| Two studies were conducted to investigate the effects of partially or totally replacing corn with pearl millet (PM) in broiler diets, alone or in combination with exogenous enzymes, on growth performance, ileal dry matter (DM), CP and amino acid digestibility, and intestinal digesta viscosity, morphological development and microbial populations. In experiment 1, dietary treatments included: a standard corn-soybean meal diet and one in which corn was replaced with 25, 50, 75 or 100% PM. In experiment 2, dietary treatments were: 1) a standard corn-soybean meal diet; 2) a PM-soybean meal diet; 3) diet 1 + exogenous enzymes; and 4) diet 2 + exogenous enzymes. All diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric. PM diets contained less soybean meal because PM grains were richer in CP and amino acids than corn. Total replacement of corn with PM significantly improved (P < 0.05) growth and feed conversion. However, there were no additional benefits due to enzyme supplementation. Feeding broilers PM diets did not have any detrimental effects on digesta viscosity, villus height, villus width and villus surface area of the jejunum. On the contrary, in experiment 2, villi were longer (P < 0.05) in PM-fed birds than those fed corn diets with or without enzymes. Intestinal loads of E. coli were not altered by any of the dietary treatments. But, in experiment 2, both PM diets, with or without enzymes, significantly increased (P < 0.05) Lactobacilli loads. In both studies, DM, CP and amino acids digestibility were similar between corn and PM diets. However, enzyme supplementation to corn or PM diets increased (P < 0.05) DM and CP digestibility. Amino acid digestibility was increased ( P < 0.05) only in birds fed the corn diet containing enzymes in comparison with those fed the corn diet without enzymes. In conclusion, total replacement of corn with PM in broiler diets caused significant improvements in growth parameters, and Lactobacilli populations and villus development of the intestines. Additionally, enzyme supplementation to PM diets increased intestinal DM and CP digestibility. |
