Effect of enzyme addition to wheat-, barley- and rye-based diets on nutrient digestibility and performance of laying hens

Abstract

1. Laying hen performance, egg quality, intestinal viscosity and nutrient apparent digestibility were evaluated with respect to the main cereal used in the diet and dosage rate of a fungal beta-glucanase/xylanase enzyme complex. 2. Twelve diets were arranged factorially, with three soluble fibre cereals (SFC); 500 g/kg of wheat or barley or 350 g/kg of rye, and 4 enzyme concentrations (0, 250, 1250 and 2500 mg/kg). An additional control diet based on maize was also included. 3. The use of SFC in the diet instead of maize did not affect egg production or food efficiency, but hens fed on SFC diets exhibited a higher incidence of dirty eggs than hens fed on the maize diet (8-6 vs 4.6%; P<0.01). 4. Laying hens fed on enzyme-supplemented diets produced more eggs (2.1%; P<0.05) and had better food efficiency per dozen eggs (2.5%; P<005) than hens fed on non-supplemented diets. An excess of enzymes in the diet (10 times the recommended dose) did not produce any deleterious effect on laying hen productivity. 5. Enzyme supplementation (ES) reduced intestinal viscosity (P<0.001) and the incidence of dirty eggs (P<0.01). The reduction in viscosity was more pronounced in barley than in wheat or rye diets (P<0.05). 6. Apparent nutrient digestibility in SFC diets was higher with ES, including dry matter (3.1%; P=0.08), fat (4.4%; P<0.001), non-starch polysaccharides (83.3%; P<0.01) and AMEn (2.5%, P<0.01). 7. It is concluded that substitution of maize by SFC is facilitated by ES, especially with respect to egg production, food conversion efficiency and egg shell cleanliness. An excess of enzymes did not produce any deleterious effect on nutrient digestibility or performance of laying hens.

Effect of maize distillers dried grains with solubles and dietary enzyme supplementation on the performance of laying hens

“…Addition of enzymes to poultry diets with a high level of water-soluble NSP reduces the viscosity of the intestinal content and improves nutrient absorption (Bedford and Morgan, 1996). The positive effect of enzyme supplementation of hen diets containing cereals rich in NSP on performance was observed among others by Szczurek et al (1997), Pan et al (1998) and Lazaro et al (2003).…”

Effects of dietary coated protease on growth performance, feed utilization, nutrient apparent digestibility, intestinal and hepatopancreas structure in juvenile Gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio )

“…For example, an excess of enzymes in the diet (10 times of the recommended dose) did not produce any deleterious effect on laying hen productivity (Lázaro, García, Araníbar, & Mateos, 2003). The discrepancy was probably due to the differences in species, proteases and diet formulations used in these studies.…”

Effects of Variously Treated Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao)bean Shellbased Diets on Serum Biochemistry and Haematological Indices of Laying Hens

“…Results of past research works have suggested that lowering effect of fibre on liver lipid in poultry (Patel et al, 1979;Longe, 1984;Scheeman, 1990) Dietary fiber has the ability to bind nuclear components like bile Page17 acids and phospholipids, thus slowing the absorption of lipid from the small intestine and so lowering the plasma cholesterol and liver fat accumulation (Schneeman, 1990). Also, in the light of this, Donnica (2000) and Lazaro et al (2003) recommended the consumption of soluble fibers' to lower blood cholesterol. The globulin values obtained in this study, although significantly different from each other, but they were higher than the recommended values e.g.…”