Growth performance, nutrient digestibility and serum biochemical indices of finisher broiler chickens fed varying levels of sorghum in replacement of maize with the supplementation of exogenous enzymes

Abstract

A 28 days feeding trial was conducted with a total of one hundred and eighty broiler chickens to evaluate the effect of maize-sorghum based diets supplemented with exogenous enzyme on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and serum biochemical indices of finisher broiler chickens. Six experimental diets were formulated in which maize based diet served as Control (T1). Maize in the control diet was replaced by sorghum at the levels of 20% (T2), 40% (T3), 60% (T4), 80% (T5), and 100% (T6), respectively with 50g/100kg enzyme supplementation. The broiler chicks were allotted to six dietary treatments of 30 birds replicated three times with 10 birds per replicate. Dietary Treatments showed significant (P<0.05) effect on final weight and total feed intake. Similar higher statistical values of 1814.67g and 1804.67g were recorded for final weight in birds fed 80% sorghum (T5) and 100% sorghum (T6). Dietary Treatments had significant (p < 0.05) influence on Total protein and cholesterol. Varying levels of sorghum showed (p<0.05) effect on dry matter, crude protein and crude fiber digestibility. In conclusion, feeding finisher broiler chickens up to 100% sorghum replacement level for maize with enzyme supplementation improved growth performance and efficient nutrient digestibility without deleterious effect on the birds.

Keywords: Maize-sorghum; Enzyme; Performance; Serum biochemistry; Nutrient digestibility; Broilers.