The use of animal byproducts in broiler feeds.

This study aimed at evaluating live performance and carcass yield of broilers fed vegetarian diets or containing different animal byproduct meals after 8 days of age. In the experiment, 1080 one-day-old male chicks were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with 6 treatments and 6 replicates. Diets were based on corn and soybean meal, and included or not animal meals, maintaining constant levels of minerals and amino acids. The following treatments were applied: control diet; inclusion of 5% meat and bone meal, blood meal, feather meal, or poultry offal meal; and a combination of the four. Broiler weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion, livability, and carcass yield were evaluated. At 35 days of age, it was verified that the combination of the four animal meals compromised weight gain. Broiler performance at 42 days was influenced by treatments, with the worst weight gain and feed conversion in birds fed the combined diet. The inclusion of 5% blood meal negatively affected weight gain. It is concluded that meat and bone meal, feather meal, and poultry offal meal inclusion can be individually used without negatively influencing performance or carcass yield, contributing to reduced feed costs.