Determination of prececal nutrient digestibility of raw, protease-supplemented shrimp meal and fish meal in broilers using regression approach

This study was carried out to measure the prececal protein and ether extract digestibility of shrimp and fish meal using the regression approach. A total of 280 Cobb 500 day-old broilers (mixed sexes) were randomly allotted to 7 treatment groups (4 replicates of 10 broilers each) in a completely randomized design. Feed intake was higher in the birds that received protease-supple-mented shrimp meal and fish meal compared to the 4% raw shrimp meal and basal diets (P<0.05). Average daily gain, feed conversion ratio, final body weight, relative weight of the digestive organs, length of ileum and dressing percentage were not affected by the treatments. The effect of treatments on apparent digestibility of ether extract, organic matter, and dry matter was significant. The highest ether extract apparent digestibility was observed in the group that received 4% raw shrimp meal. Prececal digestibility of protein and ether extract was not different among raw shrimp meal, protease-supplemented shrimp meal and fish meal diets.