Glutamine supplementation plans for broilers reared in high-temperature environments

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of glutamine supplementation plans on performance, carcass yield, and cut yield of broilers reared in a high-temperature environment. A fully randomized design was adopted for the experiment, comprising 900 male Hubbard broiler chicks assigned to five treatment groups (0% glutamine from one to 42 days of age; 0.5% glutamine from 1 to 7 days of age, followed by 0% from 8 to 42 days; 1.0% glutamine from 1 to 7 days of age, followed by 0.5% from 8 to 14 days and 0% from 15 to 42 days; 1.5% glutamine from 1 to 7 days of age, followed by 1.0% from 8 to 14 days, 0.5% from 15 to 21 days, and 0% from 22 to 42 days; 2.0% glutamine from 1 to 7 days of age, followed by 1.5% from 8 to 14 days, 1.0% from 15 to 21 days, and 0% from 22 to 42 days), consisting of six replicates of 30 animals each. The experiment was composed of four periods: pre-starter (1-7 days), starter (8-21 days), grower (22-33 days), and finisher (34-42 days). Glutamine supplementation plans up to 21 days do not improve the performance of broilers in the periods from 1 to 21 and from 1 to 42 days of age reared in a high-temperature environment. Carcass yields and cuts of broilers at 42 days of age are not changed by glutamine supplementation for up to 21 days.