Enzymes Improve Energy Release For Broilers

A study shows that broilers fed a diet with reduction in metabolizable energy, and supplemented with amylase and xylanase, in the starter phase, had improved performance.

A team of researchers in Brazil explored two different enzymes alone or combined in the diets of broiler chickens along with differing levels of dietary energy.

The study found that growth performance was improved when birds were fed maize-soy diet with higher energy levels and amylase and xylanase. Also, the energy release levels were improved.

Broiler diets with additive enzymes aimed at degrading cell wall may offer access for pancreatic enzymes to nutrients locked within the cell. Improvements in nutrient availability and energy use from feed ingredients have found to improve broiler performance. Enzymes can be used to reduce feed costs while supporting weight gain, feed efficiency and reducing nutrient elimination.

Though chicks are adapted to starch-based diets, the high feed intake of modern broilers may produce a physiological limitation to starch digestion.

Xylanase and amylase influence different substrates and do not complete substrate degradation.

In the feeding trial, 1,800 broilers were given one of eight diets for 40 days. All birds were given a starter diet from days 1 to 21 and finisher diet from day 22 to 40. The trial diets included the control diet with amylase. Chick weights were also recorded. Body weight, feed intake and feed conversion were also calculated both weekly and first and second phases of feeding trial.

The results of the feed trial were as follows:

• Increase in the apparent metabolic energy corrected for zero nitrogen retention.
• Improved body weight gain and reduced feed conversion ratio.
• Adding the supplement amylase and xylanase increased estimated energy yields.
• Body weight gain increased linearly when broilers were fed diets with increasing AMEn levels.
• Feed conversion ratio was linearly decreased as AMEn was reduced.

Hence, it is proved that enzymes improve the energy release for broilers.