Efficacy of microbial phytase on growth performance, carcass traits, bone mineralization, and blood biochemistry parameters in broiler turkeys fed raw chickpea (Cicer arietinum L., cv. Burnas) diets

Abstract

Summary: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an alternative protein source that can be used to substitute soybean meal (SBM) in diets for young turkey. Raw chickpea seeds (RCKP) have a low content of anti–nutritional factors (i.e., trypsin inhibitor) compared with peas, common beans, and soybeans, offering alternative to extrusion. Depending on the variety, it would facilitate farmers to add RCKP on-farm diets. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of RCKP (cv. Burnas) use in diets with or without phytase addition on growth performance, carcass traits, bone mineralization, and plasma profile of young turkeys (1 to 70 D of age). A 4 × 2 factorial design was performed to compare the efficacy of four levels of RCKP (0, 80, 120, and 240 g/kg, replacing SBM) and two levels of enzyme added (0 or 0.2 g/kg diet). The results showed that BW gain was significantly increased with increasing amounts of RCKP in the diet but the feed intake and FCR were not affected. Carcass yield, breast and legs yield, internal organ weight, and tibia traits were not affected by feeding RCKP diet but cecal digesta pH was significantly increased. Phytase addition had beneficial effects on growth performance and tibia mineralization but did not affect the carcass traits. The plasma analytes were not affected by feeding RCKP, except for triglycerides, total bilirubin, phosphorus, and iron. It can be concluded that RCKP can be used as an alternative protein source to replace SBM in heavy-type turkey diets, at inclusion levels up to 240 g/kg.

Keywords

• exogenous enzyme
• chickpea
• turkey
• carcass traits
• tibia
• blood biochemistry