Effect of grain particle size, feed form and pellet texture on broiler performance, carcass quality, true metabolizable energy, feed passage time and preference

Treatments consisted of five mash diets (781 microns, 950 microns, 1,042 microns, 1,109 microns, 2,242 microns) and two pelleted diets (water (soft) and binder (hard) inclusion). Water and binder addition produced similar pellet durability (90.4% and 86.2% respectively) and fines (44.5% and 40.3% respectively).;Broilers fed mash diets exhibited decreased live weight gain and breast yield with increased gizzard, compared to broilers fed pelleted diets. As diet particle size increased, feed intake and gizzard yield increased and feed efficiency decreased. Broiler true metabolizable energy increased then decreased when diet particle size increased. Hard pellets increased live weight gain. Fines of the soft pelleted diet seemed to offset feeding advantages of high pellet durability. Initially, preference for smaller particle sizes was noted. Feeding larger particle corn had a trend towards decreased feed passage time. Diets containing larger corn particles may increase nutrient utilization. Feeding diets containing corn particles between 950 microns and 2,242 microns may increase broiler performance