Open AccessImproving sorghum digestion in broilers by targeting fermentation of xylan
Author(s) -
Natalie K. Morgan,
Andrew Wallace,
M.R. Bedford
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 2405-6545
pISSN - 2405-6383
DOI - 10.1016/j.aninu.2022.03.004
Subject(s) - bran , xylanase , broiler , sorghum , food science , starter , fermentation , ileum , biology , caecum , digestion (alchemy) , zoology , feed conversion ratio , short chain fatty acid , xylan , chemistry , body weight , agronomy , biochemistry , cellulose , enzyme , butyrate , medicine , raw material , ecology , chromatography , endocrinology
This study was to examine if it is possible to accelerate sorghum digestion in broiler chickens by targeting fermentation of the xylan. Cobb 500 broilers ( n = 960, 80 birds per treatment) were fed 12 sorghum-soybean meal-based dietary treatments fed as 3 phases (starter d 0 to 12, grower d 13 to 23, finisher d 24 to 35), with 8 replicate pens of 10 birds per treatment. For half of the treatments ( n = 6), 10% of the sorghum in the diet was directly replaced with 10% wheat bran, as a source of fermentable fibre. The diets were supplemented with either 0, 50 or 2,000 mg/kg xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS), with or without xylanase application. Body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion corrected for mortality (cFCR) was determined at d 0 to 35, and male and female body weight were measured on d 35. On d 35, ileum and caeca samples were collected from 2 birds per pen, for determination of caecal cellulase and xylanase activity, microbiota composition and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration, and ileal XOS concentration. Supplementation with 2,000 mg/kg XOS caused increased BWG at d 0 to 35 ( P = 0.007) and enhanced caecal propionic, valeric and succinic acid concentration ( P < 0.05). Wheat bran increased FI ( P = 0.018) and BWG ( P = 0.016), as well as caecal Bifidobacteria concentration ( P < 0.001). Ileal XOS concentration was greatest when feeding combined wheat bran, 2,000 mg/kg XOS, and xylanase, resulting in increased caecal total SCFA, acetic acid and butyric acid concentration, and xylanase and cellulase activity ( P < 0.05). Results from this study present that feed efficiency in birds fed sorghum-based diets is improved as a consequence of supplementing with fermentable fibre, xylanase and XOS.