Efficacy of dietary globin, a protein-based emulsifier, in broiler feed

Globin (Actipro® 95PGS) is a protein-based emulsifier used in meat products and animal feed. The active compound is a hydrophillic protein manufactured from the red cell fraction of food-grade porcine blood. Poor digestibility of dietary fat in young chicks is attributed to low secretion and inefficient recirculation of endogenous emulsifiers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary globin on energy efficiency and digestibility of starter feed and on production performance during the complete rearing cycle in broilers. A total of 224 mixed-sex ROSS 708 chickens were allocated in 16 pens (14 birds/pen). Each pen was assigned to one of two dietary treatments for the whole rearing cycle (8 replicates/treatment). Birds were fed ad libitum with either basal control diets (C) or basal diets added with 0.05% globin (G) during the starter (S; d1-10), grower (G; d10-25) and finisher (F; d25-39) phase. Fat and energy contents of test diets (C/G) were 6.46/6.55, 5.39/5.82 and 6.66/6.79% fat, and 18.49/18.76, 19.29/19.00, 19.15/19.26 MJ GE/kg in S, G and F feed, respectively. Nutrient digestibility (aD), protein metabolizability (aMCP), energy efficiency (EE), net energy for production (NEp) were assessed during S phase. Growth performance (ADG and FCR) was measured throughout the trial. Data were analyzed using Student's t-test for independent samples. Significance was set at p < 0.050. globin significantly improved aDfat (C:74.0%, G:78.6%, p = 0.021) of S feed. Although aDCP was similar between groups (p > 0.05), aMCP was higher in the G than in C group (C:63.9%, G:67.8%, p = 0.049). Increased availability of dietary fat by globin possibly shifted fate of absorbed amino acids towards anabolic metabolism, explaining improved aMCP whilst similar aDCP. Dietary globin indeed significantly increased energetic value of S feed: EE +7.2% (p = 0.028) and NEp +8.5% (p = 0.011), compared with control. FCR was also lower in G than in C group (C:1.22, G:1.16, p = 0.02), yet ADG was similar in S phase. Performance traits were similar in G and F phases. Improved FCR of starter feed is translated in an economic impact of -EUR32.87/kg globin used.