Effect of different levels and particle sizes of perlite on carcass characteristics and tibia ash of broiler chicks

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels and particle sizes of perlite in broiler chicks’ diets on carcass characteristics and tibia ash. For the stated purpose, 308 Ross broiler chicks of 280-day-old were allocated to seven treatments and four replications in a factorial experiment on the basis of randomized complete block design. One factor consisted of two particle sizes of perlite (1.5 and 3 mm) and the other factor included three levels of perlite (1, 3 and 5% of diet). A control treatment with no perlite was also included in the experiment. Based on the results obtained, the perlite levels and particle sizes did not affect the weight percentage of net carcass, pectoral, thighs, heart, liver, spleen and abdominal fat, however, they influenced the gizzard weight significantly (P<0.05). Furthermore, no significant difference was observed for tibia ash among the experimental treatments. It seemed that perlite did not have any major impact on the investigated characteristics.   Key words: Perlite, aluminosilicate, particle size, carcass, tibia ash.