EFFECT OF ENZYME SUPPLEMENTATION OF WHEAT AND TRITICALE BASED DIETS FOR BROILERS

The effect of adding 1 g kg-1 of a commercial enzyme preparation (cont aining beta-glucanase, hemicellulase, cellulase and pentosanase activi ties) to diets containing 300 and 600 g kg-1 of wheat or each of three varieties of triticale (Lasko, Purdy and Proteus) was assessed in a f eeding trial with male broiler chicks from 10 to 24 days of age. Also the TMEn value of diets was determined using adult cockerels. At inclu sion rates of 300 or 600 g kg-1 the TMEn (true metabolizable energy) v alues and the productive responses of chicks (feed intake, weight gain and feed efficiency) were similar for all four cereals, except that t he weight gain for triticale Proteus at 300 g kg-1 was lower (P < 0.05 ). Increasing the content of cereals from 300 to 600 g kg-1 improved t he TMEn of the diets (P < 0.05) and decreased the feed intake (P < 0.0 5), but did not affect the weight gain of birds, except the diet with triticale Proteus which decreased (P < 0.05). These results confirm th at the nutritive value of some cultivars of triticale (i.e. Lasko and Purdy) for birds is similar to that of wheat, and that these varieties can be used at high inclusion rates in poultry diets. The enzyme supp lementation of diets did not modify their TMEn value or feed intake of chicks, but the enzyme preparation improved (P < 0.05) feed efficienc y of all diets and weight gain at the highest rate of inclusion of tri ticales. In this study, the best results with enzyme supplementation w ere obtained with the cereals with lowest nutritive value and when the inclusion rate of cereals was the highest.