Effect of Exogenous Xylanase Supplementation on the Performance, Net Energy and Gut Microflora of Broiler Chickens Fed Wheat-based Diets

An experiment was carried out to assess the effects of xylanase supplementation on the performance, net energy and gut microflora of broilers fed a wheat-based diet. Day-old male broiler chicks were allocated to two dietary treatments. Each treatment was composed of six replicate cages of seven broilers per cage. The diets were wheat-based and offered as mash. The treatments included i) basal diet deficient in metabolizable energy; and ii) basal diet supplemented with a commercial xylanase added at 4,000 U/kg feed. Bird performance, nutrient utilization and gut microbial populations were measured. Heat production and net energy were determined using an auto-control, open circuit respiration calorimetry apparatus. Results showed that exogenous xylanase supplementation improved feed conversion efficiency (p<0.05) and increased diet AME (+4.2%; p<0.05), as well as heat production (HP), net energy for production (NEp), production of $CO_2$, and consumption of $O_2$. The respiratory quotient (RQ) was also increased (p<0.01) by the addition of xylanase. NEp value was increased by 26.1% while daily heat production per kg metabolizable body weight was decreased by 26.2% when the xylanase was added. Xylanase supplementation numerically increased the ileal digestibility of protein and energy by 3 and 6 percentage units respectively (p>0.05). The ileal digestibility of hemicellulose was significantly improved by xylanase addition (p<0.05).