Impact of Exogenous Enzyme Supplementation on Broiler Growth, Carcass Quality, and Economic Efficiency

Non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) affect poultry performance by lowering the nutritive value of feedstuffs in poultry diets. Poultry naturally produce a wide range of enzymes to aid in digestion, but the range is not comprehensive and most of the NSPs are not digested. High levels of NSPs can result in increased viscosity in the small intestine of chickens, and depress nutrient utilization and performance. The development of exogenous enzymes to target specific substrates and ameliorate anti-nutritive effects has received increased attention. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of exogenous enzymes (No enzyme - control treatment; Avizyme; Probizyme; Natuzyme) on feed intake, growth performance, carcass characteristics, and economic evaluation of enzyme supplementation in broilers fed maize and soya bean-based diets. The enzyme levels added to the diets were 350g/tonne for all enzyme treatments except for the control treatment. A total of 240 one-day-old broiler chicks (Cobb 500) were randomly allocated to one of the four dietary treatments, each replicated three times (20 chicks per pen) in a completely randomised design (CRD). Data obtained were analysed using the GLM procedure of Minitab version 17 for a CRD design, with differences considered significant at P<0.05. Preliminary results showed significant improvement (P<0.05) on broilers that were fed diets supplemented with exogenous enzymes on feed intake, weekly live weights (WLW), average daily gains (ADG), feed conversion ratios (FCRs), performance efficiency factors (PEFs), carcass characteristics and viscera organ weights of broilers. Economic evaluation showed monetary benefits from including the enzymes in poultry diets as birds that were fed diets supplemented with exogenous enzymes yielded more profits due to high organ and viscera weights. It was concluded and recommended that feeding broilers with diets supplemented with exogenous enzymes improved feed intake, growth performance, carcass characteristics as well as economic returns.