THE NUTRITIONAL-VALUE OF RAW, AUTOCLAVED AND DEHULLED PEAS (PISUM-SATIVUM L) IN CHICKEN DIETS AS AFFECTED BY ENZYME SUPPLEMENTATION

The effects of added crude enzyme preparations. autoclaving and dehulling on the nutritional value of diets containing a low-tannin (Trapper) and high-tannin (Maple) cultivar of peas (Pisum sativum L.) for chicks were determined in four experiments. The addition of crude enzymes from different sources and at different concentrations to a diet containing 75% of the low-tannin peas did not improve chick performance (exp. 1). Similarly, no improvement in performance was observed when a combination of crude enzymes was added to the diet containing whole or dehulled low-tannin peas, (exp. 2). Autoclaved treatment and enzyme addition to the diet containing the high-tannin Maple peas improved (P < 0.05) the feed-to-gain ratio but not the weight gain (exp. 3). Autoclaving or dehulling improved the apparent metabolizable energy (21 vs. 30%) and apparent protein digestibility (11 vs. 15%) of the high-tannin peas, respectively, in contrast to the low-tannin peas (experiment 4). Dehulling improved the feed-to-gain ratio of chickens fed both cultivars of peas. In conclusion, the results indicate that addition of crude enzymes to diets containing raw or dehulled low-tannin peas do not improve the chick performance but improve the feed efficiency of chicks when fed with the high-tannin peas. Autoclaving and dehulling improved the apparent metabolizable energy and protein digestibility values of high-tannin Maple peas while dehulling improved the feed-to-gain ratio of both cultivars.