LAUSR

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of pig bile powder supplementation on the digestibility of nutrients, fat digestion and growth performance of starter broilers fed on a high fat diet. A total of 1110, day-old, male broiler chicks (Arbor Acres) were randomly allocated into six treatment groups with five replicates per treatment. The chicks were fed on a corn-soybean meal basal diet with a starter formulation until Day 14, followed by a grower formulation until Day 21. In group 1 (T1), the basal diet contained 30 g/kg crude palm oil whereas the diet used in group 2 (T2) had 60 g/kg crude palm oil. Chicks in group 3 (T3) were fed on T2 diet supplemented with 5.0 g/kg soy lecithin as the positive control. Chicks in groups 4–6 (T4–T6) received diets used in T2, supplemented with 1.25, 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg lyophilised pig bile powder, respectively. On Days 4, 7, 14 and 21, chicks were killed, portal blood was collected and analysed for fatty acids, pancreas collected for measurement of pancreatic lipase activity, bile and jejunal contents for bile acid determination and ileal content for determining digestibility of fat and protein. The results showed (1) there was no difference in bodyweight and feed intake among T2–T6, (2) pancreatic lipase activity of chicks in T4 and T5 was highest in all periods. Total bile acid concentrations in the gall bladder and jejunum in T4 was lower than those in T2 in all periods, and Days 4 and 7, respectively, (3) digestibility of protein and fat in T3 and T4 was higher in all the period than that of T2, T5 and T6, (4) increased fat content in the diet did not cause a significant increase in any fatty acids in the portal plasma when compared T1 and T2. In conclusion, 2.5 g/kg porcine bile powder supplemented in high fat diet increased pancreatic lipase activity and total bile acid concentrations in gall bladder, resulting in increased ileal digestibility of fat and protein.