%0 Journal Article %9 journal article %J Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences %@ 1230-1388 %V 29 %N 3 %D 2020 %F Jelveh2020 %T Effect of dilution of broiler chicken diet with cracked maize on performance and intestinal morphology %X The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of dilution of broiler diet with cracked maize on performance and intestinal morphology. In total 576 male Ross 308 broiler chickens (10 day old) were used in the study. Animals according to a completely randomized trial were assigned to four treatment groups with 8 replications each. Diets differing in cracked maize levels were: 1) control (CON) – without cracked maize, 2) low dilution rate (LDR) – CON + 4 (day 10–20 of age, 1 st period), 8 (days 21–30 of age, 2nd period) and 12% (day 31–42 of age, 3 rd period) of cracked maize, 3) medium dilution rate (MDR) – CON + 6 (1 st period), 12 (2 nd period) and 20% (3 rd period) of cracked maize, 4) high dilution rate (HDR) – CON + 6 (1st period), 15 (2nd period) and 25% (3 rd period) of cracked maize. Body weight gain and feed intake did not differ between treatments. Feed conversion ratio was positively affected in the treatments diluted with cracked maize. These effects were visible in the higher relative weight of gizzard and villi height in the duodenum and ileum ( P < 0.05) in groups fed LDR, MDR and HDR diets in comparison to those fed CON diet. %A Jelveh, K. %A Rasouli, B. %A Seidavi, A. %A Makovicky, P. %A Hatzigiannakis, E. %A Milis, C. %P 250-257 %R 10.22358/jafs/127687/2020 %U https://doi.org/10.22358/jafs/127687/2020