Effect of different levels of rapeseed meal and sunflower meal and enzyme combination on the performance, digesta viscosity and carcass traits of broiler chickens fed wheat-based diets

Carbohydrate-active enzymes in animal feed

Considering an ever-growing global population, which hit 8 billion people in the fall of 2022, it is essential to find solutions to avoid the competition between human food and animal feed for croplands. Agricultural co-products have become important components of the circular economy with their use in animal feed. Their implementation was made possible by the addition of exogenous enzymes in the diet, especially carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). In this review, we describe the diversity and versatility of microbial CAZymes targeting non-starch polysaccharides to improve the nutritional potential of diets containing cereals and protein meals. We focused our attention on cellulases, hemicellulases, pectinases which were often found to be crucial in vivo. We also highlight the performance and health benefits brought by the exogenous addition of enzymatic cocktails containing CAZymes in the diets of monogastric animals. Taking the example of the well-studied commercial cocktail Rovabio™, we discuss the evolution, constraints and future challenges faced by feed enzymes suppliers. We hope that this review will promote the use and development of enzyme solutions for industries to sustainably feed humans in the future.

Effect of unripe banana flour as a functional feed ingredient on growth performance, internal organ relative weight and carcass traits of broilers

BACKGROUND

Following the prohibition of in-feed antibiotics, poultry nutritionists are increasingly interested in the use of functional feed. Unripe banana flour (UBF) contains significant amounts of oligosaccharides (which may act as prebiotics) and antioxidants, making it a potential functional feed for broilers. However, research on the use of UBF as a functional feed ingredient for broilers is limited.

OBJECTIVES

The study investigated the effect of UBF with or without probiotic and multienzyme on growth, internal organ weight and carcass characteristics of broilers.

METHODS

A total of 392 broiler chicks were distributed into 4 groups included CONT (chicks receiving control feed), UBF (chicks receiving 5% UBF in feed), UBFPRO (5% UBF plus 0.05% probiotics) and UBFZYM (5% UBF plus 0.05% multienzyme). Data on growth performance were weekly recorded, whereas data on internal organs and carcass were collected on day 38.

RESULTS

Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was lower (p < 0.05) in UBF, UBFPRO and UBFZYM than that in CONT chicks, with no significant difference in body weight, body weight gain and feed intake. There was a tendency that gizzard was higher (p = 0.08) in CONT than in UBF chicks. Also, pancreas tended (p = 0.09) to be lower in UBFZYM than in CONT birds. There was a notable effect (p < 0.05) of dietary treatments on the yellowness (b*) values of thigh meats, in which UBFPRO had lower b* values than that of CONT but did not differ from that of UBF and UBFZYM. There was no difference (p < 0.05) in carcass and commercial proportion of broilers.

CONCLUSIONS

Feeding of 5% UBF with or without probiotic and multienzyme improved FCR, without negatively affecting the carcass characteristics of broilers.

The effect of the dietary inclusion of pea seeds of colored-flowered and white-flowered varieties on gastrointestinal function in turkeys

This study investigated the effects of dietary replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with graded levels of pea seeds (PS) on the gastrointestinal function of turkeys. Seeds of 2 pea varieties, a colored-flowered variety and a white-flowered variety (CFP and WFP, respectively) were fed to 56-d-old birds for 8 wk. A total of 539 female Hybrid turkeys were allocated to 7 groups, each group consisted of 7 pens with 11 birds per pen. The experiment had a 2-factorial design, with 3 dietary inclusion levels of PS (100, 200 and 300 g/kg) and 2 pea varieties (CFP and WFP). The control group (diets without PS) was compared with CFP and WFP treatments by simple contrast analysis. In comparison with CFP seeds, WFP seeds contained 7-fold less tannins (0.67 vs. 4.66 g/kg) and less non-starch polysaccharides (NSP, 117.8 vs. 132.7 g/kg), but more trypsin inhibitors (1.34 vs. 0.98 g/kg) and starch (489 vs. 455 g/kg). A rise in the PS content of diets from 100 to 200 and 300 g/kg increased the weight of the small intestine (P = 0.031) and the dry matter (DM) content of intestinal digesta (P = 0.001), but it had no effect on the pH of digesta. Only the highest PS content differentiated the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the small intestinal digesta (WFP > CFP, P = 0.008), whereas PS did not cause any changes in the morphological parameters of the small intestinal mucosa. The dietary inclusion of PS had no influence on the levels of acetate, butyrate, putrefactive SCFAs or total SCFAs in the cecal contents. Apart from increasing the activities of β-glucosidase (P = 0.017) and β-galactosidase (P = 0.025), pea varieties did not affect the activities of the analyzed cecal microbial enzymes. However, CFP seeds decreased the DM content (P = 0.041) and increased the pH of cecal digesta, compared with WFP seeds (P = 0.013). The results of this study, pointing to a few differences in the functional parameters of the small intestine and cecum, indicate that tannins are not a factor differentiating the suitability of CFP and WFP seeds in the nutrition of finisher turkeys. The inclusion of PS at 200 and 300 g/kg of the diet reduces the content of SBM and wheat in turkey diets, which has a positive effect on gastrointestinal function.

