Xylanase Supplementation of Wheat-Based Rations for Broilers: Influence of Wheat Characteristics

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of two non-starch polysaccharide hydrolyzing enzymes in wheat-based diets for broiler chickens. Two wheat varieties were selected for extract viscosity and water soluble arabinoxylan content. Our experiments focused on measuring performance parameters and estimating metabolizable energy and nutrient digestibilities. The results confirm the relationship between non-starch polysaccharides and extract viscosity of pelleted diets. Differences in extract viscosity of wheat were also correlated with broiler digesta viscosity. Addition of xylanase preparation reduced digesta viscosity in both segments (jejunum, ileum) and in both wheat-based diets to very low values. Xylanase supplementation tended to improve the Amen and nutrient digestibilities; however, for the pentosan-rich wheat variety, these improvements were significant only for organic matter and crude fat. The differences in extract viscosity and water soluble arabinoxylan content of the two wheat-based diets was clearly reflected in broiler performance, only in the 29-35 day period.