Abstract

A portion of the dietary nutrients is excreted due to the presence of antinutritional factors in some ingredients. This study aimed to determine the total and ileal digestibility coefficients of crude protein, as well as the passage rate of diets with different chemical compositions, supplemented or not with an enzymatic complex, in broiler chickens. No effect of the enzymatic complex was observed on the crude protein digestibility coefficient (P>0.05). However, the ileal digestibility coefficients of crude protein showed significant differences (P<0.05) within each group (with or without enzyme supplementation). The control treatment with the enzymatic complex presented a lower ileal digestibility coefficient of crude protein (P<0.05) compared to the control treatment without supplementation. The passage rate did not differ between treatments (P>0.05). It was concluded that the inclusion of the enzymatic complex, composed of calcium carbonate, Yucca extract, protease, phytase, and cellulase, in vegetable-based diets for broiler chickens did not affect digestibility coefficients or passage rate. Keywords: poultry farming, enzyme additives, nutrition, crude protein