Effect of a low-energy and enzyme-supplemented diet on broiler chicken growth, carcass traits and meat quality.

Elsayed O S Hussein,Ayman A Swelum,Gamaleldin M Suliman,Shamseldein H Ahmed,Vito Laudadio,Mahmoud Alagawany,Abdullah N Alowaimer,Antonella Tinelli,Alaeldein M Abudabos,Vincenzo Tufarelli,Mohamed E Abd El-Hack

doi:10.5194/aab-62-297-2019

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a low metabolizable energy (low-ME) diet supplemented with a multienzyme blend (KEMZYME®) on the growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of chickens. A total of 108 broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to three experimental groups with six replicates per treatment and five birds per replicate; the groups were treated as follows: a control diet with no additive and standard metabolizable energy (ME; 3200 kcal kg); a low metabolizable energy (low-ME; 3000 kcal kg) diet; and a low-ME diet 0.5 g kg diet of enzyme (low-ME–Enz). Live body weight (LBW) at 43 and 47 d and body weight gain (BWG) during the periods from 38 to 43, 43 to 47 and 33 to 47 d decreased with the low-ME and low-ME–Enz diets in comparison with the control-diet (). The values of the feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly increased with low-ME diets with or without enzyme at all growing stages. There were no significant differences among treatments in terms of carcass traits. With the exception of the jejunum weight, dietary treatments did not affect any digestive tract segments. Meat hardness decreased with the low-ME–Enz diet compared with the other diets (). Meat yellowness of the breast muscle increased () with the low-ME–Enz diet in comparison with the other treatments at 24 h post-slaughter. In conclusion, the low-ME diet supplemented with KEMZYME® did not influence most of performance parameters and carcass traits of chickens; however, adding enzymes to the low-ME diet is an effective strategy to improve the meat quality criteria and small intestine characteristics.

Highlights

Maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) meal (SBM) are major feedstuffs that provide energy and protein in commercial poultry diets (Zanella et al, 1990; MaisonnierGrenier et al, 2004; Laudadio and Tufarelli, 2010), as both ingredients are considered to be highly digestible
Live body weight (LBW) at 43 and 47 d and body weight gain (BWG) during the periods from 38 to 43, 43 to 47 and 33 to 47 d decreased with low metabolizable energy (low-metabolizable energy (ME)) and low-ME–Enz diets in comparison with the control (p
The current study demonstrated that supplementation of enzyme in a low-ME diet had no major effect on any performance parameter

Summary

Introduction

Maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) meal (SBM) are major feedstuffs that provide energy and protein in commercial poultry diets (Zanella et al, 1990; MaisonnierGrenier et al, 2004; Laudadio and Tufarelli, 2010), as both ingredients are considered to be highly digestible. The level of metabolizable energy (ME) of diets based on maize–SBM depends on the digestibility of nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP), starch and protein. Zanella et al (1999) found that adding a commercial enzyme to broiler chicken diets based on maize and SBM improved nutrient availability, digestibility and broiler performance. Little is known about the effect of commercial enzyme supplementation on meat quality and digestive organs, as well as on the sections of the digestive tract of broilers fed low-ME or normal-ME diets. The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of low- and normal-ME level maize– soybean-based diets supplemented with KEMZYME® on the growth performance, meat quality, carcass traits and relative organ weights of broiler chickens

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Conclusion