Effect of ractopamine hydrochloride and protein level in the diet on the performance and carcass yield of growing turkeys

Abstract

THE EFFECT OF RACTOPAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE (0, 5 OR 10 PPM) AND PROTEIN (22% AND 24%) IN THE DIET ON THE PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS YIELD OF GROWING TURKEYS WAS EVALUATED. SEVENTY TWO MALE TURKEYS FROM THE NICHOLAS-700 LINE OF 14 WEEKS OLD WERE USED. THE TURKEYS WERE FED AD LIBITUM WITH THE EXPERIMENTAL DIETS DURING 28 DAYS. THE TURKEYS ASSIGNED TO THE TREATMENTS WITH RACTOPAMINE (RAC) HAD HIGHER DAILY GAINS OF WEIGHT (0.139, 0.154 AND 0.156 KG/DAY FOR 0, 5 AND 10 PPM, RESPECTIVELY) AND WERE 400 AND 500 G HEAVIER AT THE END OF THE EXPERIMENT (12.9 AND 13.0 KG FOR 5 AND 10 PPM RESPECTIVELY) THAN THE TURKEYS OF TREATMENT 0 PPM OF RAC (12.5 KG). RAC INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY (P < 0.05) THE WEIGHT OF THE THIGH (0.748, 0.793 AND 0.809 KG FOR 0, 5 AND 10 PPM) AND WING (P < 0.06; 0.593, 0.589 Y 0.626 FOR 0, 5 AND 10 PPM). THERE WAS NO EFFECT OF PROTEIN TREATMENT AND RAC ON BREAST YIELD (P > 0.05). THE RESULTS OBTAINED IN THIS WORK INDICATED THAT THE RAC INCREASED THE DAILY WEIGHT GAIN AND THE YIELD OF THE THIGH AND WING FROM A CONCENTRATION OF 5 PPM IN THE DIET.