Dan Pettersson

Effects of enzyme supplementation of diets based on wheat, rye or triticale on their productive value for broiler chickens

Iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic diets based on wheat, rye and 3 triticale cultivars were given with or without a supplement with a technical enzyme preparation containing pentosanase activity. The 10 diets obtained were given to a total of 600 broiler chickens from the age of 1 to 34 days. Considerable variation in chemical composition and productive value of the triticale cvs. was found. The triticale cv. Lasko had a chemical composition which closely resembled that of the wheat (cv. Holme), particularly regarding pentosan content. The rye (cv. Kungs II) and the triticale Sv 8008 had higher pentosan contents, while the triticale WW 31433 was intermediate between the wheat and rye. At 21 days of age, live weights, feed intakes and feed conversion ratios were influenced by cereal type (P < 0.001), enzyme supplementation (P < 0.001) and the interaction of cereal type and enzyme (P < 0.001). In general, Lasko and WW 31433 (triticales) and wheat supported similar poultry production and were only marginally improved by enzyme supplementation. The rye gave an inferior production which, despite substantial improvement with enzyme supplementation, was still lower than that of wheat. Triticale Sv 8008 gave an intermediate production level which increased to that of the wheat following enzyme supplementation. An adaptation to the diets, particularly those rich in pentosans, was apparent as the chickens grew older and this reduced the beneficial effects of enzyme supplementation; however, statistically significant effects were still observed at 34 days of age. The results indicate that pentosan content may be a negative indicator for evaluating the productive potential of triticale. It was also evident that supplementation with enzyme preparations high in pentosanase activity can improve the nutritive value of diets based on cereal grains with pentosan-rich endosperm cell walls.

Sesamin (a compound from sesame oil) increases tocopherol levels in rats fedad libitum

Six groups of rats were fed diets low, but adequate, in α-tocopherol but high in γ-tocopherol. The six diets differed only in their contents (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 g/kg, respectively) of sesamin, a lignan from sesame oil. After four weeks ofad libitum feeding, the rats were sacrificed and the concentrations of α- and γ-tocopherols were measured in the plasma, livers, and lungs. Sesamin-feeding increased γ-tocopherol and γ-/α-tocopherol ratios in the plasma (P<0.05), liver (P<0.001), and lungs (P<0.001). The increase was non-significant for α-tocopherol. Thus, sesamin appears to spare γ-tocopherol in rat plasma and tissues, and this effect persists in the presence of α-tocopherol, a known competitor to γ-tocopherol. This suggests that the bioavailability of γ-tocopherol is enhanced in phenol-containing diets as compared with purified diets.

The nutritive value for broiler chickens of pelleting and enzyme supplementation of a diet containing barley, wheat and rye

Abstract A diet based on barley (40%), wheat (25%), and rye (7%) was given as a mash diet or as dry or steam pelleted diets to a total of 384 broiler chickens. Diets were given with or without the addition of a fibre-degrading enzyme preparation. Pelleting increased the water solubility (at 38°C) of starch and crude protein. There were, however, no notable effects on the solubility of dietary fibre components following pelleting or enzyme supplementation. Buffer extracts from pelleted diets had a high relative viscosity, while mash diets gave the lowest relative viscosity. Enzyme supplementation diminished the high viscosity obtained for pelleted diets and reduced sticky droppings. Pelleting increased weight gain for chickens receiving the unsupplemented diets by ∼ 30% and for those fed on the enzyme-supplemented diets by ∼ 20%. This improvement, which was similar at both 14 and 20 days of age, was mainly due to a greater feed intake, particularly with the steam pelleting. Enzyme supplementation improved weight gain by 11–24%, and was more effective in the unpelleted diets and at Day 14. This improvement was due to both a higher feed intake and a better feed conversion efficiency. Pelleting tended to increase ileal digestibility of the unsupplemented diet while enzyme supplementation had a similar effect on the unpelleted diet. The latter treatment also increased whole-tract digestibility.

