The effects of protease and carbohydrase supplementation on the nutritive value of canola meal for poultry: In vitro and in vivo studies

Abstract

An in vitro incubation system was used to assess a variety of enzyme preparations regarding activities toward protein and carbohydrate components in canola meal with the objective of identifying those preparations that possessed potential for improvement of the nutritive value of canola meal. Promising preparations were evaluated further in 2-week growth trials utilizing 4-day-old broiler chickens. Enhanced protein hydrolysis was demonstrated for several of the protease enzyme preparations studied in the in vitro incubation system. Protein hydrolysis was most effective when either pancreatin or pronase were included in the incubation medium along with the protease enzyme and for the most effective protease preparations values for percent of total protein hydrolyzed exceeded those for pancreatin or pronase acting alone. The most effective protease preparation also resulted in improved broiler chick growth performance when added to semipurified canola meal diets. While some carbohydrase enzyme preparations were shown to be effective in the in vitro test of cell wall polysaccharide solubilization, only a trend toward improved growth performance was noted when broiler chickens were fed semipurified canola meal diets containing these enzyme preparations. A synergistic response in growth of young (4–11 days of age) broiler chickens was noted when phytase, carbohydrase and protease enzymes were added to a wheat/canola meal based diet deficient in available phosphorus.