Sunflower Meal Inclusion Rate and the Effect of Exogenous Enzymes on Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens

Simple Summary

Over the years, there has been an increase in the price of traditionally used protein sources such as soybean meal (SBM) in broiler feed. This has necessitated the need for alternative protein sources that can partially substitute the SBM protein and reduce the cost of feeding. Sunflower meal (SFM), a by-product from the oil processing industry, is available in significantly high quantities throughout the year at lower cost. SFM can be produced in drought-stricken places with good harvest and is less prone to fungal infestation. Although SFM has protein levels ranging between 32 and 37 percent, its inclusion levels in broiler diets have been limited to 5% due to high concentration of non-starch polysaccharides, low metabolizable energy and lysine levels. This presents challenges in feed manufacturing, since composition depends on the amount of oil extracted and retained hulls, with effects on the digestive efficiency of broiler chicks, especially in the first 21 d of growth. The use of multi-enzymes that target specific substrates in SFM can potentially allow an increase in its inclusion levels, thereby reducing the deleterious anti-nutritional effects from non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs). Additionally, multienzyme supplementation can result in flock uniformity and environmental pollution reduction due to less nutrient loss in manure.

Abstract

The study examined the effect of de-hulled sunflower meal (SFM) inclusion rate and exogenous enzymes (EE) on broilers production performance. A four-feeding phase of pre-starter (1–9 d), grower (10–20 d), finisher (21–28 d) and post-finisher (29–35 d) was used with SFM included as low (BSL) and high (BSH) in all phases. BLS inclusion was 3% throughout phases and BSH inclusion was 7.5%, 10%, 13% and 13.5% for the 4-phases. Each SFM had a negative control (NC) (BSL− and BSH−) and positive (PC) (BSL+ and BSH+) control with additional 80 kcal Apparent Metabolizable Energy. Enzymes: xylanase (X), xylanase + beta-glucanase (XB), xylanase + beta-glucanase + protease (XBP) and xylanase + amylase + protease (XAP) were added to the NC and PC to give 6 treatments. Pen body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI) were determined at 9, 20, 28 and 35 d and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated accordingly. Diets were fed ad libitum to 1920 male Ross 308 broilers. Diet type, enzyme and diet by enzyme interactions were not significantly different amongst treatment diets. During the pre-starter and the grower phase, all studied parameters did not significantly differ from each other. All studied parameters were significantly influenced by enzyme addition and diet-type and enzyme interaction at 35 d except for diet type on FCR. Broilers fed BSH supplemented with XAP recorded the highest BWG (2.69 kg), whereas broiler chickens on BSL and supplemented with XBP recorded the lowest BWG (2.60 kg). SFM can be increased to 13% and 13.5% finisher and post-finisher diets without negatively affecting performance, and X and XAP enzymes can improve BWG of broilers grown to 35 d.

Effects of Dietary Fiber on Nutrients Utilization and Gut Health of Poultry: A Review of Challenges and Opportunities

Simple Summary

The inclusion of agricultural co-products has been increased to utilize the nutrients in these products available at low cost, but inherently, it adds a high dietary fiber content in the poultry diets. The use of exogenous feed enzymes along with advancements in feed milling, feed formulation, and processing of these non-conventional ingredients to improve their digestibility and utilization have played an emphatic role in boosting their use globally. Despite such developments, the presence of a high level of dietary fibers (DF) acting in an anti-nutritive manner still poses challenges in poultry feeding. Various isolated forms of fiber or feed enzymes to break DF into fermentable substrates are being used extensively to provide potential prebiotics to support beneficial gut microbiota or probiotics to improve the gut health of poultry raised without antibiotic growth promoters (AGP). This review reports and discusses the existing challenges in feeding high-DF feed ingredients to poultry and the opportunities that are available to improve the nutritive value of such non-conventional feed ingredients by adopting various technologies.

