This work was undertaken to evaluate of dietary energy and energy: crude protein ratio on performance and carcass quality of broiler chicks in the pre-starter and starter phases. Were used 900 one day old male broiler chicks, weight of 41 g, allotted in a completely randomized design in 45 boxes, in factorial 3 X 3, with three ME levels (2,850; 3,000 and 3,150 kcal) and three ME: CP ratio (125.0, 136.9 and 151.5 kcal/%CP), resulting in nine treatments with five replicates of 20 birds. From 1 to 7 days, better feed conversion ratio was obtained with 3,150 kcal ME and ME: CP ratio of 125 (25,2% CP). From 1 to 21 days, when ME: CP ratio decreased (increase of CP), within of ME levels, improved weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The broiler chicks feed intake was not clearing affect by dietary ME levels. Diets with 136.9 ME: CP ratio (21.91% CP) and 3,000 kcal ME attend the broilers requirements for optimum growth in start phase, while 151.5 ME: CP ratio was inadequate. The reduction of ME: CP ratio decrease lipid and improves poultry carcass quality in start phase.
abdominal fat; carcass quality; performance
