Effect of Protease Supplementation on Growth Performances, Carcass and Meat Quality Characteristics of Broiler Chicken Fed with Low Protein Diets

The effect of feeding low dietary crude protein (CP) with different levels of supplemental protease enzyme on commercial broilers was investigated. Three-hundred broiler chicks were divided into five treatments with six replicates in a completely randomized design. The experimental diets were positive control (recommended CP levels, T1), negative control (level of CP reduced by 5%, T2), negative control + 300 g t-1 protease (T3), negative control + 400 g t-1 protease (T4) and negative control + 500 g t-1 protease (T5). Growth, blood serum, carcass quality and meat quality parameters were measured. Data were analysed using one-way Analysis of Variance. The highest live weight (2.86 ± 0.07 kg), weight gain (2.66 ± 0.05 kg) and the lowest feed conversion ratio (1.84 ± 0.06) were observed in birds fed with T5. There was no influence of treatments (p>0.05) on NH3 emission from litter, dressing percentage, meat quality and blood serum parameters. The feed cost per producing 1 kg of live weight and sellable carcass weight was significantly low (p<0.05) in T5. Thus, it can be concluded that low protein diets supplemented with protease enzyme at 500 g t-1 support better growth performances in broiler chicken with a lower cost of production.