Effect of soluble non starch polysacharide degrading enzyme supplements on nutrient efficiency of young broiler chickens fed wheat with different viscosities and triticle

Abstract

Although wheat is an important ingredient in poultry diets, a large variability of the nutritive quality of wheat especially in its AME value is reported. A negative correlation between the lower AME in wheat or other cereal grains like barley, rye and triticle and their amount of soluble non-starch polysacharides (NSP) has been found in birds (Annison, 1990). A positive correlation between the amount of NSP in grains and the viscosity of the gut is also reported (Van der klis et al., 1995). High viscosity of the gut reduces the performance of the birds. Detrimental effect of NSP can be decreased by adding NSP degrading enzymes in the diet (Annison, 1992). Therefore the objective of this experiment was to study the viscosity of different wheat cultivars and triticle and the effect of NSP degrading enzyme supplements in young broiler chickens.