ABSTRACT

Studies were conducted to determine the response of broilers fed palm kernel meal (PKM) and wheat offal meal (WO) based diets with or without enzyme (Anazyme Forte®) supplementation. Two hundred and eighty eight, 7 day-old Anak (unsexed) broiler chicks were randomly divided into six groups of 24 birds each. The design of the experiments was in a 2 x 3 factorial in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each test ingredient PKM or WO was at three levels (20,30 and 40%) of the diet while the enzyme was at two levels (0 and 0.5%). Each treatment was replicated three times with 8 birds per replicate. Birds were fed feed and water ad libitum. Results showed that enzyme supplementation significantly (p<O.05) increased final body weight (FBW), daily body weight gain (DWG), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and decreased daily feed intake (DFI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and daily protein intake (DPI) in birds fed both PKM and WO diets. FBW, DWG, PER decreased and DFI, FCR, DPI increased with increase in the levels of PKM and WO meals. There was significant (p<O.OS) interaction between enzyme and WO on DWG. There were no significant (p>0.5) mortality among the birds. Enzyme supplementation improved apparent nutrient retention of dry matter (DM), ash, crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), nitrogen free extract (NFE) , ether extract (EE) and gross energy in both PKM and WO except EE in WO.As inclusion levels of PKM increased apparent retention of these nutrients deteriorated. Significant (p<O.05) interactions existed between enzyme and both PKM and WO levels on ash, CP, and NFE. Levels of enzyme significantly (p<O.05) influenced percentage (%) dressed carcass and breast of birds fed PKM diets while levels of enzyme and WO affected % breast, shank and head in trial  Significant (p<O.05) interaction existed between enzyme and WO on the % breast. Inclusion level of PKM significantly increased % Crop while enzyme supplementation of WO increased % Gizzard+proventriculus, and Crop with hypotrophy of the Lungs and Heart. Inclusion levels significantly (p<O.05) increased values for pack cell volume ( PCV),white blood cells ( WBC), and red blood cells (RBC), mean corpuscular haemoglobin ( MCH) of birds fed PKM and WO respectively. Significant (P<0.05) interactions existed between enzyme and PKM levels on PCV and WBC. Enzyme supplementation significantly (p<O.05) reduced microbial load in the Jejunum and Gizzard of birds fed PKM and WO diets respectively. Significant (P<0.05) interactions were noticed between enzyme and PKM, WO levels on the microbial load of caecum and gizzard respectively. In the two trials, enzyme supplementation increased cost per kg feed and revenue generated per bird while total feed intake, total cost of feed consumed per bird, daily feed cost, and feed cost per kg weight gain were significantly (P<0.05) decreased. As inclusion level of PKM and WO increased in the diets, cost per kg feed and revenue per bird significantly (p<O.05) decreased, while total feed intake, cost of feed consumed per bird, feed cost per kg weight gain increased. Significant (P<0.05) interaction between enzyme and WO levels exist on cost of feed consumed. It was concluded that PKM and WO could be included in the diet of broilers up to 30% without enzyme supplementation and up to 40% with Enzyme (Anazyme Forte®) supplementation without adverse effect on performance of broilers.