EFFECT OF CRUDE OR SYNTHETIC ENZYMES ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF BROILER FINISHER CHICKENS FED GROUNDNUTCOWPEA SHELL MEAL BASED DIETS

Abstract

A 28 days evaluation of the effect of crude or synthetic enzymes on the growth performance of broiler chickens (Cobb 500) fed groundnut-cowpea shells meal (GCSM) based diet was conducted using a total of two hundred and forty birds randomly allotted to five dietary treatments replicated four times with 12 birds each in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Diet T1 had 0% GCSM: 0%dried rumen content (DRC), 0% mushroom and 0ppm synthetic enzyme and served as the control; diet T2 had 25% GCSM, 0% DRC, 0% mushroom, and 0ppm enzyme; diet T3 contained 25% GCSM, 5% DRC, 0% mushroom and 0ppm synthetic enzyme; Diet T4 contained 25% GCSM, 5% mushroom 0% DRC and 0ppm synthetic enzyme and diet T5 had 25% inclusion of GCSM, 200ppm synthetic enzyme, 0% DRC and 0% mushroom. Feed and water were provided ad-libitum. Data were collected on body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, energy and protein efficiency ratio. Data obtained were analyzed using SPSS statistical package version 21. The result indicated significant (P<0.05) increase in final body weight and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in birds fed diet T5. Birds fed diet T4 recorded lower (P<0.05) values in final body weight, total weight gain and daily weight gain due to inclusion of dietary treatments and crude enzyme (5% mushroom). The growth performance of broiler chickens was generally enhanced as the synthetic enzyme was been included in the diet. It is recommended that synthetic enzyme should be used to improve utilization of agricultural by-products by broiler chickens