Broiler chicken growth performance, ileal microbial population and serum enzyme activity affected by dietary source of non-starch polysaccharides as supplemented with or without enzymes

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different dietary source of Non-starch polysaccharides with or without enzymes on growth performance, ileal microbial population, and serum enzyme activity of broiler chickens. A total number of 625 unsexed broiler chicken (Ross-308) were randomly assigned to 5 treatments with 5 replicates and 25 birds per each unit, using a CRD statistical design. Treatments were included control, wheat (W), wheat+ enzyme (WE), barley (B), and barley+ enzyme (BE). Feed intake and body weight gain were significantly increased, as well as feed conversion ratio decreased by diets supplemented with enzymes rather diets without enzymes (P<0.05). The inclusion of W and B in diets led to significantly increased the total intestinal bacteria or gram negative and coliform bacteria as well as decreased the\number of lactic acid bacteria at 42 days of age (P<0.05). Serum enzyme activity of amylase and lipase were significantly increased after feeding chickens by diets contained W and B rather control or WE and BE at 42 days of age (P<0.05). The results of present study have shown that supplementation of W and B with enzymes completely restored the situation and neutralized the negative effects of W and B on growth performance, intestinal microbial population and serum enzyme activity of broiler chickens.

Key words: broiler, enzyme activity, growth, micro biota, NSP