PSVII-2 Effects of xylanase and its optimal supplementation level on viscosity of jejunal digesta, nutrient digestibility, intestinal health, and growth performance of nursery pigs

This study aimed to determine supplemental effects of xylanase (endo-β-1,4-xylanase, CJ BIO, Korea) and its optimal supplementation level on viscosity of jejunal digesta, nutrient digestibility, intestinal health, and growth performance of pigs. Sixty weaned pigs (6.9 ± 0.8 kg BW) were randomly allotted to 5 treatments based on a RCBD with initial BW and sex as block and fed in 3 phases (P1/2/3 for 10/14/14 d, respectively). Dietary treatment were the supplementation levels of xylanase providing (0, 220, 440, 880, and 1,760 XU/kg feed). Titanium dioxide (0.4%) was added to P3 diets as an indigestible marker to measure AID. On d 38, all pigs were euthanized to collect ileal and jejunal digesta to measure AID and viscosity, respectively; jejunal mucosa and tissue to measure intestinal health parameters. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.4. Xylanase supplementation from 0 to 350 XU/kg increased (P < 0.05) ADG (596 to 746 g/d) during the last week, whereas there was no effect by xylanase on the overall growth performance. Increasing xylanase supplementation reduced (P < 0.05) digesta viscosity (1.91 to 1.48 mPa.s); increased (P < 0.05) the AID of EE (83.9 to 89.5%), NDF (52.9 to 56.9%) and ADF (35.3 to 39.3%); tended to reduce Cupriavidus (P = 0.073; 1.33 to 0.63%) and Megasphaera (P = 0.063; 1.26 to 0.23%); and tended to increase Succinivibrio (P = 0.076; 1.10 to 2.71%) and Pseudomonas (P = 0.060; 4.89 to 13.29%). Xylanase supplementation from 0 to 520 XU/kg reduced (P < 0.05) jejunal MDA (0.99 to 0.58 µmol/mg protein). In conclusion, xylanase supplementation showed benefits on intestinal health by reducing digesta viscosity, oxidative stress status, and harmful bacteria in the jejunal mucosa and by increasing the AID of nutrients. Xylanase supplementation at a range of 350 to 520 XU/kg feed provided the most benefits.

Insights Into the Proteomic Profile of Newly Harvested Corn and Metagenomic Analysis of the Broiler Intestinal Microbiota

BackgroundThe use of newly harvested corn in feed causes wet droppings in broilers and increased feed cost which was termed as “new season grain problem”. The present study was conducted to evaluate the proteomic profile of newly harvested corn and the subsequent influence on intestinal microbiol community for broiler chickens. MethodsNewly harvested corn stored for either half a month (HM) or two months (TM) was used, and the pasting properties, total soluble sugars, and proteomic analysis technology was used to explore the influence of storage on natural aging corn properties. Additionally, seventy-two 7d Ross 308 male broiler chicken were fed with different stored corn. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME), digesta viscosity, intestinal morphology and microbiota were examined to explore the influence of feed corn storage on broiler chickens. ResultsPasting properties in the TM corn exhibited decreased viscoelastic properties. Proteomic studies found a total of 26 proteins that were differentially expressed between the two treatment groups. Proteins involved in starch and polysaccharides biosynthesis were upregulated in TM compared with HM. Chickens fed on TM diet had higher relative energy utilization compared to the HM birds. With increased corn storage, the relative digesta viscosity decreased significantly (P≤0.05). The total number of goblet cells and lymphocytes was lower in chickens fed the TM diet. The microbiota data showed that the TM chickens had decreased abundance of diarrheal bacteria such as Hungatella hathewayi and Bacteroides fragilis, and increased butyrate-producing bacteria such as Alistipes compared to the HM chickens. ConclusionsStorage of newly harvested corn induced the synthetic reaction of large molecules and changed the solubility of starch and protein with increasing soluble sugars and decreasing pasting properties that may improve the fermentation of intestinal microbiota, improve the energy utilization and protect gut health without the risk of diarrhea.

