RAMANA, J VRAMA PRASAD, JSATYANARAYANA REDDY, P.V.VSUDHAKARA REDDY, PKAVITHA, PATAKAMURI2016-12-202016-12-202003-08http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/91640THESESABSTRACT : With a view to investigate the nutritional efficiency, growth performance and carcass characteristics of broilers fed on diets containing different levels of dried tomato pomace (DTP) with or without enzyme supplementation the present study was carried out. The chemical composition of DTP used in the present study was 22.39% CP, 12.23 % EE and 40.1 % CF. The calculated ME content of the DTP was 2172 kcal/ kg. The AME, TME and N utilization of DTP were estimated by conducting a trial using 12 adult White Leghorn cockerels. The AME and TME values of DTP were 2080 and 2193 kcal/kg, respectively. The N utilization of DTP was 56.64 percent. Dried tomato pomace (DTP) was included at 0, 5, 10 and 15 per cent levels without (T1, T3, T5 and T7) and with (T2, T4, T6 and T8) enzyme supplementation in iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous broiler starter and finisher diets to assess the growth performance and carcass characteristics of broilers. The starter and finisher diets were formulated according to BIS (1992) specifications. Two hundred and forty Vencob day-old male broilers were fed starter and finisher diets from 0 to 4 weeks and 5 to 6 weeks, respectively. At the end of starter phase (0-4 weeks) and finisher phase (5-6 weeks) the N utilization was estimated. During the experimental period weekly body weight gains and feed intakes were recorded. At the end of experimental period, 2 birds from each replicate were sacrificed to study the serum and muscle biochemical parameters and carcass characteristics. There was no significant difference in body weight gain and feed intake between different levels of DTP inclusion and with enzyme supplementation. The birds fed diet containing 15 per cent DTP with enzyme supplementation has shown the highest feed intake of 3.87 kg. The feed efficiency decreased significantly (P<0.01) with increase in level of DTP inclusion from 5 to 15 per cent (2.04 to 2.14). The per cent nitrogen utilization significantly (P<0.01) decreased with increase in DTP inclusion from 5 to 15 per cent and significantly (P<0.01) increased with enzyme supplementation in both the phases of growth. Throughout the experimental period, all the birds were healthy and no mortality was observed. There were no significant differences in ready-to-cook yield and percent giblet weight between different treatments, between different levels of DTP inclusion and enzyme supplementation. The serum triglyceride content significantly (P<0.01) increased with increase in the level of DTP inclusion and with enzyme supplementation. The serum cholesterol level decreased significantly (P<0.05) with increase in level of DTP inclusion. There was no significant difference in serum cholesterol level with enzyme supplementation. Serum cholesterol level was lowest (152.54 mg / dl) in the group fed diet containing 15 per cent DTP without enzyme supplementation. There was no significant difference in serum HDL cholesterol level between different treatments, between different levels of DTP inclusion and enzyme supplementation. The LDL cholesterol level significantly decreased (P<0.01) with increase in level of DTP inclusion. The enzyme supplementation has shown significant (P<0.05) increase in serum LDL cholesterol level. The breast and thigh muscle cholesterol levels significantly (P<0.05) decreased with increase in level of DTP inclusion. There was significant (P<0.05) increase in breast and thigh muscle cholesterol level with enzyme supplementation. The breast muscle cholesterol (41.15 mg / 100 g of meat) and thigh muscle cholesterol (99.34 mg / 100 g of meat) contents were found to be the least in the birds fed on diets containing 15 per cent DTP inclusion without enzyme supplementation. Feed cost per kg gain showed significant (P<0.01) decrease with increase in the level of DTP inclusion. The feed cost/kg gain (Rs.16.09) was found to be the least in the birds fed diets containing 15 per cent DTP with lower serum and muscle cholesterol levels. There were no deleterious effects in the birds fed diets containing DTP even up to 15 per cent level. The present study indicates that DTP can safely be included up to 15 per cent level in broiler diets for economical growth and to produce meat with low cholesterol.endried tomato pomace; DTP; ENZYME SUPPLEMENTATION; BROILER PERFORMANCEThesis