Abstract:
This study aimed to determine
the impact of feeding partially ground corn or insoluble fiber on intestinal
development, Salmonella cecal colonization and fecal shedding
of turkeys from 0-28d. Turkeys reared in cage-batteries were assigned
to 1 of 3 diets: ground corn-SBM (GC, TRT 1), coarse ground corn-SBM
(CC, TRT 2), and 4% wood shavings + ground corn-SBM (SC, TRT 3). A 3-strain
cocktail of nalidixic acid-resistant Salmonellaenterica serotypes
Hadar, Javaina, and Typhimurium was orally-gavaged into each poult at
placement. Cecal and fecal Salmonella populations, growth performance
and intestinal weights and lengths were measured. The diets had no impact
on Salmonella cecal or fecal populations. At 28d, Salmonella
cecal populations decreased approximately 3-logs (range: 2.4-3.3 log
reduction) across all treatments in comparison to 7d (P< 0.0001). At
28d body weight, body gain and feed conversion ratio were not impacted
by the diets. However, at 14d poults consuming the SC diet had lower
feed consumption than those fed the GC and CC diets (231 vs. 243 and
252 g, P=0.001, respectively). The CC diet resulted in heavier relative
gizzard weights at 28d in comparison to the GC and SC diets (30 vs.
28 and 22 g/kg, respectively, P< 0.0001). Conversely, the SC treatment
reduced the mass of the small intestine relative to body weight, especially
the jejunum. Dietary inclusion of coarsely ground corn and wood shavings
had no adverse effect on growth performance yet improved gizzard and
intestinal development, which could have positive effects on intestinal
health.
F.B.O. Santos , A.A. Santos Jr. , P.R. Ferket and B.W. Sheldon , 2006. Influence of Grain Particle Size and Insoluble
Fiber Content on Salmonella Colonization and Shedding of Turkeys
Fed Corn-Soybean Meal Diets . International Journal of Poultry Science, 5: 731-739.
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