Evaluation of the effect of different wheats and xylanase supplementation on performance,nutrient and energy utilisation in broiler chicks

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance, nutrient utilisation and energy metabolism of broiler chicks fed 8 different wheat samples, supplemented or not with xylanase. Seven-hundred sixty eight male broilers(1-day-old) were distributed to 16 experimental treatments(6 replicates per treatment). The treatments were in a factorial arrangement with 8 different wheats and 2 levels of xylanase(0 or 16,000 BXU/kg). The predicted apparent metabolisable energy(AME) of the wheat samples ranged from 13.0 to 13.9 MJ/kg and all diets were formulated to contain the same amount of wheat. Body weight gain(BWG) and feed intake(FI) were measured at 21 d, as was jejunal digesta viscosity, and feed conversion ratio(FCR) calculated. On day 24, one representative bird per pen was selected to calculate whole body energetics. At 21 d, 3 chicks per replicate were randomly allocated to metabolism cages for energy and nutrient utilisation determinations, and were continued on the experimental diets until 24-d-old. No interactions were observed for any performance response variables, ileal nutrient utilisation or digesta viscosity. Xylanase improved BWG and reduced FCR and digesta viscosity(P < 0.05). Wheat influenced dry matter(DM) utilisation and xylanase increased ileal digestible energy(P = 0.04). Xylanase also improved(P < 0.05) DM and nitrogen retention. Apparent metabolisable energy and AME corrected for nitrogen(AMEn) were subject to an interaction whereby wheats 2 and 6, which returned the lowest AME and AMEn values, responded to xylanase supplementation and the remainder did not. Net energy for production and the efficiency of energy use for production were not influenced by xylanase, but were affected by wheat(P < 0.05). Despite the significant differences between wheats with regards to their nutrient utilisation and energy metabolism in birds, xylanase removed this variance and resulted in more homogeneous performance.

Evaluation of xylanase and a fermentable xylo-oligosaccharide on performance and ileal digestibility of broiler chickens fed energy and amino acid deficient diets

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a product consisting of a combination of xylanase and xylo-oligosaccharide(STBIO)on performance and ileal digestibility of broiler chickens fed energy and amino acid(AA)deficient diets.Day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 8 pens per treatment,with 25 chicks per pen.Treatments based on wheat-corn-soybean meal diets were arranged in a 3×2 factorial design:a positive control that met or exceeded nutrient recommendations(PC),a negative control diet with a 50 kcal/kg apparent metabolizable energy(AME)reduction(NC1)and NC1 with a 3%reduction in AA content(NC2),each with or without supplementation of 100 g/t of the STBIO.Body weight gain(BWG),feed intake,feed conversion ratio corrected for mortality(FCR)and the European production efficiency factor(EPEF)were recorded from 0 to 42 d.On d 42,ileal samples were collected to determine dry matter(DM),organic matter(OM),ash,protein and energy digestibility.A significant interaction was observed for BWG and feed intake(P<0.001).The energy and AA reduction reduced(P<0.05)BWG when compared to the PC.The effect of STBIO on BWG was greater in NC1(+451 g/bird)than in NC2(+314 g/bird)or PC(+176 g/bird)diets(P<0.05),and that in NC2 with STBIO was equal to that in PC without STBIO,and that in NC1 with STBIO was equal to that in PC with STBIO.No interactions were observed on the EPEF or FCR;however,STBIO improved EPEF(P<0.001)and FCR(P<0.001)irrespective of the energy reduction or AA density.The intake of digestible DM,OM,ash and energy for the finisher period was increased with STBIO supplementation(P<0.01).A significant interaction was observed for the intake of digestible protein.NC1 and NC2 reduced the intake of digestible protein;however,when STBIO was supplemented,it was improved in both diets to similar levels to the PC.The stimbiotic supplementation improved performance of broiler chickens fed all diets,particularly those deficient in AME and AA.

Xylanase, protease and superdosing phytase interactions in broiler performance, carcass yield and digesta transit time

The interaction of xylanase, protease and superdosing(1,500 FTU/kg) phytase in a 2×2×2 factorial arrangement was studied in broilers fed sorghum-based diets. A total of 2,800 one-day-old unsexed Ross308 chicks were housed in 56 pens with 50 birds per pen, with or without inclusion of xylanase, protease and phytase, totaling 8 treatments and 7 replicates per treatment. Body weight(BW) and feed intake(FI)were measured at 21 and 42 days of age, and mortality corrected feed conversion ratio(FCR) was calculated for each period and cumulatively. Tibia ash and carcass yield were determined in 2 birds per replicate at 21 and 42 days of age, respectively. Digesta transit time was determined at 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of age using 5 birds per replicate. Results showed that superdosing phytase increased BW and FI at42 days of age(P < 0.05) and xylanase improved FCR(P < 0.05). Xylanase and phytase also positively influenced carcass yield and breast weight, respectively. Overall, inclusion of superdosing phytase increased transit time when included in a diet containing xylanase, and no change with protease inclusion. In conclusion, the beneficial effects of xylanase, protease and superdosing phytase in broiler performance were not additive. This limitation is likely not related to the lack of efficacy of any one of the individual enzymes but to a limitation of the bird to respond additively to successive additions of enzymes.

Dietary xylanase and live yeast supplementation influence intestinal bacterial populations and growth performance of piglets fed a sorghum-based diet

This study was to evaluate the effect of xylanase supplementation and the addition of live yeast,Saccharomyces cerevisiae,on growth performance and intestinal microbiota in piglets.One hundred and eighty commercial crossbred 23-d-old piglets(PIC 417)were sorted by initial BW and allocated to 3 treatments:control(CTR)diet,CTR diet supplemented with xylanase at 16,000 birch xylan units/kg(XYL)and XYL diet supplemented with live yeast(2 x 1010 CFU/g)at 1 kg/t(XYL+LY).Each treatment had 10 replicates,with 6 animals each.A sorghum-based diet and water were available ad libitum for 42 d of the study.Average daily gain(ADG)and average daily feed intake(ADFI)were measured from 0 to 42 d(23-to 65-d-old)and feed conversion ratio(FCR)calculated.At the end of the study,bacterial identification through 16 S rRNA(V3 to V4)sequencing of the ileal and caecal digesta from one piglet per replicate was performed.No treatment effects were observed on ADFI.Pigs offered the live yeast in addition to the xylanase had increased ADG compared with those supplemented with xylanase alone(XYL+LY vs.XYL;P=0.655).FCR was improved with XYL and XYL+LY compared with CTR(P=0.018).Clostridiaceae counts in the ileum tended to reduce by 10%with XYL and 14%with XYL+LY compared to CTR(P=0.07).XYL and XYL+LY increased the counts of Lactobacillaceae in the caecum compared with CTR(P<0.0001).Dietary supplementation of live yeast combined with xylanase improved growth performance and microbial balance of piglets during the nursery phase.