ENDOGENOUS AMYLASE LEVELS AND RESPONSE TO SUPPLEMENTAL FEED ENZYMES IN MALE TURKEYS FROM HATCH TO 8 WEEKS OF AGE

Amylase and xylanase enzyme concentrations in the pancreas, small inte stine, and crop were measured in Nicholas male poults fed diets with a nd without supplemental amylase and xylanase from 0 to 8 wk of age. Ei ght birds from each of three diets (control, amylase-supplemented, xyl anase-supplemented) were killed every 3 d to determine the amylase and xylanase activity within the pancreas, small intestine, and crop. Pan creatic organ weight was not affected by diet, indicating an absence o f dietary amylase effect upon pancreatic tissue growth. Pancreatic amy lase activity was not consistently affected by diet. Amylase activity within the intestinal chyme increased sporadically with dietary amylas e supplementation over the control and xylanase-supplemented diets. In creasing supplemental amylase activity levels may provide more conclus ive evidence of an additive effect of dietary amylase and endogenous a mylase activity. Xylanase supplementation within the feed did not affe ct endogenous amylase activity.