EFFECTS OF TRICHODERMA-VIRIDE ENZYME COMPLEX ON PERFORMANCE OF BROILER-CHICKENS RECEIVING PELLETED DIETS

Two growth experiments in broiler chickens were conducted in order to prove the effects of Trichoderma viride enzyme complex (ROXAZYME G) when added to practical diets based on either barley or barley and wheat, and to study its interaction with the feed antibiotic virginiamycin. In Experiment 1, broiler diets based on barley (60%) or barley and wheat (30/30%) were used, without or with the enzyme complex at 100 ppm. Experiment 2 consisted of four different treatments, involving a barley-based diet fed with the following additives: none (control), enzyme at 150 ppm, virginiamycin at 20 ppm, enzyme (150 ppm) and virginiamycin (20 ppm). In both trials, live weight, feed intake and feed conversion were used as main performance parameters. In the first experiment, enzyme supplementation enhanced the feeding value of both diets. When added to barley or barley-wheat diets, the T. viride enzyme complex increased final live weights of broilers and significantly reduced feed/gain ratio by 3.2 and 2.2%, respectively. The results of the second experiment showed, that either feed additive, at single or combined administration, significantly improved the growth rate of birds, as well as feed conversion. At single administration, enzyme supplement resulted in higher responses than virginiamycin. When used as a combination, additive effects on the live weights at 3 or 5 weeks were noted, but no further improvement in feed/gain ratio.