Abstract

Many fibrous ingredients incorporated in poultry feed to reduce production costs have low digestibility and cause poor growth in poultry. However, all plant-based fibers are not equal, and thus exert variable physiological effects on the birds, including but not limited to, digestibility, growth performance, and microbial fermentation. Several types of fibers, especially oligosaccharides, when supplemented in poultry diets in isolated form, exhibit prebiotic effects by enhancing beneficial gut microbiota, modulating gut immunity, boosting intestinal mucosal health, and increasing the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in the gut. Recently, poultry producers are also facing the challenge of limiting the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in poultry feed. In addition to other alternatives in use, exogenous non-starch polysaccharides digesting enzymes (NSPase) and prebiotics are being used to provide substrates to support the gut microbiome. We also conducted a meta-analysis of different studies conducted in similar experimental conditions to evaluate the variability and conclusiveness in effects of NSPase on growth performance of broilers fed fibrous ingredients. This review presents a holistic approach in discussing the existing challenges of incorporating high-fiber ingredients in poultry feed, as well as strategies to fully utilize the potential of such ingredients in improving feed efficiency and gut health of poultry.

Effect of Different Dietary Inclusion Levels of Sunflower Meal and Multi-Enzyme Supplementation on Performance, Meat Yield, Ileum Histomorphology, and Pancreatic Enzyme Activities in Growing Quails

Simple Summary

In the poultry industry, where the cost of feed constitutes most of the expenses, sudden changes in feed prices make it a challenge for nutritionists to maintain the yield and health of animals while managing the diet costs. It is the first solution that comes to mind to use inexpensive raw materials while preparing diets in practical conditions. In addition, feeds used in diets should be digestible by poultry. In the poultry digestive system, feeds such as sunflower meals are difficult to digest due to containing high cellulose because there is no cellulase secretion in the digestive system. The use of multi-enzyme which enhanced the digestibility of nutrients and decreased antinutritional compounds such as cellulose and nonstarch polysaccharides in diets with sunflower meal can positively affect performance and the profitability of the growers.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary sunflower meal (SFM) and multi-enzyme levels on performance, carcass traits, intestinal histomorphology and pancreatic enzyme production in quails. Three hundred and twenty, 1-day-old quail chicks were divided into 8 groups with 4 replicates consisting of 10 birds each in the group. The experiment was randomized design consisting of a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, with four levels of SFM (0%, 10%, 15%, or 20%) and two levels of multi-enzyme (0.0 or 1.0 g/kg) inclusion in the diet. The body weight, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were negatively influenced by the 15% and 20% SFM (p < 0.01) but were not affected by the 10% SFM for 6 week age. The relative gizzard (p < 0.05) weights significantly increased with 20% SFM, but the relative breast weight decreased (p < 0.01). The relative liver weight increased by the addition of enzymes in the diet (p < 0.05). The villus width (p < 0.01) and villus surface area (p < 0.05) of ileum increased linearly with SFM, whereas the villus height (p < 0.01), villus height: crypt depth (p < 0.01) and tunica muscularis thickness (p < 0.01) decreased linearly with SFM. Consequently, it is possible to say that the birds with the least absorptive same weight are the most efficient. The addition of multi-enzyme increased villus height and crypt depth but decreased tunica muscularis thickness of ileum (p < 0.01). Chymotrypsin activity in the pancreas decreased linearly with SFM (p < 0.01). Amylase activity in the pancreas decreased significantly with the addition of the multi-enzyme (p < 0.05). As a result of the study, SFM can be used at a 10% level in growing quail diets with beneficial effects on the absorption surface area. The effects of enzyme supplementation on parameters measured were less pronounced than the SFM inclusion level that higher villus height and lower tunica muscularis thickness were determined in multi-enzyme-fed birds compared to those untreated counterparts.

