University Research Farm, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Madhavaram Milk Colony, Chennai-600051, India.
1Part of MVSc thesis of the first author Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai.
A feeding trial was conducted to study the effect of enzyme supplementation on nutrient digestibility and metabolizability of broilers (0-6wks). In the trial in broilers fed diets supplemented with enzyme at 0, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 g/ton of feed with a proportionate reduction in metabolizable energy (ME-1.25, 2.5, 3.75 and 5%), crude protein (CP-0.75, 1.5, 2.25 and 3%), Methionine+cytine (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2%) and available phosphorus (2.2, 4.4, 6.6 and 8.8%), the dry matter (DM) digestibility and protein metabolizability were increased significantly (P<0.05) in all enzyme supplemented groups. There was no significant increase in ether extract (EE) digestibility of treated groups. Highly significant (P<0.01) increase in Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF), Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF), hemicellulose and cellulose digestibility (%) was observed in enzyme treated groups than the control. Further, total phosphorus (TP) retention was increased significantly (P<0.05) by 9.95, 12.68 and 14.06% in 500, 750 and 1000 g enzyme supplemented groups respectively over the control and a significant (P<0.05) increase in retention of phytate phosphorus (PP) was also observed in enzyme treated groups. A significant (P<0.05) increase in nitrogen retention was observed from 5.65 to 6.78% in enzyme treated groups than control. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME) was significantly (P<0.01) increased in 750 and 1000 g enzyme supplemented groups than other groups.
Enzyme supplementation, Digestibility, Metabolization, Broilers
