Effect of early feed restriction and enzyme supplementation on digestive enzyme activities in broilers

Abstract

The effect of feed restriction and enzymatic supplementation on intestinal and pancreatic enzyme activities and weight gain was studied in broiler chickens. Quantitative feed restriction was applied to chickens from 7 to 14 d of age. An enzyme complex mainly consisting of protease and amylase was added to the chicken ration from hatching to the end of the experiment. Birds subjected to feed restriction whose diet was not supplemented showed an increase in sucrase, amylase, and lipase activities immediately after the restriction period. Amylase, lipase, and chymotrypsin activities were higher in chickens subjected to feed restriction and fed a supplemented diet than in those only subjected to feed restriction. Trypsin activity increased after feed restriction and after supplementation, but there was no interaction between these effects. Early feed restriction had no effect on enzyme activity in 42-d-old chickens. Chickens subjected to early restriction and fed the supplemented diet presented higher sucrase, maltase, and lipase activities than nonsupplemented ones (P < 0.05). There was no effect of early feed restriction or diet supplementation on weight gain to 42 d. Percentage weight gain from 14 to 42 d of age was equivalent in feed-restricted and ad libitum fed birds. Feed-restricted broilers fed a supplemented diet showed a higher percentage weight gain than nonsupplemented birds. We conclude that enzymatic supplementation potentiates the effect of feed restriction on digestive enzyme activity and on weight gain.

Intermittent feeding programme and addition of &lt;i&gt;Bacillus subtilis&lt;/i&gt; based probiotics to the diet of growing broiler chickens: Influence on growth, hepatic enzymes and serum lipid metabolites profile

“…Changes in the enzymatic or absorptive capacity of the gastrointestinal tract or changes in post-absorptive processes can change feed efficiency (Fassbinder-Orth & Karasov 2006). The improvement in feed efficiency observed in feed-restricted chickens was probably attributed to reduced overall maintenance requirements, improvement of chemical digestion and nutrient absorption in the broiler gut (Pinheiro et al 2004). The results of our experiment showed that intermittent-fed birds were able to adapt to the feeding strategy for improving feed conversion and nutrient requirements, because they had similar body weight gain with control birds from 22 days of age to the end of the study.…”

Propolis residue inclusion in the diet affects digestive enzyme activity in broiler chickens

“…The activity of the pancreatic enzymes was measured after the whole pancreas was homogenized (1:20 wt/vol) in 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8) containing 50 mM CaCl 2 (PINHEIRO et al, 2004). The trypsin activity was determined according to the methodology described by Kakade et al (1974).…”

Effects of post-hatch nutrition of arginine, lysine, methionine and threonine on performance and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens

“…Earlier, it seemed that nutrients of yolk including proteins and carbohydrates were enough for growth and developments of chickens during post-hatch period. Next studies cleared that early feeding of chickens with different percent of crude protein, starch, soybean oil or casein could enhance growth of different apparatus of body such as digestive and immune systems (Madsen et al, 2004;Pinheiro et al, 2004;Bhanja et al, 2010;Yadav et al, 2011). In the present study, the broiler chickens were fed 4 amino acids for 48 h, and their doses were suggested by previous studies.…”

“…This result may influence intestinal secretion in chickens. Nir et al (1996), Pinheiro et al (2004) and Noy & Uni (2010) reported that development of digestive tract plays an individual role in the early growth of chickens because nutrients in post-hatch stimulated the production of digestive enzymes. Uni et al (1998) examined the effects of early withholding feed on morphometric parameters of chick intestine.…”