Inclusion of Camelina, Flax, and Sunflower Seeds in the Diets for Broiler Chickens: Apparent Digestibility of Nutrients, Growth Performance, Health Status, and Carcass and Meat Quality Traits

Simple Summary

The presented results were obtained in a scientific trial, in which the addition of camelina, flax, and sunflower seeds to Ross 308 broiler diets was tested in terms of improvement of production efficiency, health status parameters, and quality of poultry meat. The results of the research showed that the tested full-fat seeds can be considered good dietary ingredients with a positive effect on the poultry production process and, consequently, on the dietary value of poultry meat.

Abstract

The study determined the effect of the addition of 15% of camelina, flax, and sunflower seeds to iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets for broiler chickens during 21–42 days of age on the nutrient digestibility, production traits, slaughter analysis parameters, hematological indices, blood mineral elements, and dietary value of breast and drumstick meat. Two hundred one-day-old broiler chickens were assigned to four groups (treatments) with five replicates (10 birds per cage, 5 females and 5 males). The experiment lasted 6 weeks. Broiler chickens receiving diets supplemented with camelina and flax seeds exhibited an increase (p < 0.05) in average body weight and a decrease (p < 0.05) in the ether extract content and energy digestibility of the diets. Moreover, the best carcass quality with a high proportion of muscles and low abdominal fat content (p < 0.05) was noted in broilers fed flax- and sunflower-enriched diets. The treatments with the oil seeds reduced the ether extract content and the calorific value of breast and drumstick muscles. The flax seeds contributed to an increase in the Fe content in drumstick muscles. Additionally, some blood parameters were influenced by the flax seed supplementation, e.g., the level of hemoglobin declined (p < 0.05) and the iron level in plasma increased (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that the camelina, flax, and sunflower seeds can be regarded as good dietary components with positive effects on the dietary value of poultry meat.

The effect of raw and fermented rapeseed cake on growth performance, carcass traits, and breast meat quality in turkey

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of including 15% of raw or fermented rapeseed cake (RRC or FRC) in turkey diets on growth performance, carcass traits, and breast meat characteristics. A total of 1,350 day-old female Hybrid Converter turkeys were allocated to 3 dietary treatments (9 replicates per treatment and 50 birds each) and fed complete isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets. In the control group, soybean meal was the main source of dietary protein, whereas the experimental groups were fed diets containing 15% of RRC or FRC. The fermentation of rapeseed cake reduced the content of glucosinolates and phytate-phosphorus. In comparison with RRC, turkeys receiving FRC achieved significantly higher final BW, comparable with that noted in the control group. The experimental factor had no effect on carcass dressing percentage or carcass fat content, whereas turkeys fed diets containing rapeseed cake were characterized by lower relative weight of breast muscles and higher relative gizzard weight. The muscles of birds from groups RRC and FRC had also significantly lower cholesterol concentration. In comparison with control diet, diets RRC and FRC contributed to a significant decrease in the levels of saturated fatty acids and an increase in the share of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the total fatty acid pool in breast meat. The highest concentrations of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the most desirable n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio were noted in the breast muscles of RRC group turkeys. Both RRC and FRC reduced catalase and superoxide dismutase activity, and decreased the malondialdehyde content of muscle tissue. In conclusion, the replacement of RRC with FRC in diets led to an increase in the final BW of turkeys, but it had no influence on carcass quality and the majority of meat quality traits. The inclusion of rapeseed products in turkey diets positively affected meat quality, improving the fatty acid profile and antioxidant status, but it also decreased the yield of breast muscles.

Effect of pelleted total mixed rations with different levels of intact rapeseed on performance, carcass traits, serum biochemical indices and meat quality of Boer goats

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of intact rapeseed (IR) supplementation in goat total mixed ration (TMR) pellets on performance, carcass traits, serum biochemical indices and meat quality. Forty-eight healthy Boer goats with similar initial bodyweight (12.52 ± 1.48 kg) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups, dietary containing 0%, 2.5%, 5.0% and 7.5% IR, respectively. The results showed that IR had no significant effect on weight gain and average daily feed intake, but 7.5% IR significantly decreased F/G (P&lt;0.05). There were no significant difference among all groups in carcass weight, dressing percentage, visceral fat, liver, kidney and rumen weight, but IR significantly increased the rumen index (P&lt;0.05). IR supplementation significantly increased serum total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and triglyceride level (P&lt;0.05), but had no effect on serum free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase level. In meat quality, IR had no significant influence on meat colour value, pH, water loss rate, cooked meat rate, crude protein, crude ash, total cholesterol content and amino acid composition, but could increase the meat fat content and the relative content of linolenic acid (C18:3, cis-9, 12, 15), eicosenoic acid (C20:1, cis-11) and decrease the relative content of palmitic acid (C16:0), margaric acid (C17:0) and heptadecenoic acid (C17:1, cis-10) (P&lt;0.05). In conclusion, when adding amount in TMR pellets reached 7.5%, IR had almost no adverse effects on growth performance, carcass traits, liver and thyroid function of Boer goats. Conversely, it could reduce F/G and improve ruminal development and the meat quality to some extent.

