Effects of palygorskite on broiler performance, feed technological characteristics and litter quality

The aim of the study was to evaluate how palygorskite supplemented in broiler diets affects growth performance, mortality, litter quality and feed technological characteristics. Day-old broilers (n = 192) were raised for 6 weeks and fed either a corn–soybean base diet with no added palygorskite, or the same diet with 1% m/m, or 10% m/m added palygorskite. Body mass, feed conversion ratio, water intake, litter score and excreta dry matter, total and non-protein nitrogen content were assessed. To test for any negative health effects of the additive, mortality was assessed and standard hematological analyses were performed. Hardness and durability of pellets were measured to determine pellet quality. The study revealed that hardness of pellets was improved by palygorskite suggesting that it may be used as an agglomerant. Data on mortality and hematology indicated that palygorskite was safe and tolerable. The luck of statistically significant differences on improvement of litter quality with palygorskite addition could be attributed to the small scale of the study and the low stress conditions.