Three experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of dietary combination of different enzymes (phytase + protease) on performance, metabolizable energy, and amino acid digestibility of broiler chickens fed diets with nutritional reduction. A total of 1,400, 336, and 384 male chickens were distributed in a completely randomized design, in the experiments of performance, metabolism, and digestibility, respectively. Treatments were divided as follows: positive control (PC), negative control – NC1 (PC minus 0.16% Ca, 0.15% available P (aP), [...] ABSTRACT Three experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of dietary combination of different enzymes (phytase + protease) on performance, metabolizable energy, and amino acid digestibility of broiler chickens fed diets with nutritional reduction. A total of 1,400, 336, and 384 male chickens were distributed in a completely randomized design, in the experiments of performance, metabolism, and digestibility, respectively. Treatments were divided as follows: positive control (PC), negative control – NC1 (PC minus 0.16% Ca, 0.15% available P (aP),

An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of the BCAA and their interactions on performance, carcass composition, lipid metabolism, liver health, and intestinal morphometry in broiler chickens. Male chickens (n = 1080) were randomly assigned into floor pens in a 3 x 3 factorial design with 3 dietary ratios of SID Leu:Lys (110, 150, and 190%), and 3 dietary ratios of SID Ile-Val:Lys (68-77, 78-87, and 88-97%). Performance parameters were assessed from 1 to 35 days of age. Additionally, blood parameters, carcass composition through DEXA analysis, and intestinal morphometry of the small intestine were evaluated in birds at 35 days of age. Data were subjected to ANOVA and the Tukey Test was used to determine differences between treatments (p <= 0.05). Feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and body fat of birds were reduced when SID Ile-Val:Lys increased from 68-77 to 88-97% (p < 0.05). Serum glucose, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were influenced by BCAA interactions (p < 0.05). Alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels were reduced when SID Leu:Lys ratio increased from 110 to 190% (p < 0.05). However, the alanine aminotransferase levels increased when both SID Leu:Lys and SID Ile-Val:Lys increased from 110 to 190%, and 68-77 to 88-97%, respectively (p < 0.05). The highest SID Leu:Lys ratio of 190% resulted in the highest villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in all three portions of the intestine, whereas the highest SID Ile-Val:Lys ratio of 88-97% resulted in the highest ratio only in the jejunum and ileum (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the results of this study provide valuable insights into the inclusion of BCAA in broiler diets and their effects on performance, body fat content, intestinal morphometry, lipid metabolism, and liver health.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding different xylanase and beta-glucanase enzyme blends to maize- and soybean meal-based diets on performance and energy metabolizability in broilers. Two experiments were carried out with broilers of the COBB 500 strain. In the first experiment, 1960 chicks were assigned to a completely randomized design with a 2 x 3 + 1 factorial arrangement, totaling seven treatments, namely, T1- Positive control (PC); T2 - Negative control 1 (NC1; PC minus 200 kcal kg(-1) ME); T3 - NC1 + Blend A; T4 - NC1 + Blend B; T5 - Negative control 2 (NC2; PC minus 167 kcal kg(-1) ME and 5% amino acids); T6 - NC2 + Blend A; and T7 - NC2 + Blend B. Fourteen replicates were used per treatment and 20 birds per experimental unit. The parameters evaluated at 21 and 42 days of age were weight gain (WG), feed intake (F1) and feed conversion (FC). At 42 days, production efficiency index (PEI), viability and the yields of cuts were also calculated. Birds that received diets with a reduced nutritional value showed a reduction in WG and PEI and worsened FC as compared those of PC treatment (p < 0.05). However, the birds that consumed the NC2 diet with Blend B exhibited a similar WG to those in PC group (p > 0.05) from 1 to 21 days of life. For the yield of thigh + drumstick, the factors were statistically similar (p > 0.05) to those observed in the PC birds. In the second experiment, 432 fourteen-day-old chicks were distributed in a completely randomized design with seven treatments, with eight replicates per treatment and six birds per experimental unit. The apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) values were determined. Overall, the NC2 diet with Blend B provided the highest AME and AMEn values; however, NC1 with the same enzyme blend was the treatment which provided the lowest values. The addition of xylanase and beta-glucanase enzyme blends to maize- and soybean meal-based diets improves WG at 21 days as well as PEI in broilers; however, it does not influence the yield of cuts. Enzymes (Blend B) improve the energy metabolization of broiler diets with reduced energy and amino acid levels.

This study aims to determine and compare the metabolizable energy values and metabolizability coefficients of three types of corn oil (crude, semi-refined, and acid) for broiler chickens. 240 Cobb500™ chickens were randomly allocated into metabolic cages, resulting in four treatments, ten replicates, and six birds per experimental unit. The birds fed on diets specific to each treatment. Total excreta was collected from the day 23^rd to the 27^th. Gross energy (GE), apparent metabolizable energy (AME), and nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) were calculated for each oil type. The metabolizability coefficient values of ether extracts (MCEE) were also determined. Statistical analysis was performed using Tukey test at a 5% probability. There was a significant difference in AME and MCEE values (P<0.05). Crude corn oil showed higher AME and MCEE values than acid corn oil. The findings are crude corn oil - GE: 9,330 kcal/kg, AME: 8,916.84 kcal/kg, AMEn: 8,905.60 kcal/kg, MCEE: 97.14%; semi-refined corn oil - GE: 9,480 kcal/kg, AME: 8,547.99 kcal/kg, AMEn: 8,303.46 kcal/kg, MCEE: 96.64%; acid corn oil - GE: 9,114 kcal/kg, AME: 7,197.73 kcal/kg, AMEn: 7,515.68 kcal/kg, MCEE: 96.17%.

Metabolism and digestibility trials were performed on broiler chickens to determine the nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) values and the standardized ileal amino acids digestibility (SIAAD) coefficients for broiler chickens of dried distiller's grains with solubles (DDGS) from three Brazilian processors. The metabolism and digestibility trials were performed on 20-30 day old chickens, with total excreta method used to determine energy values and the ileal digesta collection method used to determine SIAAD coefficients. The data obtained was subjected to analysis of variance and the means were compared using the Tukey test at 5 % significance. The AMEn values were 2,408.70 kcal/kg for DDGS 1, 1,763.20 kcal/kg for DDGS 2, and 1,873.40 kcal/kg for DDGS 3, on dry matter basis. The DDGS 1 had the highest AMEn value (P < 0.05). Regarding the SIAAD coefficients, DDGS 1 had the highest values for arginine, histidine, leucine, cystine, and proline (P < 0.05). In conclusion, there is variation in the nutritional value of DDGS available in Brazil.