds were distributed in a completely randomized design with 0,10% of creatine in substitution to soybean meal and seven replicates. The variables studied were: feed intake (g/bird/day), weight gain (g/bird/day), final weight (g/bird), feed conversion (g/g), viability (%), noble cuts (g), edible offal (g) and carcass yield (%). There was no influence of the inclusion of creatine on the performance parameters of 7 21 and 35 days of age. However, there was improvement (P<0,05) in the feed conversion of 7 - 42 days of age. Body weight, carcass weight, thighs, wings, heart, gizzard, liver and carcass yield were not influenced by the inclusion of creatine, except for weight and breast yield for slaughter at 42 days (P<0,05). The inclusion of 0,10% of creatine in diets for broilers provided higher breast weight of birds slaughtered at 42 days and better feed conversion from 7 to 42 days of age.