Influence of non-starch polysaccharides of feedstuffs on performance and carcass characteristics of broilers

In order to determine the effect of non-starch polysaccarides on performance, energy and protein efficiencies and carcass characteristics of broiler chicks, an experiment was conducted in three periods of starter, grower and finisher period, using 420 one-day old Ross 308 broiler chicks from both sexes in a completely randomized design with seven treatments, six replicates and 10 chicks per replicate. The experimental treatments were basal diet, diets containing 0.10 and 0.20 percent of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, diets containing 5 and 10 percent of wheat bran, diets containing three and six percent of soybean hull. The results of the experiment showed that the control treatment had the lowest feed intake during the whole period of breeding (P<0.05). The highest feed intake was related to 10 percent wheat bran and levels of 3 and 6 percent soybean hull (P<0.05). Treatments containing 3 percent soybean hull showed the highest daily weight gain (P<0.05) during the whole experiment. There is no statistical difference for the feed conversion ratio during the whole trial period. The highest relative energy efficiency related to yeast levels were compared to treatments containing wheat bran and soybean hull (P<0.05). The lowest relative energy and protein efficiency was related to 10 percent wheat bran compared to control treatment (P <0.05). The results of the experiment showed that the use of two tenths of yeast, 10 percent wheat bran and six percent soybean hull in the diet of broiler chickens is recommended.