Feeding a Multi-Enzyme Blend to Enhance the Nutrient Digestibility of Wheat-Canola Expeller Diets in Ileal-Cannulated Weaned Pigs.

Canola expeller (CE) contains ~200 g/kg residual oil, but also fiber that impairs nutrient digestibility in weaned pigs. To study if feed enzymes increase digestibility, six diets containing either the basal or two CE samples mixed in at 250 g/kg (CE-A or CE-B) were formulated with or without a multi-enzyme blend containing cellulase, xylanase, glucanase, amylase, protease, invertase, and pectinase. The basal diet containing 620 g/kg wheat and 150 g/kg barley served as control. Twelve ileal-cannulated barrows (9-15 kg) were fed the six diets in a replicated 6 (pigs) × 3 (periods) Youden square. Ileal digestibility of gross energy and amino acids was 5% greater for basal than CE diets without differences between CE samples. Diet energy values were 4% greater for CE than basal diets due to residual oil in CE. Inclusion of the multi-enzyme blend increased total tract digestibility of energy of the basal but not CE diets by 2%. Net energy value was greater for CE-A than CE-B because CE-A contained more residual oil. In conclusion, feeding 250 g/kg CE increased diet energy values; thus, CE can substitute added fat in weaned pig diets. Feeding the multi-enzyme blend increased the energy digestibility of wheat and barley-based diets fed to weaned pigs. However, research is needed to identify enzyme combinations that increase the nutrient digestibility of CE.

Feeding a Novel Mannan-Rich Yeast Carbohydrate Product Improves Production Performance and Humoral Immunity of Broiler Chickens.

The current study examined the benefits of a novel mannan-rich yeast carbohydrate product (YM) on broiler chicken growth performance and immune response against sheep red blood cells (SRBCs). A total of 144 newly hatched male Cornish cross broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four treatments with 12 cages per treatment and three birds per cage. The treatments were (1) control, basal diet; (2) YCW, basal diet + 1 g/kg yeast cell wall; (3) YM1, basal diet + 0.5 g/kg of a novel yeast mannan-rich product (YM); and (4) YM2, basal diet + 1 g/kg YM. Growth performance was measured at 14, 28, and 35 days of age (d). At 26 and 27 d, nine birds per treatment were immunized intravenously with SRBCs, and antibody responses against SRBCs were analyzed through a hemagglutination assay 7 days post-inoculation. Supplementing YM tended to improve broiler chicken weight gain from 29 to 35 d (p = 0.053). An improvement in the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in the birds fed YM diets during 29-35 d and over the entire experimental period (0-35 d; p < 0.05). Furthermore, birds fed YM2 diets had more robust antibody responses against SRBCs than the control birds (p = 0.033). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of YM improved broiler chicken growth performance and antibody response against SRBCs.

Growth performance, organs weight, intestinal histomorphology, and oocyst shedding in broiler chickens offered novel single strain Bacillus subtilis isolated from camel dung and challenged with Eimeria.

We evaluated a single strain Bacillus subtilis BS-9 direct-fed microbial (BSDFM) isolated from camel dung in Eimeria challenged broiler chickens. Seven-hundred d-old Ross 708 male chicks were placed in pens (25 birds/pen) and allocated to 2 treatments (n = 14). From d 0 to 13, control pens received untreated water (-BSDFM), and 2 treated pens received water and 2 mL x 108 colony forming unit/bird/d (+BSDFM); daily water intake (WI) was recorded. On d 9, birds in half (+Eimeria) of pens per treatment received of 1 mL of Eimeria maxima and Eimeria acervulina oocysts orally, and the other half (-Eimeria) sterile saline solution. Birds had ad libitum access to feed and a water line from d 14. Feed intake (FI), body weight (BW) and mortality were recorded for calculating BW gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). On d 14 and 35, samples of birds were necropsied for organ weight and intestinal measurements. Excreta samples were collected from d 14 to 19 for oocyst count. There was no treatment effect (P > 0.05) on growth performance or WI on d 0 to 9. There were interactions between BSDFM and Eimeria on d 19 (P = 0.014) and 29 (P = 0.036) BW with unchallenged +BSDFM birds being heavier than birds in the other treatments. The main effects (P < 0.05) on d 10 to 35 FI, BW, and BWG were such that +BSDFM increased and Eimeria decreased (P < 0.01) these parameters. There was interaction (P = 0.022) between BSDFM and Eimeria on d 10 to 35 FCR such that the FCR of challenged -BSDFM birds was poor than that of unchallenged counterparts, but none differed with +BSDFM birds. There was an interaction (P = 0.039) between BSDFM and Eimeria on d 14 bursa weight with challenged birds exhibiting heavier bursa than unchallenged +BSDFM birds. Eimeria reduced (P = 0.01) and BSDFM (P = 0.002) increased the villi height to crypt depth ratio. Results showed that BSDFM supplementation via water can support the growth performance of broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria and may be a strategy to reduce adverse effects of coccidiosis.