JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND VETERINARY MEDICINE
Integrity Research Journals
ISSN: 2536-7099
Model: Open Access/Peer Reviewed
DOI: 10.31248/JASVM
Start Year: 2016
Email: jasvm@integrityresjournals.org
Growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with exogenous phytase
https://doi.org/10.31248/JASVM2026.636 | Article Number: 642758234 | Vol.11 (1) - February 2026
Received Date: 01 February 2026 | Accepted Date: 18 February 2026 | Published Date: 28 February 2026
Authors: M. Diri* , B. M. Oruwari and N. C. Johnson
Keywords: growth, Broilers, carcass, phytase.
This study was conducted at the Poultry Section of Rivers State University Teaching and Research Farm, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, to examine the growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with exogenous phytase. A total of 120 day-old ROSS 308 broiler chicks were used in the study and, after one week of brooding, were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments, each consisting of three replicates with 10 birds per replicate. The treatments included: T1 (control), T2 (basal + 1000 Phytase unit/kilogram diet ), T3 (basal + 2000 FTU/kg diet), and T4 (basal + 3000 FTU/kg diet). The experimental design used in the study was a completely randomised design, and mean was separated using duncan multiple range test. Birds were fed a broiler starter diet for the first four weeks, followed by a broiler finisher diet with varying phytase inclusion rates. At the end of week six, birds were fasted for 12 hours, and growth parameters (final weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio) were measured. Six birds per treatment were slaughtered, and their carcasses and internal organs(liver, gizzard, heart, intestines, kidney, crop, pancreas, proventriculus) were harvested and weighed. Carcass parts (thigh, drumstick, breast, wing), neck, head, and feathers were also measured. Initial weight, final weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio showed no significant differences at (p = 0.33, p = 0.20, p = 0.21, p = 0.59, and p = 0.26), respectively. However, highly significant differences (P <0.01) were observed in the heart, small intestine, large intestine and crop. For carcass parts, there were no significant difference on drumstick, although a trend was observed (p = 0.06) with T3 outperforming T1 and T2, while breast and wing showed significant differences (p< 0.05). Based on these findings, it is recommended that phytase be included at 2000 FTU/kg diet to improve growth and carcass quality in broilers raised in tropical conditions.
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