Feeding value of wheat and wheat-based diets with different content of soluble pentosans when fed to broiler chickens without or with enzyme supplementation

Nutritive value of two Lithuanian wheat cultivars (Alba, Sirvinta), fed eit her without or with enzyme supplementation, was evaluated in a balance tria l and in a subsequent growth trial with broiler chickens. The tested cultiv ars contained different levels of total and soluble pentosans, as follows: Alba - 50 and 9.6 g/kg dry matter, Sirvinta 74 and 13.6 g/kg dry matter, re spectively. The content of AME(n) determined for both wheats in the balance trial was 13.78 and 13.29 MJ/kg dry matter, respectively. Dietary enzyme s upplementation resulted in a significant increase of metabolizable energy b y 4 and 7%, respectively. Different feeding qualities of both cultivars aff ected the performance of broiler chickens in the growth trial (Days 6 to 26 of age). Birds fed the diet containing cultivar Alba reached markedly bett er weight gain and feed/gain ratio. Enzyme supplementation significantly in creased growth rate of birds and improved feed conversion, but the efficacy was higher when added to the diet containing the pentosan-rich wheat Sirvi nta. Feeding of both enzyme-supplemented diets resulted in a similar growth performance.