PSA-Nutrition: Layer and Miscellaneous Nutrition

Acids (110%) as research indicates VZ has protease activity and is optimized at lower CP levels. Diets were fed in the mash form from 0-26 d, and VZ was either added post mixing of original feed (D) or sprayed on top of the feed (L). A total of 168 Ross x Ross male broiler chicks were allocated to 24 pens of a battery brooder in a Completely Randomized Design with 12 replicate pens/control and 6 replicate pens/treatment (D or L); the experimental unit was a pen of 7 birds. Body weight (BW), gain, and feed intake were determined at 14, 21, and 26 d, and mortality used to calculate adjusted feed conversion ratio (adjFCR). Feeding VZ (whether in D or L form) compared to the control diet did increase (p<.01) overall Gain (1012b, 1108a, and 1087a g/bird for control, D, and L, respectively) and improve (p<.01) overall adjFCR (1.52b, 1.47a, and 1.42a for control, D, and L, respectively). Supplementing VZ in the D form did increase overall (p=.04) feed intake (1543b, 1630a, and 1545b for control, D, and L, respectively). FCR at d 14 only was most improved (p<.01) by the L form (1.24a) followed by D form (1.29b) when compared to control (1.34c). No difference between the two applications (D vs. L) was observed on mortality, BW, and gain at any age. Supplementing diets with VZ improved all broiler growth parameters measured in this study. These results suggest that VZ supplementation in broiler feed may improve growth performance irrespective of application form (D or L).