Avizyme improves performance of broilers fed corn-soybean, meal-based diets

Although several enzymes have been shown to be beneficial when added to diets based on wheat or barley, few studies have demonstrated consistent response when corn-soybean meal-based diets are treated with enzymes. A study was conducted in which nutritionally adequate diets were fed with or without the addition of 0.1 % Avizyme 1500. Avizyme contains xylanase, protease, and amylase activity and is designed to improve the nutritional value of poultry diets based on low-viscosity grains, such as corn and sorghum, and containing significant levels of soybean meal. Each diet was fed to 48 pens of 65 male broilers. Body weights and feed conversions were obtained at 16, 3, 42, and 49 d of age. At 35, 42, and 49 d, five birds per pen were processed to determine dressing percentage and parts yield. Birds fed the diets supplemented with Avizyme had significantly higher body, weights at 16, 35, and 49 d as compared to birds fed the unsupplemented diets. Response in feed conversion was inconsistent. Mortality at 16, 35, and 42 d was significantly less among birds fed the diets supplemented with Avizyme. Addition of Avizyme had no consistent effect on dressing percentage or yield of breast, thigh, or wing components. Abdominal fat, expressed as percentage of the carcass, was consistently increased by Avizyme supplementation, the differences being statistically significant at 42 and 49 d. This result suggests that birds fed the diets containing Avizyme obtained a greater amount of net energy from their diets.