Tishin AA, Petrusha YuK, Lebedev SV.

Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2026. Vol. 109. No. 2. P. 30-45.

doi: 10.33284/2658-3135-109-2-30

Original article

The effect of different types and sizes of dietary fiber on the metabolism and productivity

of broiler chickens

 

Alexander A Tishin1, Yuriy K Petrusha2, Svyatoslav V Lebedev3

1,2,3Federal Research Centre of Biological Systems and Agricultural Technologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Orenburg, Russia

1alex.vet7787@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3808-4275

2shadow752@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8283-2972

3lsv74@list.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9485-7010

 

Abstract. Fiber is a tool for modulating the intestinal microflora and controlling metabolism by changing its structure, type, and fiber size. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of fiber type and fiber length on the digestibility and productivity of broiler chickens. Four groups were formed from 120 day-old male broilers of the Ross 308 cross using the analog group method: those who received a  control  diet  and  3  other  rations, including various types of fiber. Wheat fiber, with a fiber length of 90 microns, was introduced into the diet of experimental group I, II experimental group – dry cellulose (microcrystalline cellulose (E-460), with a fiber length of 1-20 microns), and in III experimental group – crude fiber concentrate, with a fiber length of 200-300 microns. The introduction of fiber was carried out due to a 3% replacement of the grain part of the diet. Broilers were raised up to 42 days of age in a cellular container. Regardless of the type and size of fiber, a decrease in feed consumption was found with a reduction in feed costs per 1 kg of live weight gain from 9 to 9.6%. The results of the assessment of broiler productivity indicate that from the age of 28 days, the bird of the I experimental group was ahead of the control and others experimental groups in live weight by 22.1% (P≤0.05), while maintaining superiority until the 42nd day of the experiment. This was confirmed by a slight increase in the digestibility of nutrients, net energy gains of 2% and 2.1% of gross energy, while reducing energy loss by 0.8% and 1.2% with the inclusion of wheat fiber and wood pulp, respectively. A significant indicator was an increase in net energy (by 2.3-4.5%) and metabolic maintenance energy (by 2.5-5.5%) in the experimental groups, which resulted  in an increase in nutrition levels by 0.6% (in the I and III experimental groups) and 1.2% (in the II experimental group) compared with the control values. Thus, different types and sources of fiber, together with their the disparity, are characterized by a general effect on the energy exchange pool of the body, with a distinctive feature of wheat fiber, which has a specific modulating effect on digestibility and growth indicators.

Keywords: broiler chickens, feeding, diet, fiber, nutrients, growth indicators

Acknowledgments: the work was carried out with the financial support of a grant for major scientific projects in priority areas of scientific and technical development (No. 075-15-2024-550).

For citation: Tishin AA, Petrusha YuK, Lebedev SV. The effect of different types and sizes of dietary fiber on the metabolism and productivity of broiler chickens. Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2026;109(2):30-45. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.33284/2658-3135-109-2-30

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Information about the authors:

Alexander A Tishin, Research Assistant at the Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, and Animal Morphology Federal Research Centre of Biological Systems and Agrotechnologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 460000, Orenburg, Russia, 29, 9 Yanvarya St., tel.: 89878886665.

Yuriy K Petrusha, Cand. Sci. (Biology), Junior Researcher at the Laboratory of Precision Technologies in Agriculture, Federal Research Centre of Biological Systems and Agrotechnologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 460000, Orenburg, Russia, 29, 9 Yanvarya St., tel.: 89058877200.

Svyatoslav V Lebedev, Dr. Sci. (Biology), Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Centre of Biological Systems and Agrotechnologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 460000, Orenburg, Russia, 29, 9 Yanvarya St., tel.: 89123458738.

The article was submitted 26.03.2026; approved after reviewing 22.04.2026; accepted for publication 15.06.2026.

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