Effect of exogenous enzyme supplementation on certain growth and carcass characteristics of broiler chicks

An experiment was conducted on broiler chicks to evaluate the effect ofexogenous enzymes on performance. 240 day-old commercial male broiler chicks were allotted randomly into eight treatments, each with six replicates, five chicks per replicate. Chicks were raised in electrically heated battery brooders, test diets and water were provided ad libitum. Reference diets with low fibre (T₁) and high fibre (T₂) were prepared. Six test diets were prepared by supplementing enzyme preparations to the reference diets. Both Low fibre diets (T₃, T₅, T-₇) and High fibre diets (T₄ T₆ T-₈) supplemented with fibre degrading enzymes, fibre degrading + protease enzymes and protease ~n:iyme respectively. High fibre diets with enzymes (T₄• T₆. T-₈) could recorded significantly (P<0.05) improved body weight gains during finisher (5–6 week) and overall periods (0–6 weeks) than their control (T₂). However, high fibre diet with protease enzyme (T₈) resulted in significantly (P<0.05) improved body weight gain during starter, finisher and overall period than its control (T₂). The feed intake and feed conversion ratio values and livability were not affected by supplementation of exogenous enzymes either to high or low fibre diets. Both high and low fibre diets with enzymes significantly (P<0.05) improved dressing percentage, while the organ weights like of proventriculus, giblets, and abdominal fat and small intestine length were unaffected. Supplementation of fibre degrading enzymes (cellulase-420IU, xylanase-4025IU and pectinase-53IU/kg) and proteolytic enzyme (protease-5000IU/kg) to high fibre diets could result in better weight gain of broilers.