Growth Performance and Meat Quality of Broiler Chicks Fed Germinated and Fermented Soybeans

This study was conducted to investigate the dietary effects of germinated and fermented (with Monascus pupureus) soybean screenings (GFS) on growth performance and meat quality in broiler chicken. A total of 750 1-day-old Ross × Ross male broiler chicks were randomly allocated into five groups (five replications with 30 birds each) and fed experimental diets for 5 wks as follows: Group 1, negative-control (antibiotics-free diet); Group 2, positive-control (negative-control with 10 ppm of Avilamycin); Group 3, negative-control with 0.3% GFS; Group 4, negative-control with 0.5% GFS; Group 5, negative-control with 1% GFS. The final body weight of each group fed a diet containing 1% GFS was significantly higher than that of the negative-control group. The feed conversion ratios of all groups fed diets containing GFS and the positivecontrol group were significantly improved compared to the negative-control group during the whole period (p