Short Communication: Effects of monoglycerides and lecithin on metabolizable energy and apparent total tract digestibility of diets in Hy-Line chicks

Most emulsifiers are molecules with both hydrophilic and lipophilic properties that can interact with both oil and water, thereby stabilizing the mixtures and preventing their separation. Common emulsifiers used in the animal feed industry include lecithin, lysolecithin, mono-and diglycerides, and carrageenan. The objective of this investigation was to assess the effects of emulsifiers on gross energy (GE), apparent metabolizable energy (AME), nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) in chick diets. A total of six hundred Hy-Line W-80 chicks at 12 weeks old was randomly assigned to ten test groups. Each group was composed of six replicates, with ten birds per cage. The study employed a completely randomized design with a 2×5 factorial arrangement, encompassing ten treatments. The treatments consisted of two levels of monoglycerides (0% and 0.05%, referred to as emulsifier A) and five levels of lecithin (0%, 0.03%, 0.04%, 0.05%, and 0.06%, referred to as emulsifier B). Hy-Line chicks fed diets supplemented with emulsifier B had significantly higher AME and AMEn compared with chicks offered the control diet. The levels of 0.04, 0.05 and 0.06% of emulsifier B improved the AME and AMEn. Linear and quadratic effects and the orthogonal contrast between the diets without and with emulsifiers B showed that addition of emulsifiers increased AME and AMEn in the diet. The interaction between emulsifiers A and B were observed on ATTD of Ca, P and ether extract (EE). The addition of emulsifiers A and B resulted in an increase in the ATTD of EE. In conclusion, the addition of lecithin at the 0.04% level can improve metabolizable energy levels by increasing fat digestibility.