The impacts of dietary Nigella sativa meal and Avizyme on growth, nutrient digestibility and blood metabolites of meat-type quail

The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of varying proportion of Nigella sativa meal (NSM) in the diets with or without Avizyme supplementation on growing Japanese quail performance. A 4 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted including four levels of NSM (0%, 10%, 15% and 20% of the diet) and two levels of dietary Avizyme supplementation (0 or 0.5 g/kg diet) through the growing period (1–6 weeks of age). A total number of 600 unsexed 1-week-old Japanese quail chicks were randomly distributed into eight treatment groups. The effects of NSM inclusion levels were highly significant (P < 0.01) on the values of live bodyweight, daily bodyweight gain and daily feed intake at all periods studied. The incorporation of 10% NSM of the diet recorded the best values of live bodyweight and daily bodyweight gain compared with the Control and other NSM levels. Quail fed diets contained 10% or 15% NSM had higher (P < 0.01) daily feed intake than those in the Control, but feed conversion ratio was not statistically affected at all studied ages. All carcass traits studied were significantly (P < 0.01) affected by feeding the NSM diet. The digestion coefficients of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract and nitrogen-free extract were significantly (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) increased in chicks fed diets containing 10% NSM as compared with the Control. Quail fed diets including 10% or 15% NSM had increased serum concentrations of total protein, albumin and a higher A : G ratio. All serum lipid constituents except high density lipoprotein were at lower (P < 0.01) concentrations in blood serum of quail fed diets containing NSM. Using NSM at level of 20% of the diet had a negative impact on growth, carcass characteristics, and nutrient digestibility. Neither Avizyme supplementation alone nor the interaction between NSM and Avizyme had any statistically impact on all studied parameters. It can be concluded that NSM could be included in growing quail diets up to 15% without any Avizyme supplementation to support growth performance and feed utilisation, however higher NSM levels negatively affected performance, carcass traits and nutrient digestibility.

The effectiveness of dietary sunflower meal and exogenous enzyme on growth, digestive enzymes, carcass traits, and blood chemistry of broilers

High costs of conventional protein feed sources including soybean meal (SBM) generated the need for finding other alternatives. Thus, the present study was designed to evaluate the impact of graded replacements of SBM by sunflower seed meal (SFM) with or without enzyme supplementation on growth performance, digestive enzymes, carcass traits, and blood profile of broiler chickens. A total of 240 unsexed 1-week-old broiler chicks (Hubbard) were randomly divided into eight treatment groups of 30 chicks each in five replicates each of six chicks in a factorial design (4 × 2) arrangement, including four levels of SFM (0, 25, 50, and 75% replacing SBM) and two levels of enzyme (0- or 0.1-g/kg diet) supplementation. Performance traits including feed conversion ratio, body weight, and weight gain were significantly (P < 0.01) improved with increasing SFM up to 50% substitution for SBM or with enzyme supplementation in broiler diet during the experiment. However, feed intake of broiler chicks was decreased with enzyme supplementation (P < 0.05). The activities of digestive enzymes (protease and amylase) were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced and enhanced by SFM and enzyme inclusion in diets, respectively. The activities of protease and amylase were improved with SFM diet supplemented with 0.1 g/kg enzyme in comparison with those with the un-supplemented diet. The evaluated carcass traits were not statistically (P > 0.05) influenced by feeding SFM meal or enzyme addition. Biochemical blood parameters were significantly (P < 0.01) affected by SFM, enzyme, or their interaction in broiler diets, except for globulin that was not affected by dietary enzyme. It is concluded that increasing SFM level in the diet up to 50% replacing SBM with the supplementation of enzyme improved the growth performance and enhanced positively carcass traits as well as the activity of digestive enzymes in broiler chickens.