Use of sunflower meal with enzyme mixture substituted for soybean meal in broiler diets

The study was carried out to investigate the effects of sunflower meal with an enzyme mixture containing alpha -amylase, beta -glucanase, cellulase, lipase and protease substituted for soybean meal in broiler diets on performance, intestinal weight, viscosity and pH, as well as the frequency of sticky droppings and abdominal fat. In the trial, a total of 960 one-day-old Avian broiler chicks were used. The trial lasted 6 weeks. A total of 12 experimental diets were supplied ad libitum. Dietary treatments consisted of 15%, 25%, 35% soybean meal, or sunflower meal or sunflower meal with the enzyme mixture (0.05% and 0.10%). Enzyme supplementation to diets improved live weight gain. Enzyme supplementation to diets decreased intestinal weight, the viscosity of the intestinal digesta and the frequency of sticky droppings, although enzyme supplementation to diets increased intestinal pH. Enzyme supplementation did not affect abdominal fat except for 25% AK + 0.10% enzyme.