title: Does release of encapsulated nutrients have an important role in the efficacy of xylanase in broilers?
abstract: The non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) in cell walls can act as a barrier for digestion of intracellular nutrients. This effect is called "cage effect." Part of the success of fibrolytic enzymes in broiler feed is assumed to be attributed to cage effect reduction. Further, changes in viscosity and potential prebiotic action should also be considered. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the relative importance of the cage effect in xylanase efficacy in broilers. Using a 2×2 factorial design, 24 pens with 30 Ross 308 male chicks were fed corn-soy based diets consisting of normal and freeze-thawed (5 d at -18°C) corn, both with and without xylanase. The freeze-thaw method was used to eliminate the cage effect, whereas a corn-based diet was used to exclude viscosity effects. Body weights (BW), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined at d 13, 26, and 39. A balance study was executed at the end of the growing phase. These birds were euthanized at d 34 (non-fasted) to determine the viscosity of digesta, blood metabolites, intestinal morphology, and microbiota composition. During the finisher period, there was a significant interaction between enzyme supplementation and freeze-thawing for FCR, in which FCR was improved by freeze-thawed corn and tended to be improved by normal corn+enzyme compared with the control group. The improvement in performance (finisher period) of freeze-thawed corn and xylanase coincided with increased gut absorption of glucose (based on postprandial plasma concentrations) and increased number of Clostridiumcluster IV in the caecum, and agreed with the higher gut villus height. In addition, xylanase inclusion significantly increased the postprandial plasma glycine and triglycerides concentration, and led to elevated bacterial gene copies of butyryl CoA:acetate CoA-transferase, suggesting a prebiotic effect of xylanase addition through more than just the cage effect reduction. The applied model managed to rule out viscosity by using corn, and it was possible to isolate the cage effect by freeze-thawing the dietary corn.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium Animal Science Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khadem
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lourenço
authors.affiliation: Animal Science Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delezie
authors.affiliation: Animal Science Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maertens
authors.affiliation: Nutrex NV, Achterstenhoek 5, 2275 Lille, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goderis
authors.affiliation: Nutrex NV, Achterstenhoek 5, 2275 Lille, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mombaerts
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Phytopathology, Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Höfte
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Research Group Veterinary Public Health and Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eeckhaut
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Research Group Veterinary Public Health and Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Immerseel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium Geert.Janssens@UGent.be.
authors.forename: G P J
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Janssens
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D043364:Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005615:Freezing; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D043364:Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases
keywords: cage effect; frozen corn; non-starch polysaccharides; prebiotic effect; xylanase