The Variation in Chemical Composition of Triticales Grown in Sweden

Abstract The gross composition of 80 samples of winter-triticale, 5 of winter-rye and 10 of winter-wheat, grown in the south of Sweden was investigated. On average, the triticale samples contained 66.5% starch, 13.3% total fibre, 11.7% crude protein, 4.6% free sugars, 2.2% crude fat and 1.8% ash. The highest coefficient of variation was obtained for the free sugars and the lowest for starch. Compared to the reference rye and wheat samples, the triticale samples contained higher amounts of crude protien. The contents of soluble, insoluble and total fibres were highest in the rye, lowest in the wheat and generally intermediate in the triticale samples. However, the highest amounts of insoluble pentosans were observed in the triticale samples. The amounts of water soluble pentosans were lowest in wheat, highest in rye and intermediate in triticale, and were directly proportional to extract viscosity.

Mode of degradation of non-starch polysaccharides by feed enzyme preparations

Abstract The solubilisation and recovery of rye and barley non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) after the addition of three levels (5, 10, and 20 g kg−1) of an enzyme preparation, Grindazym GP 5000 have been studied. Duplicate samples were incubated in a pepsin solution for 45 min and then in a pancreatin solution for 2 h. After the incubation, NSP residues were quantified by gas liquid chromatography. In vitro digestion with the pepsin and pancreatin solutions did not modify the amount recovered of insoluble or soluble NSP of both cereals; however, the enzyme preparation solubilised NSP, and hydrolysed both original soluble NSP and those solubilised from the original insoluble NSP of cereals. With low levels of enzyme, the amount of solubilised NSP was higher than the amount of hydrolysed NSP, which increased the recovery of soluble sugars.

Chemical and Nutritional Evaluation of Airtight Storage of High-Moisture Barley and High- Moisture Barley Treated with Lactobacilli or Lactobacilli and Yeast

Abstract Barley was harvested at moisture contents of 36, 25 and 23% and infected with storage-associated moulds. Part of each lot of barley was also treated with lactobacilli or lactobacilli and yeast before being stored in airtight pilot silos. During storage the contents of starch, crude protein and β-glucans in the nine lots of barley remained fairly constant while the solubility of these components changed, especially in the barleys with 36% moisture. Treatment of the barleys with protecting microorganisms did not, to any large extent, influence the content or solubility of crude protein, starch or mixed-linked β-glucans during storage. Barley harvested at 36% moisture had higher extract viscosity and a higher dry matter disappearance in vitro than barley harvested at 23% moisture. Airtight storage diminished extract viscosity but had little effect on dry matter disappearance in vitro. Live weight of chickens at Days 14 and 21 was not significantly influenced by type of storage (dry or airtight) or microbial protection of the airtight stored 25% moisture barley. β-Glucanase supplementation significantly increased live weight at both Days 14 and 21. Feed conversion efficiency with airtight-stored high-moisture barleys was significantly improved by β-glucanase supplementation.

Nutritional value for chickens of dried distillers-spent-grain from barley and dehulled barley

Abstract The chemical composition of barley, dehulled barley, barley bran and dried distillers-spent-grain from barley and dehulled barley was determined. The viscosities of buffer extracts of these samples before and after treatment with a β-glucanase preparation were also investigated. The chemical analysis revealed an efficient fermentation of easily-available carbohydrates and a partial degradation of mixed-linked β-glucans during the ethanol production process. There was an accumulation of protein, fibre components and ash in the dried distillers-spent-grain. In a combined growth and digestibility trial with chickens, the effect of β-glucanase supplementation to diets containing 20% dried distillers-spent-grain from barley or dehulled barley was studied. This inclusion level would, with regard to the efficiency of the particular ethanol process used, equal an inclusion level of 80% non-fermented components from the barleys. Compared to a control group receiving a wheat diet, no significant adverse effects on growth and feed intake from feeding dried distillers-spent-grain were observed. When a comparison was made between the chickens which were fed the diet based on dried distillers-spent-grain from barley with or without β-glucanase supplementation, the enzyme supplement was found to result in a better performance with respect to weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The high viscosity of the dried distillers-spent-grain from dehulled barley did not cause any observable detrimental effect and β-glucanase supplementation did not improve the performance of the chickens receiving this diet.