title: Effects of beta-glucanase and xylanase supplementation on gastrointestinal digestive enzyme activities of weaned piglets fed a barley-based diet.
abstract: The effects of supplementing a barley-based diet for weaned piglets withexogenous beta-glucanase and xylanase on gastrointestinal digestiveenzyme activities were investigated. Thirty-six cross-bred weaned pigletswere randomly assigned to two groups with three pens based on sexand mass. Each group was fed on the diet based on barley with or withoutadded beta-glucanase and xylanase (0.15%) for a 4-week period. Theresults showed that enzyme supplementation improved growth performanceof piglets significantly (p < 0.05), but had no effect (p = 0.091)on average daily feed intake. The results also showed that supplementationof beta-glucanase and xylanase had no effect on pepsin activity in gastriccontents but slightly decreased (p = 0.092) the pepsin activity ingastric mucosa. Meanwhile, no effect of enzyme supplementation ontrypsin activity in duodenal contents was observed. However, the activitiesof amylase and lipase in duodenal contents were significantly(p < 0.05) decreased, whereas the activities of maltase, sucrase andgamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) in jejunal and ileal mucosa wereenhanced significantly (p < 0.05). The improvement of disaccharidaseand gamma-GT activity may be attributed to the positive impacts of exogenousenzymes on digestion and absorption of the nutrients. In conclusion,the current results indicated that supplementation with enzymes in barley-based diets could improve the growth performance of piglets,decrease the activities of amylase and lipase in duodenal contents andincrease the activities of disaccharidase and gamma-GT in jejunal and ilealmucosa.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Feed Science, Zhejiang University, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: X Y
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Z R
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion / Q000502:physiology*; D043364:Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000201:enzymology*; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001467:Hordeum / Q000737:chemistry*; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D043364:Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases