Abstract:
Total of two hundred and ten unsexed commercial chicks arboracers were used in this experiment to evaluate the effect of feeding different levels of sunflower meal (SFM) with and without dietary enzyme on performance of broiler chicks. Five experimental diets were formulated, each diet was divided into two, to have ten experiment diets, chicks were divided according to diets and each treatment was further subdivided into three replicates with 7chicks per each replicate . in complete randomize design First group fed on negative control diet (without SFM and enzyme), second group fed on positive diet (with enzyme), and groups (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th) were fed on diets containing SFM at 25, 50, 75 and 100%.
Other experimental chicks groups (7th, 8th, 9th and ten) were fed on the same diets of (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th) groups but supplemented with dietary enzyme (1g/kg commercial phytase). The experiment was lasted for six weeks. The measured parameters covered performance (body weight, feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio), carcass characteristics, non- carcass components, serum constituents, serum enzyme activities and economical attributes. Results obtained revealed that broiler chicks fed on all levels of SFM with or without enzyme significantly improved chicks performance although there is no significant difference between groups fed on different levels of SFM. The inclusion of different levels of SFM with or without enzyme did not significantly affect on non- carcass components except gizzard and commercial cuts and their meat values. Inclusion of SFM with and without enzyme in broiler diets recorded economical benefits. Results revealed that SFM can substitute vegetable protein sources without any adverse effects.
