Effect of wet feeding and enzyme supplementation on performance and immune responses of broiler chicks

Figures & data

Table 1. Ingredients and composition of the diet.

Diet composition	Starter (4–15)	Grower (15–29)	Finisher (29–44)
Wheat (10.4% CP1)	200.00	400.00	600.00
Corn	338.30	156.00	–
Soybean meal (42% CP)	391.90	370.00	321.30
Soybean oil	25.00	37.00	45.00
Calcium carbonate	17.00	14.50	13.70
Mono calcium phosphate	14.30	11.30	10.20
DL-methionine	3.30	2.20	1.80
L-lysine	1.70	1.00	–
Salt	3.50	3.00	3.00
Vitamin premix^Footnotea	2.50	2.50	2.50
Mineral premix^Footnoteb	2.50	2.50	2.50
Calculated composition
Metabolizable energy (kcal/kg)	11.97	12.35	12.56
Crude protein (%)	213.00	210.00	200.00
Lysine (%)	13.40	11.70	10.70
Methionine + cysteine (%)	10.20	8.90	8.20
Calcium (%)	9.90	8.60	8.00
Available phosphorous (%)	4.90	4.25	4.00

^a Vitamin premix provided per kg of diet: vitamin A (retinol), 2.7 mg; vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), 0.05 mg; vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate), 18 mg; vitamin K3, 2 mg; thiamine 1.8 mg; riboflavin, 6.6 mg; pantothenic acid, 10 mg; pyridoxine, 3 mg; cyanocobalamin, 0.015 mg; niacin, 30 mg; biotin, 0.1 mg; folic acid, 1 mg; choline chloride, 250 mg; antioxidant 100 mg.

^b Mineral premix provided per kg of diet: Fe (FeSO₄.7 H₂O, 20.09% Fe), 50 mg; Mn (MnSO₄.H₂O, 32.49% Mn), 100 mg; Zn (ZnO, 80.35% Zn), 100 mg; Cu (CuSO₄.5 H₂O), 10 mg; I (KI, 58% I), 1 mg; Se (NaSeO₃, 45.56% Se), 0.2 mg. 1 Crude protein.

Table 2. Effect of wet feeding and enzyme on whole-period performance of broiler chickens.

	Treatment
	FM			ES			Source of variation (significance)
Performance	Dry	Wet	SEM	Enzyme	Without enzyme	SEM	FM	ES	FM×ES
Body weight (g)
4–44	2251.00	2318.20	35.40	2263.90	2308.20	35.90	NS	NS	NS
Weight gain (g/d)
4–44	54.50	56.20	0.88	54.80	55.90	0.89	NS	NS	NS
Feed intake (g/d)
4–44	98.00	98.80	1.40	98.80	97.70	1.40	NS	NS	NS
FCR (g:g)
4–44	1.83	1.78	0.03	1.80	1.81	0.02	NS	NS	NS

Note: FCR, feed conversion ratio; FM, feeding method; ES, enzyme supplementation; NS, not significant.

Table 3. Carcass traits on day 44.

	Treatment
	Feeding method			Enzyme supplementation			Source of variation (significance)
Parameters	Dry	Wet	SEM	Enzyme	Without enzyme	SEM	FM	ES	FM×ES
Carcass	72.13	71.85	0.30	72.40^a	71.50^b	0.29	NS	*	**
Abdominal fat	1.41	1.48	0.09	1.41	1.47	0.09	NS	NS	NS
Heart	0.56^b	0.62^a	0.01	0.58	0.60	0.01	*	NS	NS
Liver	2.18^b	2.34^a	0.04	2.30	2.22	0.05	*	NS	**

Note: Values in the same row not sharing a common superscript differ significantly (P<0.05).

FM, feeding method; ES, enzyme supplementation;

NS, not significant; *P <0.05; **P<0.01.

Table 4. Digestive organs weight and intestinal length on day 44.

	Treatment
	FM			ES			Source of variation (significance)
Parameters% BW	Dry	Wet	SEM	Enzyme	Without enzyme	SEM	FM	ES	FM×ES
Gizzard	1.530^a	1.430^b	0.039	1.480	1.480	0.041	**	NS	NS
Pancreas	0.207	0.215	0.007	0.210	0.212	0.007	NS	NS	NS
Proventriculus	0.370	0.360	0.008	0.370	0.360	0.008	NS	NS	NS
Duodenum	0.650	0.640	0.016	0.620^b	0.680^a	0.016	NS	**	NS
Jejunum	1.390	1.440	0.042	1.320^b	1.500^a	0.040	NS	**	NS
Ileum	1.260	1.240	0.045	1.140^b	1.350^a	0.040	NS	**	NS
Cecum	0.600	0.650	0.023	0.640	0.620	0.023	NS	NS	NS
Length of intestine (cm)
Duodenum	35.450	35.930	0.600	34.870	36.510	0.600	NS	NS	NS
Jejunum	81.700	83.750	1.160	81.770	83.670	1.170	NS	NS	NS
Ileum	85.100	86.970	1.320	84.800	87.270	1.290	NS	NS	NS
Cecum	41.450	41.500	0.850	42.300	40.650	0.840	NS	NS	NS

Note: Values in the same row not sharing a common superscript differ significantly (P<0.05).

FM, feeding method; ES, enzyme supplementation; NS, not significant.

** P <0.01.

Table 5. Effect of wet feeding and enzyme on humoral immunity and lymphoid organs of broiler chickens.

	FM			Treatment ES			Source of variation(significance)
Variable	Dry	Wet	SEM	Enzyme	Without enzyme	SEM	FM	ES	FM×ES
Influenza (log2)	2.800	2.900	0.210	2.900	2.900	0.220	NS	NS	NS
Newcastle (log2)	5.700	5.600	0.300	5.700	5.500	0.300	NS	NS	NS
SRBC (log2)	6.700	6.800	0.190	6.600	6.900	0.200	NS	NS	NS
Lymphoid organs (% BW)
Spleen	0.122	0.107	0.005	0.113	0.115	0.005	NS	NS	NS
Bursa of fabricius	0.068	0.060	0.004	0.064	0.065	0.004	NS	NS	NS

Note: Values in the same row not sharing a common superscript differ significantly (P<0.05).

BW, body weight; FM, feeding method; ES, enzyme supplementation; SRBC, sheep red blood cells; NS, not significant.