The influence of xylanase on the fermentability, digestibility, and physiochemical properties of insoluble corn-based fiber along the gastrointestinal tract of growing pigs

In theory, supplementing xylanase in corn-based swine diets should improve nutrient and energy digestibility and fiber fermentability, but its efficacy is inconsistent. The experimental objective was to investigate the impact of xylanase on energy and nutrient digestibility, digesta viscosity, and fermentation when pigs are fed a diet high in insoluble fiber (>20% neutral detergent fiber; NDF) and given a 46-d dietary adaptation period. Three replicates of 20 growing gilts were blocked by initial body weight, individually housed, and assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments: a low-fiber control (LF) with 7.5% NDF, a 30% corn bran high-fiber control (HF; 21.9% NDF), HF+100 mg xylanase/kg [HF+XY, (Econase XT 25P; AB Vista, Marlborough, UK)] providing 16,000 birch xylan units/kg; and HF+50 mg arabinoxylan-oligosaccharide (AXOS) product/kg [HF+AX, (XOS 35A; Shandong Longlive Biotechnology, Shandong, China)] providing AXOS with 3-7 degrees of polymerization. Gilts were allowed ad libitum access to fed for 36-d. On d 36, pigs were housed in metabolism crates for a 10-d period, limit fed, and feces were collected. On d 46, pigs were euthanized and ileal, cecal, and colonic digesta were collected. Data were analyzed as a linear mixed model with block and replication as random effects, and treatment as a fixed effect. Compared with LF, HF reduced the apparent ileal digestibility (AID), apparent cecal digestibility (ACED), apparent colonic digestibility (ACOD), and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), NDF, and hemicellulose (P<0.01). Relative to HF, HF+XY improved the AID of GE, CP, and NDF (P<0.05), and improved the ACED, ACOD, and ATTD of DM, GE, CP, NDF, ADF, and hemicellulose (P<0.05). Among treatments, pigs fed HF had increased hindgut DM disappearance (P=0.031). Relative to HF, HF+XY improved cecal disappearance of DM (162 vs. 98g; P=0.008) and NDF (44 vs. 13g; P<0.01). Pigs fed xylanase had a greater proportion of acetate in cecal digesta and butyrate in colonic digesta among treatments (P<0.05). Compared with LF, HF increased ileal, cecal, and colonic viscosity, but HF+XY decreased ileal viscosity compared with HF (P<0.001). In conclusion, increased insoluble corn-based fiber decreases digestibility, reduces cecal fermentation, and increases digesta viscosity, but supplementing xylanase partially mitigated that effect.

Safety of Mealworm Meal in Layer Diets and their Influence on Gut Morphology

The main objective of this study was to verify the safety of mealworm meal in the feed of laying hens from 17 to 42 weeks of age. Therefore, the feed mixtures were tested in terms of microbiological stability, fungal and mycotoxin content and selected parameters of hens’ intestinal morphology and physiology were monitored. The experiment was carried out with 30 Lohmann Brown Classic hens. Hens were divided by body mass into three equal groups with 10 replicates per treatment. The two experimental groups received feed mixtures containing 2% and 5% yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) meal. The third group was a control group which had 0% of mealworm meal in the diet. Diets with 2% and 5% of mealworm meals did not affect the length of villi and microbiome of the caecum. The highest digesta viscosity from the ileum was found in the group with 5% mealworm, which may indicate a slower passage of the digesta through the digestive tract. Based on our results, it may be concluded that the proportion of mealworm meals does not deteriorate the quality of feeds. Mealworm meal does not negatively affect microbial stability in experimental feeds. Therefore, it can be recommended the two and (or) five percent of mealworm meal inclusion in hen’s diet.

Impact of combined α-galactosidase and xylanase enzymes on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, chyme viscosity, and enzymes activity of broilers fed corn-soybean diets

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of a combined α-galactosidase and xylanase preparation on nutrients digestibility and growth performance in broiler chickens. Experiment 1 had 240 broilers allocated to 3 treatments with the dietary supplementation of 0, 300 and 500 g/t of the enzyme combination. Diet and amino acid (AA) digestibility were assessed. Experiment 2 was a 2 × 3 (enzyme × diet) factorial arrangement with 10 replicates of 12 male broilers per replicate. Diets were based on corn-Soybean meal (SBM) diet and had 3 nutritional levels (normal, 2% apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and crude protein (CP) reduction, and 4% AME and CP reduction). Each of these diets was fed with or without enzyme supplementation. Growth performance, chyme viscosity, nutrients digestibility, and endogenous enzymes activity were assessed. In experiment 1, enzyme supplementation improved the digestibility of Ca (P = 0.025) and ileal digestibility of total AA, Pro, Alu, Ile, Lys, His, Thr, Glu, Val, Leu, Tyr and Phe (P < 0.05), and also tended to increase the AME of diets (P < 0.10). In experiment 2, broilers fed the corn-SBM diet with 4% nutrient reduction had better growth performance (P < 0.05), jejunal digesta viscosity at 42 days (P < 0.01), and lower digestibility of gross energy (GE) (P < 0.05) when compared to those fed the normal nutrient diet. Enzyme inclusion increased digestibility of CP (P = 0.044), GE (P = 0.009), raffinose (P < 0.001) and stachyose (P < 0.001), improved average daily gain (P = 0.031), and reduced jejunal digesta viscosity at 42 days (P = 0.011). Besides, similar improvements trend in amylase, trypsin, sucrase, and maltase activity with enzyme inclusion were observed as with energy. These data support that the enzyme supplementation increased nutrients and ileal amino acid digestibility, improved performance and endogenous enzymes activity.

