The Effect of Encapsulated Propyl Propane Thiosulfonate (PTSO) on Apparent Ileal Digestibility and Productive Performance in Broiler Chickens

SIMPLE SUMMARY: There are currently two main concerns in broiler production. The first concern is the production cost, the key to which is improving feed efficiency; the second relates to the environmental impact. Both are vitally important for business sustainability. Some existing nutritional strategies contribute to improving the use of nutrients to achieve better performance; one of these involves adding plant extract additives, as well as their bioactive compounds, to animal feed. These additives improve digestive processes and nutrient absorption. Allium species contain sulfur compounds, such as propyl propane thiosulfonate, which has been studied in broilers and was found to enhance the digestibility of energy, fat, and fiber. Nevertheless, as far as we know, there is no scientific research focused on the digestibility of amino acids and minerals, which play an important role in growth and feed efficiency. Moreover, decreasing the levels of nitrogen and other minerals in feces could reduce the amount of pollutants released into the environment. Our results show that the supplementation of encapsulated propyl propane thiosulfonate in the broiler chicken diet improves the apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids and energy compared to the control diet; a positive trend in the digestibility of phosphorus was also found. ABSTRACT: This study analyzed the effects of different dietary doses of encapsulated propyl propane thiosulfonate (Pe-PTSO) on the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients and productive performance in broilers. A total of 100 one-day-old Cobb 500 were housed in battery cages for 20 days. At 10 days of age, the birds were assigned to one of five diets: negative control (P0), 250 mg/kg of Pe-PTSO (P250), 500 mg/kg of Pe-PTSO (P500), 750 mg/kg of Pe-PTSO (P750), and positive control, nicarbazin–narasin (ION). Titanium dioxide was the external marker, which was added to the diets from day 17 to 20. In the birds fed the P250 diet, there was a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) in the AID values for amino acids and energy compared to those that consumed the P0 diet. Furthermore, the P250 diet significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) the average daily weight gain compared to the P0 diet. No significant differences were observed between treatments in average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio. In summary, the inclusion of 250 mg of encapsulated PTSO per kg in broiler chickens diet improved the digestibility of amino acids and energy, as well as weight gain.