FEEDING BROILER CHICKS ON DIETS CONTAINING 15% PROSOPIS PODS FLOUR SUPPLEMENTED WITH MICROBIAL PHYTASE ENZYME ON THE PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS

This experiment was run to study the effect of dietary microbial phytase (Nutrias P) enzyme (1000, 1500) on performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicks fed on diets containing 15% Prosopis pods (mesquite). Four diets were formulated, (A) control diet (without Prosopis pods or enzymes ) and B (control diet with 15% Prosopis pods ), two levels of microbial phytase , 1000 and 1500 g/ton were added to diet B to formulate diets C and D respectively using 112 chicks, four replicates , each of 7 chicks in a complete randomized design (CRD).All diets were formulated to be iso-caloric (3100 K cal/Kg) and iso-nitrogenous crude protein (22.8%) to meet the nutrient requirements for broiler. Experimental parameters covered performance, carcass characteristics and economic appraised. The results showed that addition of microbial phytase enzyme, to diet containing Prosopis pods improved significantly (p≤0.05) the body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio values of broiler chicks throughout the experimental period (5 weeks). No significant differences were observed between Prosopis pods diets supplemented with the enzyme, in body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio values of broiler chicks. The mortality rate was not significantly influenced by the dietary treatments. The results indicated that there were no significant differences among all treatment groups in percentages of carcass dressing, Giblets (liver, heart and gizzard), commercial cuts (thigh, drumstick and breast) and their percent of meat, meat chemical composition (moisture, protein, fat and ash) and subjective meat quality parameters (tenderness, juiciness, flavor and color) of broiler chicks. Economically appraised values were Profitability ratio (1.68) of group C (1000 gm / ton phytase) was the highest of the test groups.