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