Growth response and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens fed wheat-based diets supplemented with an exogenous enzyme

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Roxazyme G2G supplementation on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens fed wheat-based diets at varying levels of inclusion (0, 10, 20 and 30%) without or with enzyme supplementation in an experiment that lasted for 56 days. Four hundred and twenty (420) 1-day-old broiler chicks (Arbor Acre strain) were randomly assigned to 7 dietary treatments consisting 6 replicates with 10 birds each in a 2×4 factorial arrangement of a completely randomised design. Weekly feed intake and weight gain of birds in the starter and finisher phases were significantly (P<0.05) improved though enzyme supplementation did not affect the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio of the birds. There was no positive interactive effect of wheat and enzyme on the performance parameters of birds measured in both the starter and finisher phases except the feed intake. Although, wheat-based diets affected the feed intake of birds in starter phase with a corresponding effect when enzyme was supplemented, similar trend was observed for the finisher phase. Apparent nutrient digestibility in birds was significantly (P<0.05) improved with enzyme supplementation when compared with other diets. The cost of feed per kilogram weight gain was highest (N 262.87) for the birds on 20% wheat with enzyme supplementation and lowest (N 175.57) for those on the control diet in the finisher phase. The results showed that Roxazyme G2G evaluated improved some performance indices and positively enhanced nutrient digestibility in broilers chickens fed wheat-based diets.