Broiler chicken growth performance, ileal microbial population and serum enzyme activity affected by dietary source of nonstarch 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