A digestibility trial was carried out to evaluate the nutrient digestibility of heat-processed corn (PC) and not processed corn (NPC). A trial was also carried out to evaluate the effect of PC and NPC in pre-starter diet on broiler performance from 1 to 42 days of age. The dry matter (DM), ether extract, crude protein and starch digestibilities and apparent metabolizable energy for PC were similar (P>0.05) to those observed for NPC. The corrected apparent metabolizable energy of PC (3,537kcal/kg of DM) was higher than NPC (3,411kcal/kg of DM). The treatments in the performance trial were T1- diet formulated with NPC, T2- diet formulated with PC, and T3 - isometric substitution of NPC for PC in T1 diet. The broiler fed on NRC diets showed lower feed consumption and weight gain:feed consumption ratio from 1 to 7 days of age than broiler fed on PC diets. The isometric substitution of NPC for PC in the pre-starter diet did not affect the performance of birds. No treatment effect on broiler performance from 1 to 42 days of age was also observed.
broiler; gelatinized corn; metabolizable energy; pre-starter feeding