Coccidia Vaccine Challenge and Exogenous Enzyme Supplementation in Broiler Chicken 1. Effect on Digesta Viscosity, Diet Energy Utilization, and Apparent Metabolizable Energy Value of Wheat

This study examined the effect of exogenous mixed-enzyme supplementation (xylanase, β-glucanase, and pectinase) to a corn-SBM (CS) and a wheat-CS-based (WCS) diet in birds challenged with coccidia vaccine (Coccivac B-52™). The WCS-based diet was produced by replacing 30% of the energy-yielding portions of the CS-based diet with wheat. On day 14, 448 (n = 7) Cobb by-product breeder male broilers were assigned to a 2 (diet types) × 2 (with or without enzyme supplementation) × 2 (0 or 20 × coccidia vaccine challenge; CVC) factorial arrangement of treatments in a completely randomized design for the determination of the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) value of wheat. Treatment effects on jejunum digesta viscosity and AME corrected for nitrogen (AMEn) of the diets were evaluated within each diet type as a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments, 7- and 14-day post-challenge. Seven-day post-challenge (day 21), dry matter (DM) and energy utilization, AME, and AMEn of the CS- and WCS-based diets decreased (p < 0.05) with CVC. Both AME and AMEn of wheat decreased (p < 0.05) by about a 20% in CVC-birds 7-day post-challenge. Enzyme and CVC resulted in a decrease (p < 0.05) in jejunal digesta viscosity in birds fed the CS-based diets, while there was an interaction (p < 0.05) between CVC and enzyme, with enzyme lowering (p < 0.05) the viscosity of digesta 7-day post-challenge. Results from this study showed that CVC resulted in a 20% decrease in AMEn 7-day post-challenge, while the interaction between exogenous enzyme supplementation and CVC resulted in an improvement in nitrogen utilization (~6%) in CVC birds fed the corn-SBM-based diet 7-days post challenge.

Effects of African Bentonite on Feed Mycotoxigenic Fungi and Growth of African Catfish Clarias gariepinus

Feed and feed ingredients in the tropics are prone to attacks of mycotoxigenic fungi (myco-fungi) infestation during storage or from the field. The heat applied in feed production destroys only the myco-fungi leaving mycotoxins that eventually end up in the fish. Mycotoxins have negative effects on the growth of fish. It is plausible to reduce or totally eliminate the mycotoxins and myco-fungi by the inclusion of special African bentonite supplement called “Uro’. Five iso nitrogenous and iso energetic feed were made with soybean meal of 12% moisture stored at relative humidity of 78% and temperature 29.45±0.87oC for 30 days. The feed was labelled as F1 to F5 and varied in inclusion levels of bentonite supplement as follows, F1, 34%, F2, 25%, F3, 15%, F4, 5% and F5, 0%. The protein supplement and basal ingredients in the diets were same. Feed ingredients were weighed, mixed, conditioned and pelleted. The feed was dried at 40oC for 24 hours and subjected to mycological analysis. African catfish fingerlings of average weight 6.5±0.36 g were stocked at 15 fish per three replicate aquaria per feed type. Fish were fed to satiation twice daily for 140 days. The catfish fed with F1(35% bentonite) had the best food conversion ratio, 1.63±0.15, highest SGR 5.7±0.05% day1 , weight gain 45.7±3.65g, protein efficiency ratio 1.19±0.10 and highest gut weight 3.46±0.45g. All growth and nutritional parameters were increasing with increasing inclusion of bentonite. Mycological analyses showed that three myco-fungi, namely Aspergilus flavus, Mucor mucedo and Cladosporium cladosporioides were prevalent in the feed. However, feed 1 to feed 3, were completely free from myco-fungi, while feed 4 had traces of M. mucedo and C. Cladosporioides but all myco-fungi were prevalent in F5. African bentonite is calcinated and sequestered feed ANF, myco-fungi and mycotoxins. Bentonite increased digesta viscosity which enabled better digestion of feed, lower FCR, enhanced alkaline intestine for protein and fatty acid absorption. Bentonite increased catfish total glycerides and cholesterol but reduced AST and ALT of the catfish.

