ENZYME SUPPLEMENTATION TO ENHANCE WHEAT UTILIZATION IN STARTER DIETS FOR BROILERS AND TURKEYS

Two trials, one using chicks and the other poults, were conducted to d etermine the efficacy of an enzyme designed to enhance the utilization of wheat non-starch polysaccharides in two sources of wheat. There we re five treatment rations: corn-soybean meal (CSBM) and four other die ts containing 40% wheat from two locations (North Carolina, NC, and we stern Canada, CN) supplemented with and without enzyme. Intestinal vis cosity was decreased for both chicks and poults with enzyme supplement ation of both wheat sources. Body weight gain was improved for both ch icks and poults fed NC wheat. Birds fed NC wheat did not grow as well as birds fed CN wheat or corn-based diets. It was concluded that 1) su pplementation of wheat sources for both chicks and poults lowered inte stinal viscosity; 2) enzyme supplementation of NC wheat diets improved performance of chicks and poults; and 3) source of wheat affected chi ck and poult performance.