EMULSIFICANTE NA DIETA DE POEDEIRAS COMERCIAIS

Animal feed represents approximately 70% to 80% of the total costs in intensive farming. In order to control factors related to the digestive process and the feed efficiency of animals, the use of additives in the diet becomes an alternative, as physiological limitations in the digestive system of animals can be minimized with the supplementation of additives in the diet.

The lipids present in oils in animal diets primarily serve to add a concentrated source of energy, often more cost-effective, as their energy density (9.5 kcal/g) is higher compared to carbohydrates (4.2 kcal/g) and proteins (5.6 kcal/g). However, lipids exhibit the main characteristic of solubility in organic solvents and insolubility of their various chemical compounds when in contact with water. In this context, the use of emulsifiers in animal feed is applied. Emulsifiers are interesting technological additives to be included in the diet of commercial poultry, aiming to improve the metabolism of birds in terms of utilizing energy from the feed. Their mechanism of action lies in forming an interface between these lipids and water, as the environment of the intestinal lumen is predominantly aqueous, a characteristic that hinders the digestion and absorption of lipids, as they tend to form a large complex that complicates the activity of hydrolytic enzymes.

Thus, the aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of adding an emulsifier to the diet on the zootechnical characteristics of commercial laying hens.