ABSTRACT:
The study evaluated the effects of replacing corn with whole and ground sorghum on the zootechnical performance of turkeys fed from one to 28 days of age. A total of 3,960 male Nicholas turkeys were used, divided into six treatments: A) Whole sorghum (100%Sw); B) Ground corn (100%Cg); C) 75% Ground Corn + 25% Ground Sorghum (75%Cg/25%Sg); D) 50% Ground Corn + 50% Ground Sorghum (50%Cg/50%Sg); E) 25% Ground Corn + 75% Ground Sorghum (25%Cg/75%SG) and F) Ground Sorghum (100%Sg). At seven days, live weight was the same between treatments (164 g per bird). At 28 days, the percentage of breast, thigh-drumstick, and wings remained constant in the corn-based diet or partial and total replacements by ground or whole sorghum grain. The length of the small intestine was shorter in treatments B and C. The digestibility of the lipid fraction of the diet (DEE) was significantly higher in the diet with ground sorghum. The treatment based on ground sorghum grain showed the same result for ground corn in the dry matter (DM) and mineral matter (MM DM%) composition of the turkey carcass at 28 days. Ground sorghum influenced the lipid portion of the carcasses (EE DM%). Thus, it is concluded that whole sorghum grain presented the same results as ground sorghum and ground corn for zootechnical performance, carcass muscle mass, and viscera morphometry in turkeys at 28 days of age.
Key words:
performance; grain;
Meleagris
; nutrition;
sorghum bicolor