Phase-specific supplementation of a ternary emulsifier blend improves growth performance and nutrient utilization in broilers fed reduced-energy diets.

Background and Aim: Dietary energy is the most expensive nutrient of broiler feed, and reducing metabolizable energy (ME) while maintaining performance is a major objective in poultry nutrition. Emulsifiers enhance lipid digestion and may compensate for reduced dietary energy. This study evaluated the effects of a novel ternary emulsifier blend consisting of sorbitan esters, lysolecithin, and de-oiled lecithin applied through a phase-specific supplementation strategy on growth performance, nutrient utilization, and carcass characteristics of broilers fed reduced-energy diets. Materials and Methods: A total of 750 one-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments with six replicates of 25 birds each. Treatments included a positive control with standard ME, a negative control with ME reduced by 150 kcal/kg, and three emulsifier-supplemented reduced-energy diets: 250 g/ton emulsifier, 200 g/ton emulsifier, and a phase-specific strategy consisting of 250 g/ton during the starter and grower phases followed by 200 g/ton during the finisher phase. Birds were reared for 35 days. Growth performance, feed efficiency, feed cost per gain, gastrointestinal retention time, nutrient digestibility, apparent ME, fecal characteristics, and carcass traits were evaluated. Results: During the starter phase, emulsifier supplementation significantly improved final body weight and feed conversion ratio compared with the reduced-energy control (p < 0.05). Birds receiving the phase-specific strategy achieved body weight and feed efficiency comparable to those fed the standard-energy diet. During the grower phase, supplementation with 200 or 250 g/ton comparedof emulsifier increased body weight relative with the reduced-energy control (p = 0.04). However, no significant differences were observed among treatments for overall performance from 1 to 35 days. Emulsifier supplementation significantly reduced gastrointestinal retention time compared with the standard-energy control (p = 0.01). Apparent ME values were numerically higher in emulsifier-supplemented groups, although differences were not statistically significant. Carcass yield tended to improve with emulsifier supplementation, whereas carcass component proportions and abdominal fat deposition remained unaffected. Conclusion: The ternary emulsifier blend partially compensated for reduced dietary energy, particularly during the starter and grower phases. A phase-specific supplementation approach using higher inclusion levels during early growth and lower levels during finishing appears to be an effective and practical strategy for optimizing emulsifier use in reduced-energy broiler diets while maintaining productive performance.