The effect of the addition of multienzymatic complex on performance and metabolism of laying hens was estimated. Two hundred and sixteen Bovans Goldline hens were assigned to a completely randomized design, with 12 replicates of 6 birds per unit and three experimental treatments arranged as follows: positive control (PC), negative control (NC), NC + Rovábio® Max (100 g/t). The positive control diets were formulated to contain adequate levels of nutrients according to the recommendations of the Brazilian tables. Diets of NC and NC + Rovábio® Max were calculated with reduced contents of nutrients present in the nutritional contribution of the enzyme complex evaluated according to the recommendations from the manufacturer. The parameters evaluated were: feed intake, egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed:gain ratio (per g of egg mass and per dozen of egg) in the period from 24 to 36 weeks of age. In the metabolism trial, feed intake and total excreta production per replicate were measured to determine the metabolizable energy values (apparent ME and apparent Nitrogen Corrected MEn), metabolizability coefficients of gross energy and nitrogen retention and P and Ca balance. When compared to hens fed both negative and positive control diets, the addition of Rovábio® Max to the NC diet improved the hen day egg production an the feed:gain ratio (kg/dz). The reduction in the levels of nutritional diets resulted in lower ME and MEn values. The supplementation of the enzyme complex to diets with lower nutritional levels improved the ME values, resulting in values similar to those presented by hens fed PC diet. The addition of the enzyme complex to the NC diet increase P retention and resulte in lower P excretion when compared to the hens fed NC diet. Layers fed PC diet show higher P intake, excretion and retention.
digestibility; eggs; metabolizability; metabolizable energy; phosphorus
