EFFICACY OF SUPPLEMENTATION OF PHYTASE ENZYME TO BROILER DIETS WITH OR WITHOUT DI-CALCIUM PHOSPHATE ON PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMIC APPRAISAL

Abstract

One hundred and eight male one-day age broiler chicks (Ross 308) were used in a 42-day experiment with objectives to study the effect of supplementing phytase with or without added di-calcium phosphate (DCP) to broiler chickens’ diets on their performance, carcass characteristics and economic appraisal. The birds were allocated to three treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates each. Treatment one T1 (control), fed basal diets supplemented with + 0.1% DCP were used, treatment two T2 (basal diet supplemented with 1500 FTU/Kg phytase + 0.1% DCP) and treatment three T3 (basal diet supplemented with 1500 FTU/Kg). Results showed significant (P≤0.05) differences in feed consumption (FC), body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR), where T3 recorded the best results. Some gastrointestinal tract (GIT) organs (esophagus, proventriculus, small and large intestine, liver and caeca) and abdominal fat pads were significantly (P≤0.05) different in their weights; but no significant (P≥0.05) differences in gizzards and hearts weights. There were significant (P≤0.05) differences in lengths of proventriculus, small and large intestines; no significant (P≥0.05) differences were found in lengths of esophagus and caeca. There were significant (P≤0.05) differences in meat chemical properties, (DM%, Ash%, EE%, Ca% and P%) of the breast muscle. However, no significant (P≥0.05) differences in meat sensory traits (taste, flavor color and tenderness) and mortality rates were found. Significant (P≤0.05) differences were found in tibia bone chemical and physical properties (weight, length, thickness of the medial wall, the lateral wall and the medullary canal diameter) and chemical composition of manure where T3 had the best results. The economics appraisal recorded significant (P≤0.05) differences where T3 had the least cost and highest revenue. The results reveal that using (1500FTU/Kg) phytase without adding DCP is the best for performance parameters and economic appraisal and reduced environmental pollution.