Jesse Stoops – Nutrex nv
Kurt Van de Mierop ,MSc – Nutrex nv
Enzymes are widely used in the feed industry to enhance performance and reduce feed cost per unit of animal product. While most agree about the value of phytase use in vegetable based monogastric diets, there is much more debate about which Non-Starch Polysaccharide (NSP) enzymes can really make a difference, especially in corn-soy diets. As there appear to be as many opinions as there are enzymes, it is important to consider the basics that affect your choice.
Arabinoxylans
Arabinoxylans (AX), a non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) and poorly digestible plant cell wall component, is by far the most important anti-nutritional factor in raw materials such as wheat and corn. Due to its abundance, location in the plant material and to the lack endogenous NSP enzyme production in monogastrics, AX reduce feed digestibility and therefore animal performance considerably.
AX can be subdivided into a water-soluble fraction and water-insoluble fraction. Water-soluble AX are responsible for an increase in intestinal viscosity, making digestion and absorption of nutrients difficult. Also, unfavourable hindgut fermentation is stimulated. Water-insoluble AX are known to enclose digestible nutrients, making them unavailable to the animal. Although both types of AX contribute to the anti-nutritional effect, the most important AX fraction in all vegetable raw materials is the water-insoluble fraction; specifically in corn it is the only fraction that matters in practice. The anti-nutritional effect of water-insoluble AX is often overlooked and underestimated, as it does not result in “visible” digestive problems (higher digesta viscosity, wet litter) as is the case for water-soluble AX. The overall anti-nutritional effect of AX is related to their combined level in the feed as well as to the ratio of water-soluble to water-insoluble AX.
Due to its enzyme-resistant properties, the water-insoluble AX fraction is much more difficult to degrade than the water-soluble fraction. For this reason, most xylanases have failed to bring improvements to corn-soy diets since the only way to achieve this, is by degrading the water-insoluble AX fraction. This has led to much disappointment among nutritionists with regard to xylanase efficacy in corn-soy diets.
| Table 1: NSP content of feed ingredients (as % of dry matter) | ||||
| Water-soluble AX | Water-insoluble AX | NSP | AX/NSP | |
| Corn | 0.1 | 5.1 | 8.1 | 64% |
| Corn DDGS | 0.4 | 12.6 | 28.6 | 45% |
| Rice Bran | 0.2 | 8.3 | 21.8 | 39% |
| Wheat | 1.8 | 6.3 | 11.4 | 71% |
| Wheat DDGS | 4.9 | 13.4 | 33.2 | 55% |
Nutrase Xyla HS
Nutrase Xyla HS is a unique endo-xylanase able to break down both water-soluble and water-insoluble AX. Even more, Nutrase Xyla HS has been found to be far superior to other xylanases with regards to the breakdown of the water-insoluble AX fraction. As the soluble AX chain is broken into smaller AX fragments less water is bound, and the viscosity of the digesta is vastly reduced. In addition, the breakdown of water-insoluble AX also results in the release of additional energy and nutrients, by making nutrients such as protein and starch available for digestion by the animal’s endogenous enzymes. Furthermore, the smaller AX-fragments, also known as AXOS, have been found to be a source of prebiotics which are fermented in the ceca to produce high levels of butyrate. Butyrate has multiple beneficial effects as it supports the intestinal integrity and the development of beneficial microbiota, improves gut morphology and modulates the immune system. Thanks to its optimal activity at neutral pH, Nutrase Xyla HS has a longer time to work at its maximum capacity in the gastro-intestinal tract compared to other xylanases. Futhermore, Nutrase Xyla HS is highly stable and can withstand intensive and high temperature pelleting conditions.
Conclusion
Thanks to its combined properties, Nutrase Xyla HS is an NSP enzyme that substantially reduces feed costs by improving feed digestibility and increasing nutrient and energy availability. Nutrase Xyla HS has a proven record of efficiently breaking down water-insoluble AX, making it especially successful in corn based diets. Futhermore, Nutrase Xyla HS also impacts intestinal health through the prebiotic action of butyrate. The combination of Nutrase Xyla HS’ unique characteristics strongly boosts monogastric performance and reduces production costs, regardless if they are fed a corn, wheat or other cereal based diet.
For further product related information please contact –
Dr. Amit Kumar Patra,
Technical Sales Manager- South Asia
📱 9874340886 📧 amit.patra@nutrex.eu
