Dietary Soluble Non-Starch Polysaccharide Level Influences Performance, Nutrient Utilisation and Disappearance of Non-Starch Polysaccharides in Broiler Chickens.

Hong T Nguyen,Shu-Biao Wu,Natalie K Morgan,Michael R Bedford

doi:10.3390/ani12050547

Hong T Nguyen, Shu-Biao Wu + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12050547

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Abstract

Simple SummaryNon-starch polysaccharides (NSP) constitute a major part of the dietary fibre component in plant-based feed ingredients, accounting for approximately 10% of the nutrients in a poultry diet. However, NSP are generally not considered during formulation of commercial broiler diets. The functions of dietary NSP in poultry diets, including both the soluble and insoluble fraction, has been extensively researched and discussed. The soluble fraction is of particular interest to poultry nutritionists and producers, as it increases digesta viscosity, affecting nutrient digestion and absorption and thus litter quality. Soluble NSP (sNSP) also provides fuel for beneficial microbiota species. The extent of impact of dietary sNSP level on broiler performance and nutrient utilisation is poorly understood. Consequently, in this study, broilers were fed commercial-type diets with varying sNSP levels, and the effects of the sNSP level on ileal and total tract nutrient digestibility and productive performance were evaluated. The results revealed that even a small variation in dietary sNSP content induces an impact in broilers, particularly in young birds. Thus, sNSP level and composition should be considered during formulation of commercial poultry diets.This study evaluated the effect of dietary soluble non-starch polysaccharides (sNSP) on performance and nutrient utilisation in broilers from d 0 to 35. Cobb 500 broilers (n = 480, 80 birds per treatment) were fed either wheat- or corn-soybean meal-based diets formulated to contain either a high, medium, or low sNSP content, in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, fed as Starter (d 0–14) and Grower (d 14–35). Birds fed the low sNSP level presented greater BWG at d 0–14 and lower feed intake at d 14–35 compared to birds fed the medium sNSP level (p < 0.005). At d 14, birds fed the high sNSP level presented greater ileal and total tract starch digestibility and total tract sNSP degradability and insoluble NSP degradability, compared to feeding the low sNSP level. At d 35, total tract DM and metabolisability of gross energy was greater in birds fed the medium sNSP level compared to those fed the high or low sNSP level (p < 0.005). Generally, bird performance and nutrient utilisation was greater in birds fed the corn-based diets compared to the wheat-based diets. These results illustrate that dietary sNSP level and composition influences bird performance and nutrient digestibility.

Highlights

The successful and sustainable development of broiler production, during an era with reduced reliance on in-feed antibiotics and escalated ingredient prices, relies on minimising feed costs and managing bird gastrointestinal health
At d 0–14, birds fed the corn-based diet presented higher body weight gain and feed intake (p = 0.003 and 0.034, respectively), and showed a tendency for improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p = 0.058), compared to those fed the wheat-based diets. At this age BWG was greater in birds fed the low soluble non-starch polysaccharides (sNSP) level compared to those fed the medium sNSP level (p = 0.014)
At d 14–35, birds fed the diets with medium sNSP level presented greater feed intake (FI) compared to those fed the low sNSP level (p = 0.026), but sNSP level had no impact on BWG or FCR, and grain source had no impact on any of the performance parameters measured in this period

Summary

Introduction

The successful and sustainable development of broiler production, during an era with reduced reliance on in-feed antibiotics and escalated ingredient prices, relies on minimising feed costs and managing bird gastrointestinal health. Dietary NSP directly and indirectly affects nutritive value of the diet, as well as digestive function and metabolic processes [2], through its impact on development and morphology of the gastrointestinal tract [3,4] and on microbiota population and composition [5,6]. There is increasing interest in the positive effects of feeding dietary NSP to poultry, including supplementing diets directly with sources of fibre [7,8]. Total dietary fibre is defined as the sum of NSP and lignin [1,10]. This suggests that NSP values should be applied to poultry diet formulations in order to achieve the most from the fibre available in feed ingredients, and from NSP-degrading enzyme application

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