REPLACEMENT OF CHOLINE CHLORIDE BY A VEGETAL SOURCE OF CHOLINE IN DIETS FOR BROILERS

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a vegetal source of choline as a replacement of choline chloride in the diet for broilers from one to 21 and 22 to 42 days of age. In the first experiment, we used 1500 Cobb male broilers at one day of age, distributed in a completely randomized design with ten treatments, five repetitions and 30 birds per experimental unit. In the second experiment, we used 1000 Cobb male broiler at 22 days of age, distributed in a completely randomized design with ten treatments, five repetitions and 20 birds per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of five levels of choline chloride 60% (400, 500, 600, 700 and 800 mg kg-1) and five levels of vegetal source of choline (100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 mg kg-1). There was no difference between the performance parameters of broilers in the periods of one to 21 and 22 to 42 days of age. The use of up to 100 mg kg-1 of a vegetal source of choline can replace the use of choline chloride, in the studied levels, in corn-soybean meal diets for broilers from one to 21 and 22 to 42 days of age.