Influence of Enzyme Supplementation in the Diets of Broiler Chickens Formulated with Different Corn Hybrids Dried at Various Temperatures

Effect of Corn Origin on Broiler Performance, Processing Yield, and Nutrient Digestibility from 1 to 35 Days of Age

This experiment studied the effect of feeding corn from the United States (USA), Argentina (ARG), and Brazil (BRA) on broiler performance, processing yield, and nutrient digestibility from 1 to 35 d of age. A total of 900-day old YPM × Ross 708 male broilers were randomly sorted in 36 floor pens, each containing 25 chicks and subjected to three experimental diets, resulting in 12 replications per dietary treatment. Starter, grower, and finisher diets were formulated to be only different in corn origin. Data were analyzed as a one-way ANOVA and means were separated using Tukey’s HSD test, with statistical significance considered at p ≤ 0.05. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found in body weight, body weight gain, and feed intake from 1 to 35 d of age among the treatments. However, broilers fed diets with the inclusion of corn from the USA and BRA had a lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared with broilers fed diets with corn from ARG from to 1 to 35 d of age (1.434 and 1.434 vs. 1.452 g:g; p = 0.002). Broilers fed diets with the inclusion of corn from BRA had a higher breast weight compared with broilers fed diets with the inclusion of corn from ARG (575 vs. 553 g; p = 0.036), but did not differ in breast weight of broilers fed diets with corn from the USA (575 vs. 556 g; p > 0.05). Corn origin did not influence (p > 0.05) crude protein and fat digestibility. However, broilers fed diets with corn from the USA and BRA had greater phosphorus (P) (63.37, 62.23 vs. 55.26%; p = 0.0003), calcium (Ca) (41.59, 43.85 vs. 30.23%; p = 0.0003), and potassium (K) (88.98, 87.97 vs. 86.04%; p = 0.001) digestibility compared with broilers fed diets with corn from ARG. Overall, corn origin influenced FCR, breast weight, and P, Ca, and K digestibility of broilers from 1 to 35 d of age.

Exogenous emulsifiers and multi-enzyme combination improves growth performance of the young broiler chickens fed low energy diets containing vegetable oil

Objective

The present study examined the effects of exogenous emulsifiers and multi-enzyme supplementation into a low energy density diet on growth performance, visceral organ parameters, blood metabolites, ileal morphology, and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens from hatch to 21 days.

Methods

One hundred and sixty-eight one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were allocated in a completely randomized design to 24 pens and each pen was assigned to one of four dietary treatments to give six replications with seven chickens in a cage. Dietary treatments were: i) positive control with standard energy level (PC); ii) negative control with 100 kcal/kg lower energy of the standard level (NC); iii) NC diet supplemented 0.05% calcium stearoyl-2 lactylate as an emulsifier (NC+E); and iv) NC diet supplemented with both 0.05% calcium stearoyl-2 lactylate and 0.05% multi-enzyme (NC+E+M). Corn and soybean meal-based control diets containing vegetable oil were formulated to meet the Ross 308 nutrition specification. Chickens were fed ad-libitum with the treatment diets and sampling was conducted on day 21.

Results

Our results revealed that emulsifier and multi-enzyme supplementation into NC diets improved (p<0.05) feed efficiency of the broiler chickens compared to the broiler chickens fed NC diets from hatch to 21 days. Supplementation of emulsifier and multi-enzyme into NC diet improved (p<0.05) nutrient digestibility of the broiler chickens. However, emulsifier and multi-enzymesupplementation into diet did not influence (p>0.05) visceral organ weight, blood metabolites, and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens fed NC diets.

Conclusion

Supplementation of emulsifier and multi-enzyme in the NC diet would support improving growth performance in young broiler chickens with improved feed efficiency and increased nutrient digestibility thereby curtailing the negative impact of energy reduction in the diets.