Effect of probiotic and enzymes in the diets of growing poultry

Abstract

Three hundred and twenty Ross male broiler chickens, about 32 to 35 days old, were used to evaluate the effect of probiotic and enzymes in diets containing two energy levels. The standard diet contained 3150 kcal/kg and was based on corn and soybean meal, and the low energy diet had 100 kcal/kg less than the standard diet because it included wheat bran. Eachenergy level was tested using four treatments: without additive, enzymes, probiotic and enzymes plus probiotic. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2x4 factorial arrangement totaling eight treatments with five repetitions of eight birds. The effects of apparent metabolizable energy and digestibility of dry matter, crude energy, crude protein, sludge, water and nitrogen excretion were calculated. The level of energy in the diets affected all of the parameters analyzed (P<0.001). The results showed that the low energy diets were less digestible than the standard energy diets and the addition of additives alone, or in combination, did not improve the digestibility of the diets or reduce the sludge production from the poultry during the growth period