DESEMPENHO E RENDIMENTO DE CARCAÇA DE FRANGOS ALIMENTADOS COM DIFERENTES FONTES DE SÓDIO

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of three different sources of sodium for broilers’ performance and carcass yield. In total 414 female Ross broilers were fed on dietary treatments from one up to 42 days of age.  A completely randomized experimental design was used. Broilers were distributed into a total of 6 replicates per treatment. Treatments consisted of T1- sodium chloride, T2-sodium bicarbonate  with Ammonium chloride  and T3-sodium formate  with Ammonium chloride.  Average body weight (ABW), feed consumption (FC), body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion (FE), viability (V) and European efficiency factor (EEF), preslaughtering body weight (PSBW), carcass yield (CY), thigh yield (TY) and drumstick yield (DY) were evaluated. Broilers fed on T1 and T2 showed higher feed conversion than those fed on T3 from 1 to 21, 1 to 28 and 1 to 35 days of age. Dietary treatments did not effect the remaining variables up to 35 days of age on the carcass yield. In conclusion, it is possible to substitute the traditional sodium for sodium bicarbonate and sodium formate, both supplied with Ammonium chloride, without affecting the performance or carcass yield. KEY WORDS: Consumption, HCOONa, NaCl-, NaHCO3-;  NH4Cl-.