INFLUENCE OF TANNASE SUPPLEMENTATION ON DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF SORGHUM ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND APPARENT NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY OF BROILER FINISHER CHICKENS.

In a feeding trial to determine the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of finisher broiler chickens (28-56days) fed red sorghum (RS) and white Sorghum (WS) based diet with or without tannase supplementation, a total of 240 unsexed Arbor acre broiler chickens aged 28 days were randomly allotted to eight (8) dietary treatments having 3 replicates each of 10 birds per replicate. The experimental design used was completely randomized in 2 x 4 factorial arrangement. Of the eight diets in which maize (Zea mays) replaces sorghum at 0%, 100% Red Sorghum (RS), 100% White Sorghum (WS) and 50RS:50WS%, diets 1, 2, 3 and 4 were without tannase while diets 5, 6, 7 and 8 were supplemented with tannase. The growth performance data was collected weekly and nutrient digestibility at 56 days old. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in the growth indices of the finisher birds fed the sorghum-based diet supplemented with tannase except the total feed intake which was highest (P < 0.05) in birds fed 50RS:50WS% diet without tannase. Although, birds fed the control diet with tannase had the least feed intake, those fed the control diet without tannase had the best FCR . None of the nutrient digestibility indices were significantly (P>0.05) influenced except the crude protein retention which was highest (P< 0.05) in birds fed 100%RS diet supplemented with tannase. The experiment concluded that, red and white sorghum with or without tannase may totally replace maize in finisher broilers diet for optimum performance and nutrient digestibility without any deleterious effect.