Grain Sorghum: A Conundrum for Chicken-Meat Production

Sonia Y. Liu, Glen Fox, Ali Khoddami, Karlie A. Neilson, Ha H. Truong, Amy F. Moss and Peter H. Selle
Additional contact information
Sonia Y. Liu: Poultry Research Foundation, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, 425 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
Glen Fox: Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) Centre for Nutrition and Food Science, The University of Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
Ali Khoddami: Department of Plant and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Karlie A. Neilson: Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
Ha H. Truong: Poultry Research Foundation, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, 425 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
Amy F. Moss: Poultry Research Foundation, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, 425 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia
Peter H. Selle: Poultry Research Foundation, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, 425 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia

Agriculture, 2015, vol. 5, issue 4, 1-28

Abstract: The inclusion of grain sorghum in diets for broiler chickens is quite common; however, under Australian conditions, the utilisation of starch/energy by birds offered sorghum-based diets appears inadequate. Various factors inherent in sorghum, including kafirin, phenolic compounds and phytate, may limit energy utilisation. The recent quantification of kafirin, the dominant protein fraction in sorghum, has allowed its nutritional significance to be assessed. This is important as indirect evidence suggests that kafirin concentrations in local sorghums are increasing as an unintended consequence of breeding programs. Presently, Australian sorghums do not contain condensed tannin but, from analyses and assessments of other polyphenolic compounds and phenolic acids, “non-tannin” phenols appear to be negative influences. Anecdotally, white sorghums are considered to be superior to red varieties thus the fact that polyphenolic pigments are responsible for the “redness” of sorghum assumes relevance. Inclusions of sulphite reducing agents in broiler diets have generated promising responses but seem dependent on sorghum properties. Preliminary studies have shown the possibilities of using rapid visco-analyser (RVA) starch pasting profiles, promatest protein solubilities and grain textures to indicate sorghum quality and further studies are required to confirm these hypotheses. These assessments may indicate which sorghums will best respond to reducing agents such as sodium metabisulphite. Finally, the usually modest responses of broilers to exogenous feed enzyme inclusions in sorghum-based are considered in this review.

Keywords: enzyme; kafirin; phenolic compounds; phytate; poultry; protein; Rapid Visco-Analysis; sorghum; starch (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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