Impact of Rye Inclusion in Diets for Broilers on Performance, Litter Quality, Foot Pad Health, Digesta Viscosity, Organ Traits and Intestinal Morphology

Rye could offer diverse benefits in terms of sustainability if it could replace parts of the main cereals, corn and wheat, in broiler diets. A total of 256 broilers, Ross 308, were randomly allocated into 32 pens. From day 14 till day 42, the birds were divided into four feeding groups (eight replicates each). The control group received a conventional finisher diet “control”, whereas in the other groups, a pelleted supplementary feed was offered (SFI to corn and SFII to rye), to which crushed corn (SFI-Corn) or squashed rye (SFII-Rye) was added. The fourth group received a mixture of 50% SFI-Corn and 50% SFII-Rye. The cereal level was increased weekly (5%, 10%, 20%, 30%) at the expense of the supplementary feeds. No significant effects were observed for body weight at d 42 and excreta viscosity between all groups. Overall, foot pad health was excellent. Compared to the control group, birds fed SFI-Corn displayed a significant increase in gizzard relative weight, whereas, in contrast to all other groups, ileal villus height was significantly lower. In conclusion, feeding SFI-Corn or SFII-Rye diets had no negative influences on performance, litter quality and digesta viscosity, whereas SFI-Corn partially affected ileal morphology.

Effects of supplemental xylanase on health of the small intestine in nursery pigs fed diets with corn distillers’ dried grains with solubles

Forty pigs [10.7 ± 1.2 kg initial body weight (BW) at 6 wk of age] were used in a 21-d study to evaluate the effects of supplemental xylanase (Hostazym X 100, Huvepharma, Inc., Peachtree City, GA) in nursery diets on digesta viscosity, nutrient digestibility, health of the small intestine, and growth performance when supplemented with corn distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Pigs were individually housed and randomly allotted to four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (n = 20/factor, 0% or 30% DDGS and 0 or 1,500 endo-pentosanase unit/kg xylanase as two factors) based on sex and initial BW. Feed intake and BW were recorded weekly. On day 15 of the study, TiO2 in diets (0.3%) was used as an indigestible marker to calculate apparent ileal digestibility (AID). Plasma samples were collected on day 19 to measure tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), malondialdehyde, and peptide YY. On day 21, all pigs were euthanized to collect tissues from duodenum, jejunum, and colon to measure morphology, TNF-α, and malondialdehyde concentrations. Distal jejunal digesta were collected to measure viscosity. Ileum digesta were collected to measure AID of nutrients. During the entire period, supplemental xylanase increased (P &lt; 0.05) average daily gain (ADG; 616 to 660 g/d) of nursery pigs, whereas DDGS (0 or 30%) did not affect ADG. On week 3, average daily feed intake (ADFI) was increased (P &lt; 0.05) when fed DDGS (1,141 to 1,267 g/d) and there was an interaction (P &lt; 0.05) between two factors indicating that supplemental xylanase decreased ADFI when DDGS was used in a diet. Use of DDGS increased (P &lt; 0.05) viscosity [1.86 to 2.38 centipoise (cP)], whereas supplemental xylanase reduced (P &lt; 0.05) viscosity (2.27 to 1.96 cP) of jejunal digesta. The AID of dry matter (DM) and gross energy (GE) were improved (P &lt; 0.05) by supplemental xylanase. Plasma TNF-α was decreased (P &lt; 0.05, 108.5 to 69.9 pg/mL) by supplemental xylanase. Use of DDGS reduced (P &lt; 0.05) villus height:crypt depth ratio (1.46 to 1.27), whereas supplemental xylanase increased (P &lt; 0.05) the crypt depth (360 to 404 µm) in duodenum. In conclusion, feeding a diet with 30% DDGS to nursery pigs for 3 wk had no negative effect on growth performance, whereas reduced AID of DM and GE, increased TNF-α level in colon tissue, and reduced the ratio of villus height to crypt depth. Dietary supplementation of xylanase reduced digesta viscosity improving AID of nutrients, reduced inflammatory response, and altered intestinal morphology, collectively improving ADG of nursery pigs regardless of the use of DDGS in a diet.