EFFECTS OF DIETARY CELLULOSE LEVEL ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNAL ORGANS, ENERGY AND NITROGEN UTILIZATION AND LIPID CONTENTS OF GROWING CHICKS

In order to determine the effect of dietary cellulose levels on chick performance, 1-week-old White Leghorn male chicks were fed semi-purified diets containing either 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% cellulose for 3 weeks. All diets were iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric. Feed intake and body weight were increased as the cellulose level was increased. Feed conversion was lower in the 5% cellulose diet than in the other diets. Compared to the case of 10% to 20% cellulose diets, relative length (per 100 g body weight) of esophagus, duodenum, small intestine and cecum was longer, and relative weight of esophagus, duodenum and crop was also heavier in the chicks fed the 5% cellulose diet. The other internal organs were not affected by the cellulose level. The retention rates of dry matter and nitrogen were lower in the 5% cellulose group than in the other groups. Concentration of carcass phospholipids was higher in the 5% cellulose group, and that of carcass cholesterol was increased as the cellulose level increased. In conclusion, the dietary cellulose level should be more than 5% to give an adequate chick performance, and no ill effect was found even at 20% level.