Research Note: The effect of sequential displacement of dietary dextrose with myo-inositol on broiler chicken growth performance, bone characteristics, ileal nutrient digestibility, and total tract nutrient retention.

A total of 480 male Cobb 500 broiler chicks were assigned to one of 6 dietary treatments to explore the energy equivalence of myo-inositol compared with dextrose. The 6 dietary treatments included a corn and soy-based control ration formulated with 5% anhydrous dextrose and 5 further diets that were generated by the sequential displacement of increments of 1% dextrose with myo-inositol. Each diet was fed to 8 replicate cages of 10 chicks per cage from day 8 to day 18 after hatch. The BW gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured, and on day 15 to day 17, excreta were collected to estimate the total tract nutrient retention. Ileal digestibility of nutrients and tibia mineral content was assessed on day 18. The displacement of dextrose with myo-inositol generated a significant linear reduction in the FCR that did not reach a plateau at 5% dietary inclusion of myo-inositol. There was no effect of the displacement of dextrose with myo-inositol on bone mineral concentration. However, supplemental myo-inositol linearly reduced ileal digestibility of DM, calcium, and ileal digestible energy. Myo-inositol addition resulted in a significant linear increase in the total tract retention of CP. It can be concluded that myo-inositol has an energy equivalence equal to approximately 78% of that of dextrose for young broiler chicks but exerts a range of extra caloric effects that improve feed efficiency and may influence nitrogen (N) retention and the uric acid cycle. Future work should focus on the role of phytase and myo-inositol on uric acid, creatine kinase, and other metabolites involved in renal function and biochemical flows of N in urine and feces in nonruminants.