The effect of feeding low dietary crude protein (CP) with different levels of supplemental protease enzyme on commercial broilers was investigated. Three-hundred broiler chicks were divided into five treatments with six replicates in a completely randomized design. The experimental diets were positive control (recommended CP levels, T1), negative control (level of CP reduced by 5%, T2), negative control + 300 g t-1 protease (T3), negative control + 400 g t-1 protease (T4) and negative control + 500 g t-1 protease (T5). Growth, blood serum, carcass quality and meat quality parameters were measured. Data were analysed using one-way Analysis of Variance. The highest live weight (2.86 ± 0.07 kg), weight gain (2.66 ± 0.05 kg) and the lowest feed conversion ratio (1.84 ± 0.06) were observed in birds fed with T5. There was no influence of treatments (p>0.05) on NH3 emission from litter, dressing percentage, meat quality and blood serum parameters. The feed cost per producing 1 kg of live weight and sellable carcass weight was significantly low (p<0.05) in T5. Thus, it can be concluded that low protein diets supplemented with protease enzyme at 500 g t-1 support better growth performances in broiler chicken with a lower cost of production.
Keywords: Broilers, Low protein diets, Performances, Protease enzyme
Sumanasekara T D L M, Nayananjalie W A D, Ang L, Kumari M A A P(2020) Effect of Protease Supplementation on Growth
Performances, Carcass and Meat Quality Characteristics of Broiler Chicken Fed with Low Protein Diets.Sri Lankan
Journal of Agriculture and Ecosystems, 2(2):122-140.www.rjt.ac.lk/agri/sljae/2020-02-19