Table 5.

Some aspects for consideration in the formulation and manufacturing of special pre-starter diets.

High-quality and highly digestible protein sources

Good-quality raw materials, with minimal deleterious factors

Higher than recommended amino acid densities

No saturated fats

Good fat quality

Fish oil to boost immunity

Optimum feed particle size to promote gizzard development High-quality mini-pellets or crumbles (low fine particles) to minimize selective feeding and promote feed intake Biotechnological processing (microbial fermentation and enzymatic pre-digestion) of feed ingredients to eliminate anti-nutritional factors [113]

Feed additives that promote commensal gut flora, e.g., probiotics

Feed additives that improve nutrient digestion or ameliorate the adverse effects of antinutrients, e.g., emulsifiers, exogenous enzymes

Increased sodium level to promote feed intake and nutrient absorption [114]

Minimal use of ingredients that cause inflammation

Higher levels of specific AA, e.g., glutamine, glycine + serine

Higher levels of specific trace minerals, e.g., zinc