Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass traits of turkey toms fed high sunflower meal containing diets with enzyme supplementation

This study investigated the effects of sunflower meal (SFM) inclusion at 15% in turkey diets containing an enzyme cocktail on growth performance, organ weights, nutrient digestibility, and carcass traits in turkey toms. A total of 180 one-day-old turkey toms were divided into 20 pens in a randomized complete block design and fed a corn-soybean meal-based basal diet (CON diet) containing phytase, protease, and nonstarch polysaccharide degrading enzymes (NSPase; xylanase, glucanase, cellulase, invertase, protease, and amylase) or where 15% SFM was added at the expense of corn and soybean meal (SFM diet). The diets were formulated to meet the nutrient recommendations for the turkey breed and fed to the turkeys in 7 feeding phases until market. Feeding the SFM diet increased (P < 0.05) body weight (BW) at the end of week 4 and BW gain for 0 to 4 wk. Feed conversion ratio for 0 to 4 wk was also decreased (P = 0.085). The SFM diet had similar (P > 0.10) apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter and amino acids and apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter and crude protein compared to CON diet. Dietary treatments did not influence (P > 0.10) hot carcass yield, cold carcass yield, and yield of breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and wings compared to those of turkeys fed the CON diets. In conclusion, SFM can be included at 15% in corn-soybean meal-based diet supplemented with additional soybean oil and an enzyme blend, including phytase, protease, and NSPase, for turkey toms with minimal impact on the overall feed conversion ratio and carcass yield of turkey toms.