The application of enzymes as feed additive has a history of twenty years. In feed industry, enzymes are used to enhance nutrient digestibility, focusing on removing the anti-nutritive effects of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). Besides, phytase is not only used to increase the utilisation of phytate P, but also to alleviate environmental burdens by reducing P excretion in the excreta. Enzymes can also be used to noncereal grain components of the diet. These vegetable protein sources are often high in NSP, which are poorly characterised in regard to their molecular structures. The enzyme industry today is constantly searching for new areas of application. Some recent data demonstrate the role of glycanases (charbohydrate degrading enzymes) as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics.
Glycanase
The β-glucan is a glucose polymer containing a mixture of β1-3 and β1-4 linkages that make its physicochemical properties totally different from cellulose that is a straight-chain glucose polymer with only β1-4 linkages. Barley contains a high level of mixed-linked β-glucan (3-4%) and the pioneering work of scientists not only identified β-glucan as the factor responsible for the poor nutritive value of barley but also elucidated the effect of viscosity on nutrient digestion in the gut. Thus, β-glucanase supplementation became a practical solution for improving the nutritive value of barley for poultry.
The application of enzymes on a practical scale in the poultry industry was possible due to the recognition that the soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) present in viscous cereals, such as rye, barley, triticale and wheat, impairs nutrient digestion and absorption. The detrimental effects of NSP are associated with their ability to increase digesta viscosity, to interact with the microflora of the gut, and to alter the physiology and morphology of the digestive tract. These effects are dependent on the polymeric nature of the polysaccharides and therefore cleaving of the polymers can largely eliminate their anti-nutritive properties. Enzymatic cleavage is obviously the most practical and costeffective way of breaking down NSP in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal.
Phytase
The hidden benefits of using glycanases in birds fed viscous cereals include (a) reduction in output of manure containing large amounts of undigested nutrients, and (b) alleviation of problems associated with wet droppings, such as increased percentage of dirty eggs, increased gas production and increased fly and rodent populations in the shed. However, glycanase supplementation was not the answer to problems associated with phosphorus levels in pig and poultry manure. This led to the development of phytase for use in monogastric animal diets. Phytase increases the digestibility of phytate from around 25% to 50-70% in poultry and its use has been on the increase since banning the use of animal protein sources, such as meat and bone meal, in the EU. It is also understood that phytase can improve the digestibility of other nutrients as well as energy.
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