title: Growth, viscosity and beta-glucanase activity of intestinal fluid in broiler chickens fed on barley-based diets with or without exogenous beta-glucanase.
abstract: 1. Three groups of birds were fed for up to 35 days on diets containing 500 g barley (cv. Condor)/kg diet, with or without exogenous beta-glucanase, either a commercial preparation or a recombinant endoglucanase. 2. Birds which received diets containing the exogenous enzymes grew faster for the first 3 weeks but after that there was no apparent difference in rate of growth. 3. beta-Glucanase activities in the crop and small intestine of birds given exogenous enzymes were generally higher than those of birds given only the basal diet. 4. Viscosity of intestinal fluid in birds given only the basal diet decreased with age but there was no corresponding increase in beta-glucanase activity. This discounts bacterial beta-glucanase as a contributory factor in the adaptation to beta-glucanase apparent in older birds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Nutritional Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Smithard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002480:Cellulase / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003013:Clostridium / Q000201:enzymology; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology; D004693:Glucan Endo-1,3-beta-D-Glucosidase / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D005936:Glucans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001467:Hordeum / Q000592:standards*; D007419:Intestinal Secretions / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000201:enzymology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014783:Viscosity; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D005936:Glucans; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004693:Glucan Endo-1,3-beta-D-Glucosidase; D002480:Cellulase