Premium pet foods often include chicken slurry, which is thought to be superior to chicken meal but is not well-tested. This study aimed to determine how chicken slurry inclusion level affected the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and palatability of extruded dog foods, and gastrointestinal health indices of dogs. A palatability study was conducted to test the control vs. high slurry diets, with dogs preferring the high slurry diet by a ratio of 2:1. A digestibility study was conducted to test diets containing 0% (control), 8% (LOW), and 16% (HIGH) chicken slurry. Fecal scores, pH, moisture content, and output were unaffected by diet. ATTD of protein was higher in dogs fed the high slurry diet than those fed the low slurry and control diets, but ATTD of other nutrients was unaffected by diet. Fecal metabolites were slightly impacted by low slurry inclusion, but most measures of gastrointestinal health were unaffected. Few changes to the fecal microbiota were noted. In summary, chicken slurry inclusion improved diet palatability, but had minimal effects on nutrient digestibility and fecal characteristics of healthy adult dogs. Higher inclusion levels of chicken slurry may be needed to induce differences.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.