Encapsulated enzyme cocktail as feed additives for improving efficiency and nutrient digestibility in broilers

Feed cost is the major economic challenge in poultry production, and the efficient utilization of nutrients is essential for sustainable broiler farming. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of an encapsulated enzyme mixture containing protease, lipase, cellulase, and amylase on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens. A total of 120 day-old Ross-308 chicks were randomly allocated to six dietary treatments (2 replicates per treatment, 10 chicks per replicate) in a completely randomized design, including positive and negative controls and four enzyme-supplemented groups with low- and high-calorie diets at two inclusion levels (500 and 1000 U/kg). Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey's test (p < 0.05). Results showed that enzyme supplementation significantly improved body weight gain (p < 0.0001), feed conversion ratio (p < 0.0001), and nutrient utilization compared with the negative control. Higher enzyme levels produced significant effects on carcass yield, particularly dressing percentage (p < 0.0001), breast weight (p < 0.0001), and thigh weight (p < 0.0001). Nutrient digestibility, including crude protein, crude fiber, and ether extract, was significantly enhanced in enzyme-fed groups (p < 0.0001). These findings indicate that encapsulated multi-enzyme supplementation improves performance and nutrient efficiency in broilers under both low- and high-calorie dietary conditions. The results highlight the potential of enzyme-based feed strategies to reduce feed costs and enhance poultry production efficiency.