Influence of dietary enzyme supplementation on the performance of starter chickens fed coarse cereals and oilseed meals based diet

An experiment including 180, day old White Leghorn chicks of identical weights was conducted to see the effect of enzyme supplementation in their rations containing various combinations of coarse cereals and oilseed meals. These chicks were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments. Control diet 1 (T₁) was formulated using maize, deoiled rice polish, soybean meal, fish meal, minerals and vitamins supplements. While, control diet 2 (T₂) was similar to T₁ except that it was devoid of fish meal. In diet 3, as cereal, 15% maize along with 85% sorghum and ragi in equal proportion and as vegetable protein supplement 30% soybean meal along with 70% niger and sesame cakes were used in equal proportion (T₃). In diet 4, maize and ragi as cereal and soybean meal, niger and sesame cakes as protein supplement were used in equal proportion (T₄). In diet 5, maize and soybean meal both were completely replaced using equal combinations of sorghum and ragi and niger and sesame cake, respectively (T₅). Diet T₃ and T₆ were almost same except that diet T₆ was not supplemented with lysine. Diets T₄, T₅, and T₆ were supplemented with enzymes (β-D glycosidases, cellulases, proteases, amylases, phytase) @ 50g/100kg diet. All the diets were iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric. Studies revealed that supplementation of enzyme on coarse cereals and oilseed meals based diets did not improve the performance of chickens.