XYLANASE SUPPLEMENTATION OF WHEAT-BASED RATIONS FOR BROILERS - INFLUENCE OF WHEAT CHARACTERISTICS

This study investigated the effect of two non-starch polysaccharide hy drolyzing enzymes in wheat-based diets for broiler chickens. Two wheat varieties were selected for extract viscosity and water soluble arabi noxylan content. Our experiments focused on measuring performance para meters and estimating metabolizable energy and nutrient digestibilitie s. The results confirm the relationship between non-starch polysacchar ides and extract viscosity of pelleted diets. Differences in extract v iscosity of wheat were also correlated with broiler digesta viscosity. Addition of xylanase preparation reduced digesta viscosity in both se gments (jejunum, ileum) and in both wheat-based diets to very low valu es. Xylanase supplementation tended to improve the AME(n) and nutrient digestibilities; however, for the pentosan-rich wheat variety, these improvements were significant only for organic matter and crude fat. T he differences in extract viscosity and water soluble arabinoxylan con tent of the two wheat-based diets was clearly reflected in broiler per formance, only in the 29-35 day period.