Effect of Enzymes Application in Feed with Reduced Concentrations of Energy and Crude Protein in Broiler Chickens

This study investigated the effects of the addition of commercial enzyme products to broiler feed with reduced levels of metabolizable energy and crude protein on the growth performance, blood profiles, and cecal microflora. A total of 750 seven-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allotted to five treatment groups with six replicates (25 birds/replicate) for 28 days. A corn-wheat-soybean meal-based diet was formulated to meet or exceed the nutrient recommendations and used as the control diet. Experimental diets with metabolizable energy reduced by 100 kcal/kg and crude protein by 1% were formulated containing four different commercial enzyme products. Feed intake and weight gain were not affected by the dietary treatments; however, feed conversion ratios were significantly lower (P<0.01) in the control group than in the other treatment groups during the entire experimental period. There were no significant differences in the blood profiles and cecal microflora between the dietary treatments. However, the viscosity of jejunal contents in chicks fed a diet with enzyme B was significantly lower than that in the other groups. The tentative marketing age was unaffected by any of the dietary treatments, and ranged from 26.39 d to 26.84 d. Collectively, the use of commercial enzymes contributed to a similar weight gain as that in chicks fed diets with reduced energy and crude protein levels; however, it failed to maintain the feed conversion ratio.