Influence of non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes on growth performance, blood parameters, and carcass quality of broilers fed corn or wheat/barley-based diets

Abstract Background: Although the use of non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes (NSPases) in corn, oat, rye, barley or wheat-based broiler diets has already been researched for some years, little attention has been given to the mixture of wheat and barley, as basic raw materials for broiler feed. Objective: To evaluate the effect of different inclusion levels of commercial NSP enzymes in corn or in the mixture of wheat/barley-based diets on growth performance, carcass quality and blood parameters of broilers. Methods: Three hundred 1 d-old male broiler chicks (Ross-308) were fed two basal diets (corn and a wheat/barley-based diets), two commercial feed enzymes (Kemin® and Rovabio®), and two enzyme levels (0.025 and 0.05%) in a 2×2×2 factorial arrangement, from 1 to 42 d of age. Results: Overall, birds fed corn-based diets with or without enzyme supplementation consumed more feed (p0.05) by the treatments, while blood biochemistry parameters, such as glucose, VLDL and HDL changed (p