Effects of supplementing <i>Masakwa</i> creamy white sorghum with selected synthetic enzymes on the performance and cost benefit of broiler chickens

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Poultry Unit of the Teaching and Research Farm, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi to investigate the growth performance and cost benefit of broiler chickens fed Masakwa creamy white sorghum supplemented with three  selected synthetic enzymes: Natuzyme, Maxigrain and Phytase. Five experimental diets were formula ted for the broiler chickens at both  the starter ( 23% CP ) and finisher ( 20% CP ) phases labeled as Diets 1: maize control, Diet 2: sorghum without enzyme, Diet 3: sorghum  supplemented with Natuzyme, Diet 4: sorghum supplemented with Maxigrain and Diet 5: sorghum supplemented with Phytase. Three  hundred (300) broiler unsexed “Marshal” chicks were randomly allotted to the dietary treatments with four replications each and 15 birds  per replicate in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum throughout the experimental period of  eight weeks. Results showed that at the starter phase, daily feed intake (49.23-60.26g), daily weight gain (23.11-32.28g) and feed  conversion ratio(1.87-2.13g); at the finisher (101.11-146.29g; 30.01-69.07g and 2.12-3.37), and the overall phases (75.17-103.22g;  26.57-50.68g and 2.00-2.75) were significantly (P<0.05) different across the treatments. The best performance was obtained on maize diet  closely followed by enzyme supplemented sorghum based diets, while the least was observed in unsupplemented sorghum diet. Based  on the cost benefit analysis, Diet 1 (maize based diet) had the cheapest feed cost while the highest value was on Diet 2 (unsupplemented  sorghum diet) for all the phases. It can therefore be concluded that Masakwa sorghum supplemented with different enzymes can be  used in broiler chicken diets for better performance in comparism with the unsupplemented sorghum diet. It is economical to  supplement Masakwa sorghum variety with any of the synthetic enzyme because the feed cost ₦/kg gain is lower than the values on  unsupplemented sorghum diet.