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Non-Starch Polysaccharide-Degrading Enzymes Increase the Performance of Broiler Chickens Fed Wheat of Low Apparent Metabolizable Energy^1,2,

CSIRO Division of Human Nutrition, Glenthorne Laboratory, O'Halloran Hill, SA 5158, Australia; Parafield Poultry Research Centre, Parafield Gardens, SA 5107, Australia; and Department of Animal Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia

The effect of a commercial glycanase product (Avizyme TX) on the performance of 4-wk-old broiler chickens fed wheats with low and normal apparent metabolizable energy values was studied. Controls were fed a corn-based diet. Supplementation with the enzyme product significantly (P < 0.01) increased the apparent metabolizable energy of the low metabolizable energy wheat from 12.02 to 14.94 MJ/kg dry matter. The apparent metabolizable energy value of the normal wheat was increased from 14.52 to 14.83 MJ/kg dry matter; this was, however, not significant. Birds fed the low metabolizable energy wheat diet had significantly (P < 0.01) higher digesta viscosity and lower small intestinal starch and protein digestibilities than birds fed the normal wheat diet. Chickens fed the low metabolizable energy wheat tended to grow less than those fed the normal wheat diet. When the low metabolizable energy wheat + enzyme diet was fed, digesta viscosity was significantly (P < 0.01) lower (20.28 vs. 10.36 mPa·s), and small intestinal digestibility coefficient of starch was significantly (P < 0.01) greater (0.584 vs. 0.861) relative to values in birds fed the low metabolizable energy wheat diet alone. Although the protein digestibility coefficient also increased from 0.689 to 0.745, the difference was not significant. Weight gain and feed efficiency of birds fed the low metabolizable energy wheat + enzyme equaled those of controls. The enzyme product significantly (P < 0.01) increased the solubilization of non-starch polysaccharides within the gastrointestinal tract of birds fed both types of wheat diets. This experiment demonstrated that non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes markedly increase the nutritive value of low metabolizable energy wheat broiler chicken diets, suggesting that increased level of viscous non-starch polysaccharides may cause the low apparent metabolizable energy contents of some wheats.

KEY WORDS: • apparent metabolizable energy • wheat • non-starch polysaccharides • enzyme supplementation • chickens

¹ Funded by the Australian Chicken Meat Research and Development Council.

² The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 USC section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

³ To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Manuscript received 29 April 1994. Revision accepted 9 August 1994.