IMPACT OF INCLUDING A COMBINATION OF LEGUMES AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SOYBEAN MEAL ON THE INTESTINAL MORPHOMETRY OF BROILERS

• Grant number: 25/22203-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 20, 2025
• End date: March 19, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: José Roberto Sartori
• Grantee: Luana Araujo Santana
• Supervisor: Timothy J Wester
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Massey University, New Zealand
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/22063-9 - Impact of the inclusion of orange peel fragment (Citrus sinensis) in the diet of broiler chickens under cyclic heat stress on performance and intestinal health., BP.IC

Abstract

The search for alternative protein sources for broiler feed has become essential due to the price volatility of traditional ingredients, such as soybean meal and corn, driven by climate change and high global demand. In this context, the use of legumes as partial substitutes for soybean meal emerges as a promising approach, capable of reducing feed formulation costs. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of including lupin, field pea, fava bean, chickpea, and lentil on intestinal morphometry and relative organs weight, when used to replace 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of soybean meal. The five dietary treatments applied will be: (1) control diet using wheat and soybean meal, without substitutionof soybean by the combination of alternative legumes; (2) diet with 25% soybean replacementby the combination of alternative legumes; (3) diet with 50% soybean replacement by thecombination of alternative legumes; (4) diet with 75% soybean replacement by the combination of alternative legumes; and (5) diet with 100%soybean replacement by the combination of alternative legumes, with six replicates of ten birds each. Relative organs weight and length, intestinal morphometry, and calculation of intestinal mucosal absorptive area will be analyzed. (AU)