Poultry farming in Peru has made great strides in recent years. Thus, we are positioned in the first place in Latin America in the consumption of chicken meat, with 49.5 kg of consumption per capita, and in the top 5 in egg consumption with 224 und / hab / year (MINAGRI, 2019). These figures demonstrate the economic importance of this activity in the country. These growth rates are due to multiple factors, including genetics, health, management and nutrition. If there is adequate management, it is in the nutritional part where the main emphasis is placed to achieve optimum productive performance of the animal. This performance is due to an adequate application of nutritional strategies and a correct selection and use of dietary supplies.
 

Fiber: ´´The forgotten nutrient´´

For a long time, the concept of fiber was neglected at the time of dieting, because its measurement in food is a difficult task (Asp, 2004; Mertens, 2003). Esposito et al. (2003) defines fiber as complexes of carbohydrate polymers with other components, which include: cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, pectins, gums and other polysaccharides and oligosaccharides associated with plants. These fractions can be divided into two groups: Soluble and insoluble, which have different effects on the bird (Table 1). The insoluble fraction being the most important for its "structural" concept.

The sources of fiber that are normally available are by-products from the food industry. This is why greater care should be taken when selecting them, since their nutritional content varies from batch to batch depending on the climate, genetic variety, water quality, among others; as well as its degree of contamination (mycotoxins).

Insoluble Crude Fiber Concentrate

The insoluble fiber concentrate is an isolated, extracted or synthesized fiber, which provides physiological and animal health benefits (Bersamin et al., 2008). It is obtained from material of lignified woody plants that have a standardized fiber content of about 50-65%. Chemically, it is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, which are not viscous or fermentable under conditions of the intestinal environment.

Thus, ARBOCEL® RC FINE is an insoluble raw fiber concentrated product (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) with a very high water adsorption capacity (800%). Arbocel® RC Fine goes under a microfibrillation process creating a network of microfibers that act at the level of the intestinal tract. This fiber network expands and leaves the bolus free, so that the bird has a more efficient enzymatic action. It is the best alternative to conventional sources of fiber, and being so versatile it can be included in the different productive phases of birds.

Benefits of using ARBOCEL® RC FINE

1. Better bed quality

ARBOCEL improves the quality of the bed because insoluble fibers accelerate the speed of intestinal passage and impact on the viscosity of the digest. This means that the conditions for pathogenic bacteria are unfavorable and have less chance of colonizing.

ARBOCEL has a high capacity of water retention by capillarity and easy release of absorbed water. It retains water in the first part of the intestinal tract and releases it in the final part thus generating a reduction in bed moisture.

2. Better protein digestibility and better performance

The best digestibility of protein is justified in the fiber network that generates a delay in the release of the gizzard digesta, thus stimulating the production of HCl, decreasing its pH at the level of the proventriculus / gizzard. This effect has a positive influence on bird productivity.

3. Larger gizzard size

The ARBOCEL network supports the increase in the size of the gizzard thanks to the fact that it makes this muscle work through contractions, which stimulate retroperistalsis and with these a better digestion of all nutritional fractions. In addition, a larger size of gizzard in the bird improves optimal food consumption at the beginning of the laying stage.

4. Reduction of itching and cannibalism

The problem of itching is associated with different factors, one of which is fiber deficiency in the diet. Harlander, in 2013, noted that birds consume feathers because of their fiber-like effect on retroperistalsis. Arbocel acts on this deficiency thus reducing the incidence of this problem.

Conclusions

- We must understand the concept of fiber as 'structure' and the nutritional benefits it brings.

- We must choose a correct source of fiber for the preparation of diets and thus maximize the work of the gastro-intestinal tract (TGI).

- The inclusion of ARBOCEL® RC FINE has a marked effect on a higher percentage of dry bed.

- The use of ARBOCEL® RC FINE ensures the inclusion of an insoluble raw fiber source free of mycotoxins.

- Tests on different species showed that the use of ARBOCEL® RC FINE increased protein digestion

- Sources of insoluble fiber (ARBOCEL® RC FINE) increase the size of the gizzard of the bird, which has a positive impact on food consumption.