Effect of Non-Starch Polysaccharide (NSP) of Wheat and Barley Supplemented with Exogenous Enzyme Blend on Growth Performance, Gut Microbial, Pancreatic Enzyme Activities, Expression of Glucose Transporter (SGLT1) and Mucin Producer (MUC2) Genes of Broiler Chickens

A Yaghobfar,M Kalantar

doi:10.1590/1806-9061-2016-0441

Abstract

ABSTRACT The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with 625 broiler chicks (Ross 308) for 5 repetitions (25 birds per each replicated) on the 5 treatments diet. Treatments included two different types of cereal grains (wheat, and barley) with or without an enzyme supplementation along with a corn-based diet as control group. The experimental diets were formulated to have similar contents of crude protein, metabolizable energy, total non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and were fed in two periods of starter and grower. Experimental traits were consisted growth performance, ileal flora numeration, villus morphology in 3 parts of the intestine, digesta viscosity and pancreatic enzyme activity, and determining the gene expression level of glucose transporter (SGLT1) and mucin producer (MUC2) in the jejunum. Results indicated that inclusion of wheat and barley to corn-soy based diet with or without exo-enzymes blend on growth performance traits were significant (p<0.01). Feed intake and average daily gain in wheat diet was lower, conversely FCR was higher than other groups (p<0.01). Maximum microbial count were observed in wheat and barley diets and minimum were observed in enzyme supplemented diets respectively (p<0.01). Control group and enzyme supplemented diets had minimum counting of gram negative, coliform and clostridium, but maximum counting of lactobacilli and bifidobacter were observed in enzyme supplemented diets (p<0.01). Viscosity and activities of pancreatic a-amylase and lipase were significantly increased in chicks fed wheat and barley when compared to the control group fed on corn (p<0.01). Feeding wheat and barley diets reduced villus height in different parts of the small intestine when compared to those fed on a corn diet (p<0.01). Gene expression level of glucose transporter (SGLT1) and mucin producer (MUC2) in jejunum was significantly affected by the inclusion of wheat and barley to corn-soy based diet with or without exo-enzymes blend (p<0.01). In conclusion, the inclusion of wheat and barley to corn-soy based diet without enzyme supplementation has an adverse effect on growth, ileal microflora villi morphology, digesta viscosity, pancreatic enzyme activity, and gene expression level of nutrient transporters. However, enzyme supplemented to wheat and barley diets significantly improved those traits, and restored the negative effects.

Highlights

Wheat and barley as alternative cereals can be successfully replace with corn in poultry diets
Birds fed on barley and wheat diets had significantly lower body weight and higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) than counterparts fed on corn
It is concluded that the shorter villus height induced by wheat and barley diets are related to Non–Starch Polysaccharide (NSP) viscosity

Summary

Introduction

Wheat and barley as alternative cereals can be successfully replace with corn in poultry diets. These grains could locally grow in many areas of the world and have lower water requirements than corn (Ravindran et al 1999; Lin et al 2010). A review of literature indicates that the presence of anti-nutritive compounds in the digestive tract of birds, cause predominant negative changes in the gut such as increasing the product shelf life, physicochemical properties of digesta (viscosity and pH), and impede the action of indigenous enzymes through the gut (Choct & Annison, 1992 a,b; Hetland et al, 2004), along with some changes in the intestinal environment and structure of the lining surface with the impact on the quantity and quality of relevant gene expression (Ferraris, 2001; Smirnov et al, 2004; Tanabe et al, 2005). Associate gene transporting nutrients through the gut enterocytes such as glucose, amino acids, peptides and genes involved in production and secretion of mucin as an important ingredient of mucus coating the intestinal tissue are the most effective factors in the intestinal environment and structural changes (Smirnov et al, 2006; Gilbert et al, 2008; Horn et al, 2009; Gilbert et al, 2010)

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Discussion

Conclusion