title: The effect of temperature, dietary energy level, and corn particle size on broiler performance.
abstract: Experiments were conducted to study the effect on broiler performance of grinding corn with different hammer mill screen openings (HMSO). Corn for Trials 1 and 2 was ground through HMSO of 3.18 or 9.59 mm and broilers were grown at 15.5 and 26.6 C in Trial 1 and at 26.6 C in Trial 2. Dietary energy levels used from 22 to 42 days were 3,050 and 3,230 kcal ME/kg for Trial 1 and 3,230 and 3,330 kcal ME/kg in Trial 2. In all starter and finisher diets, lysine and sulphur amino acid concentrations were similar on a megacalorie basis. In Trials 3 and 4, HMSO were 3.18, 4.76, 6.35, and 7.94 mm. Corn ground through a HMSO of 9.59 mm significantly reduced body weight and feed:gain ratio in Trials 1 and 2 at 21 days as compared with corn ground through an HMSO of 3.18 mm. At 42 days, body weights were reduced when corn was ground through 9.59- and 3.18-mm HMSO for the starter and finisher diets, respectively, as compared with those fed with the corn ground through a 3.18-mm HMSO in the starter diet. In Trials 3 and 4, significant differences in body weight and feed:gain ratios at 21 days were not noted for feed containing corn ground through an HMSO of 3.18, 4.76, 6.35, or 7.94 mm.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Research Service, South Central Poultry Research Laboratory, Mississippi State 39762.
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Lott
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Deaton
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: May
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development*; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005511:Food Handling; D008297:Male; D013696:Temperature; D015430:Weight Gain; D003313:Zea mays