A comparison of effects of body weight and feed intake on digestion in broiler cockerels with effects of tannins.

The effects of body size and feed intake on N digestibility, pancreas and liver weight, and digestive enzyme activities in male broiler chicks were compared with those induced by dietary tannins. Four groups (SSM, ad lib., pair-fed and young) of sixteen birds each (2 weeks old) were used as experimental animals. They were fed on experimental diets for 4 weeks, except the young group which were fed from age 15 d to 24 d only. Two isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets with (SSM) or without salseed (Shorea robusta) meal (CONTROL) were used. SSM diet was fed ad lib. to SSM group and control diet was fed ad lib. to ad lib. and young birds and to pair-fed birds at same intake level as SSM birds. Birds fed ad lib. utilized their diet more efficiently than the SSM and pair-fed birds. Digestibility of N, both apparent and ileal, was substantially lower with SSM diet than with the control diet. Each of the treatments induced enlargement of the pancreas (g pancreas/kg live weight) when compared with ad lib. birds. There was no difference between the relative liver weights of SSM and ad lib. birds; however, pair-fed and young birds had comparatively bigger livers. In pair-fed birds the trypsinogen activity of pancreatic tissue (U/g pancreatic tissue) was significantly depressed but there was a significant elevation in trypsinogen (U/kg live weight) activity in SSM birds; again pair-fed birds exhibited the lowest value for this variable.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)