Acidulated Sunflower Soapstock as an Energy Source in the Diet of Broiler Chickens

Acidulated soapstock is a by-product of the vegetable oil refining process and is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary incorporation of acidulated sunflower soapstock (ASS) in broiler chicken diet as an energy source on their performance, carcass characteristics, and quality and immune response. A corn-soybean basal starter (0–3 wk, 2900 kcal ME/kg and 22% CP) and finisher (4–6 wk, 3000 kcal ME/kg and 20% CP) diet was prepared using sunflower oil (SFO) as an energy source (Control group). Subsequently 3 experimental diets were prepared by replacing SFO with ASS at 25, 50 and 100% level. Each diet was fed ad libitum at random to10 replicates of 5 chicks in each throughout the experimental period (0–6 wk) reared in stainless steel battery brooders under uniform management conditions. Dietary incorporation of ASS replacing SFO at either partially or completely had no adverse effect on body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, carcass characteristics (relative weight of dressed yield, liver, giblet and abdominal fat), relative weight of immune organs (bursa and spleen) and humoral immune response (antibody titres against sheep RBC) of broiler chickens. The protein and fat contents of breast and thigh meat of broilers were also not influenced by the incorporation of ASS in the diets. The TBARS (mg malondialdehyde/g tissue) concentration in the breast meat was not affected, however, TBARS concentration was significantly (P<0.05) increased in thigh meat in the diet in which SFO was completely replaced by ASS. It is concluded that acidulated sunflower soapstock can be used as an energy source in the diet of broiler chickens.