The Effect of Exogenous Amylase Supplementation on the Nutritional Value of Pea (Pisum sativum L.) for Broiler Chickens

Simple Summary Pea (Pisum sativum L.) can be successfully grown and harvested in almost all the climatic zones across the world. Currently, the main protein source that is used in animal nutrition is soybean meal (SBM). Pea seeds are characterized by a relatively high content of crude protein and starch; therefore, they can serve as a potential energy source when included in feed. However, a portion of starch present in pea seeds is defined as resistant starch (RS). Previous studies have shown that the extrusion process significantly reduced the content of RS; therefore, enzyme supplementation may be more economically advantageous because it is known as an efficient method to improve the digestibility of nutrients. Amylase can be highly beneficial for pea seeds due to the presence of a relatively high starch concentration. However, reports regarding the use of amylase alone in diets based on pea seeds are limited. The present study hypothesized that exogenous amylase can exhibit a positive influence on the nutritional value of pea seeds when included in the feed of broiler chickens. The present study aimed to investigate whether the exogenous addition of amylase enhances the nutritional value of pea seeds for broiler chickens. In total, 84 1-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were used for the experimental study. During the first phase of the experiment (1-16 d), all birds in each treatment were fed with a corn-soybean meal reference diet. After this time, the first treatment (control) was still fed the reference diet. In the second and third treatment, 50% of the reference diet was replaced with 50% pea seeds. In addition, the third treatment was supplemented with exogenous amylase. Animal excreta were collected on 21 d and 22 d of the experiment. The birds were sacrificed at the end of the experiment (23 d), and samples of ileum content were collected. The experimental results showed that the exogenous addition of amylase significantly improved (p < 0.05) the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of the crude protein (CP), starch, and dry matter (DM) of pea. In addition, an improvement in the AID of essential amino acids in pea seeds (except Phe) was observed. The trend in the AME(N) values was also noted (p = 0.076). It can be concluded that supplementation with exogenous amylase improves the nutritional value of pea seeds in broiler chicken nutrition.