Xylanase in broiler diets with differences in characteristics and content of wheat

Abstract

1. Experiments were conducted to measure the effect of xylanase supplementation on the performance of broilers fed on wheat-based diets containing high and low extract viscosity wheat (experiment 1), baking and feeding quality wheat (experiment 2) and with variation in wheat content (experiment 3). 2. Xylanase supplementation improved food conversion ratios by 2.2-2.9% and body weight gain by 0.2-2.5%. This was independent of wheat characteristics but slightly dependent on the wheat content of the diet. These effects were related to a lowering of digesta viscosity. 3. Differences in extract viscosity of wheat were not reflected in broiler digesta viscosity. 4. Reduction of digesta viscosity resulted in only a slight improvement of litter score. Reduced intestinal viscosity decreased relative pancreas weight and to a lesser extent relative small intestinal weight. 5. Baking quality wheat Baldus gave better performance than the feed quality wheats Apollo and Slejpner. 6. It was concluded that xylanase supplementation of wheat-based diets invariably had a positive effect on broiler performance.

Efficacy and Metabolizable Energy Equivalence of an α-Amylase-β-Glucanase Complex for Broilers

“…Part of the plant nutrients, such as starch and protein, are trapped within the insoluble cell walls (this is sometimes referred as cage effect) such that poultry are unable to access these nutrients (Englyst, 1989). Also, soluble fibers dissolve in the gut, forming viscous gels that trap nutrients and slow down rates of digestion and feed rate passage through the gut (Bedford et al, 1991;Veldman et al, 1994). …”

Nutrient digestibility and intestinal viscosities in broiler chickens fed on wheat diets, as compared to maize diets with added guar gum

“…Moreover, the addition of water-soluble wheat arabinoxylans was not observed to change starch digestibility (Choct and Annison, 1990). On the other hand, the addition of enzyme preparations containing a xylanase activity was shown to be beneficial for growing chicks fed on wheat based diets (Annison, 1992;Marquardt et al, 1994;Veldman and Vahl, 1994) and was associated with a reduction in intestinal viscosity (Veldman and Vahl, 1994). Thus, owing to these conflicting results, it is not conclusively proved that, as for rye (Bedford and Classen, 1992), the intestinal viscosity produced by water-soluble arabinoxylans is the main factor that explains low wheat ME values.…”

Effect of Dietary Fat, Fiber, and Monensin on Cecal Activity in Turkeys

“…Other workers have described viscous materials in the intestine of poultry when certain cereals such as wheat, barley, and rye are fed (Pettersson and Aman, 1988;Bedford et al, 1991;Veldman and Vahl, 1994;NRC, 1994). These cereals contain pentosans or beta glucans, which cause high concentrations of high molecular weight compounds that are responsible for the high viscosity Classen, 1992, 1993).…”