Changes in Growth Performance and Ileal Microbiota Composition by Xylanase Supplementation in Broilers Fed Wheat-Based Diets

Abstract

Xylanase exerts key roles in improving growth performance and intestinal health of broilers fed wheat-based diets. However, knowledge is limited regarding effects of xylanase supplementation on ileal microbiota in broilers. A total of 128 one-day-old broilers (initial BW 48.03 ± 0.33 g) were selected to investigate effects of xylanase (AT-xynA) on growth performance, ileal morphology, microbiota composition, immune response, antioxidant capacity, and endocrine peptide levels in broilers. Broilers were randomly allotted into two dietary treatments (n = 8), namely, a wheat-soybean basal diet and a basal diet with 4,000 U/kg AT-xynA (XY). On days 7, 14, 21, and 42, broilers were weighted and ileal tissues were sampled. Ileal digesta samples were collected for analyzing microbiota composition on days 21 and 42. The results showed that AT-xynA could improve average daily weight gain and average daily feed intake, and there were interactions between diet and age of broilers (p < 0.05). On days 21 and 42, xylanase supplementation decreased ileal microbiota α-diversity, and the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic microbiota, such as phylum Proteobacteria, family Moraxellaceae and Staphylococcaceae, genus Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, and Enterococcus, increased the abundance of Lactobacillus (p < 0.05). Moreover, the reduction in acetate concentration and abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria was also observed in broilers from XY group (p < 0.05). AT-xynA increased ileal villus height, glucagon-like peptide-1, and insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations and decreased interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and malondialdehyde content in broilers, and these positive effects on intestinal health were greater in young broilers. In conclusion, xylanase supplementation to wheat-based diets could improve ileal intestinal morphology and immune function, and alleviate excess fermentation of bacteria, which may be related to changes of intestinal microbiota. In addition, the positive effects of xylanase on intestinal health were more pronounced in young broilers, thus contributing to subsequent improvement in growth performance of broilers.

Supplementation of multi-enzymes alone or combined with inactivated Lactobacillus benefits growth performance and gut microbiota in broilers fed wheat diets

“…In the current study, supplementation of multi-enzymes alone or combined with inactivated Lactobacillus improved the growth performance of broilers, indicated by high ADG from day 14 to 28, high BW at day 28, and low F/G for the whole trial period. Similar to our results, it has been reported that broilers fed a wheat-based diet supplemented with enzymes or probiotics could improve growth performance ( Zhao et al, 2016 ; Wang et al, 2021b ). Khonyoung and Yamauchi (2019) also found that dietary supplementation with inactivated Lactobacillus increased body weight gain and FCR of broilers, which might be related to the reduction of digesta viscosity and protection of intestinal health, including intestinal immunity and intestinal barrier function improvement ( Gonzalez-Ortiz et al, 2017 ; Bhogoju et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Supplementation of exogenous NSP enzyme or probiotics has been reported to improve growth performance and intestinal health of broilers fed wheat-based diets ( De Maesschalck et al, 2015 ; Bhogoju et al, 2021 ; Wang et al, 2021a , b ). The chemical structure and composition of NSP are varied and complex ( Ward, 2021 ).…”

“…The NSP disturbs digestion and absorption by resisting the digestion of endogenous enzymes ( Nguyen et al, 2021 ), increasing the viscosity of the intestinal contents ( Knudsen, 2014 ; Munyaka et al, 2016 ), or blocking the nutrients’ access to endogenous digestive enzymes in poultry ( Choct et al, 2004 ; Musigwa et al, 2021 ). Moreover, intestinal microbiota composition is impacted by NSP in wheat-based diets ( Munyaka et al, 2016 ; Wang et al, 2021b ), which further leads to growth performance reduction ( Crisol-Martínez et al, 2017 ) and intestinal physiological disfunction ( Raza et al, 2019 ). Crisol-Martínez et al (2017) reported that several operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to Clostridiales are prevalent in wheat-fed chickens and associated with low FCR values.…”

Effects of Xylanase in Corn- or Wheat-Based Diets on Cecal Microbiota of Broilers

“…Corn and wheat are dominant feed grains for broilers diets; however, concentration and structure of AX in corn and wheat are different ( Cowieson, 2010 ). At the present, most reports have focused on positive effects of xylanase on performance in broilers fed viscous wheat-based diets ( Gonzalez-Ortiz et al, 2017 ; Liu and Kim, 2017 ; Wang et al, 2021 ). However, benefits of xylanase on growth performance of broilers supplemented non-viscous corn-based diets also were recorded ( Khadem et al, 2016 ).…”

Impact of the gastrointestinal microbiome and fermentation metabolites on broiler performance

“…Extensive poultry work with NSP containing diets and inclusion of feed enzymes would tend to support this relationship. For example, Wang et al (2021) demonstrated that xylanase supplementation of wheat diets fed to broilers decreased ileal diversity, acetate concentrations, and SCFA generating microbiota, but increased lactobacilli. This may also impact other dietary supplementary choices such as selecting prebiotic sources where some are comprised of complex beta-linked polysaccharides which may require more extensive fermentation.…”