Response of Broilers to Dietary Incorporation of Different Sorghum Varieties Fortified with Phytase

Abstract Dietary inclusion of local varieties of sorghum in poultry nutrition can greatly lower the cost of production in Sudan. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of dietary incorporation of different sorghum varieties fortified with phytase enzyme supplementation on broiler performance. A (2 x 5) factorial arrangement was used in a completely randomized design to study the effect of dietary incorporation of different levels sorghum variety Mogod (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) replacing the variety Feterita fortified with two levels of phytase supplementation (0 and 0.05%) on broiler performance. A total of 10 treatments were employed and each treatment was replicated three times with ten birds each. Weight gain (WG), Feed consumption (FC) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded. Carcass weights and tibial phosphorus content were measured. Blood samples were collected for blood parameters. The results showed that, FC was not affected by dietary inclusion of Mogod and phytase supplementation. There were significant (p≤0.01) effects of Mogod and phytase on weight gain. The greatest weight gain values were recorded with birds fed on diets contained 100% Feterita (p<0.01). Supplementation of phytase improved WG and FCR (p<0.01). The largest carcass weights were reported with birds fed on diets containing 50 and 100% Mogod (p<0.05). Carcass weight values were increased with phytase supplementation. Tibial phosphorus content was improved by phytase supplementation. Total blood protein, cholesterol, calcium and phosphorus were not affected by phytase treatment. The study concluded that Mogod variety could be used as alternative energy source in broiler diets replacing Feterita variety. Moreover, phytase supplementation improved the broiler performance.