The effects of restricting enzyme supplementation in wheat-based diets to broilers

Abstract

The performance of broilers fed on xylanase supplemented diets for part or all of the production cycle was evaluated in two experiments. In a preliminary experiment, 1-day-old chicks were fed a wheat-based diet supplemented with a commercial xylanase for the entire duration of the experiment of 28 days, or during the last 21, 14, or 7 days of the trial. In experiment 2, the growth period was extended to 36 days, and birds were fed xylanase supplemented diets for the entire duration of the experiment, or during the last 27, 18, or 9 days of the trial. In both experiments, an additional group was fed a non-supplemented control diet. Xylanase-supplemented broilers outperformed non-supplemented birds. Significant differences in body weight emerged at 21-28 days of age, suggesting that the response to xylanase supplementation occurs primarily during the latter stages of broiler growth. Broilers fed xylanase-supplemented diets for the entire experiment presented similar growth performance, intestinal viscosity, gastrointestinal enzyme activity and organ sizes when compared with birds supplemented with the exogenous xylanase for the last 14 (experiment 1) or the last 18 days (experiment 2) of the trials. Birds exposed to exogenous xylanase for the entire duration of the experiment showed, however, a non-significant trend (P<0.1) towards an improved final body weight and feed conversion ratio. Nevertheless, it appears that an early exposure to the exogenous xylanase is of marginal importance in obtaining a significant response to xylanase supplementation by broilers fed wheat-based diets.

Partitioning of dietary energy of chickens fed maize- or wheat-based diets with and without a commercial blend of phytogenic feed additives

“…Both diets contained small amounts of barley and rye, but we considered that these levels would not have a major effect on digestive physiology (Annison et al, 1996). Although all the diets, including the M, contained some amounts of NSP, there is a large amount of evidence that these levels allow gut productive performance and no evidence of nonspecific diarrhea (Figueiredo et al, 2012). We considered that there was no need to add any exogenous xylanases to the experimental diets.…”

Non-starch Polysaccharide Degrading Enzymes in Corn and Wheat-Based Broiler Diets: Dual Activity for Major Substrates

“…Here, the improvement of BWG using XG compared to NC was more distinct in the grower than the starter period, especially using corn-SBM and corn/wheat-SBM. The appearance of performance effects of NSP degrading enzymes at later age, was also seen in another study [56] applying xylanase to a wheat-based diet. There, broiler BWG and F:G improved first at 21-28 d in comparison to the same diet without enzymes.…”

Performance and Internal Organ Characteristics of Broiler Chickens Fed Red Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench)) Based Diets Supplemented with Complex Enzyme (Kingzyme®)

“…Shakaouri et al (2009) also reported that the addition of enzymes (Xylanase and β-glucanase) increases 28-day weight gain in broilers fed wheat-based diets but did not alter growth rates of birds offered Sorghum based diets. Figueiredo et al (2012) The lower feed intake of birds fed the control diet could be due to the presence of tannin. Studies has shown that tannin causes decrease feed consumption in animals; bind dietary protein and digestive enzymes to form complexes that are not readily digestible; decrease palatability and reduce growth rate (Habtamu and Nigussie, 2014).…”