New strategies for enhancing the value of fibre in modern poultry nutrition

Šimić, A. (2025) New strategies for enhancing the value of fibre in modern poultry nutrition. Doctoral thesis, Harper Adams University.

Text Antonija Simic New strategies for enhancing the value of fibre in modern poultry nutrition.pdf Download (2MB)

Abstract

This PhD project aimed to investigate the potential prebiotic effects of natural feed fibres, fibre degrading enzymes and their interactions in diets when fed to Ross 308 broiler chickens. Throughout the duration of this project, three live animal experiments were completed. The first study investigated the impact of wheat bran, xylanase (XYL), xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS), and XYL+XOS on the growth performance, energy and nutrient availability, jejunum histomorphometry and caecal production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in chicks. Feeding the XYL+XOS combination was most efficient at degrading dietary fibre and improving bird production performance. The second experiment studied the efficiency of XYL and XYL+XOS supplementation to diets with low (LV), medium (MV) and high (HV) viscosity, on energy and nutrient availability, gastrointestinal tract development and production performance of broiler chickens. Overall, birds fed LV diet had greater feed efficiency compared to the other treatment groups. The N-corrected apparent metabolisable energy (AMEn) increased in the LV diet when supplemented with XYL and XYL+XOS. In addition, fibre and nutrient retention coefficients were greater for HV diet (P < 0.001) and coincided with better developed caeca in those birds. The third study involved two different sources of XOS, with 2-6 and 2-9 degrees of polymerisation, fed at two levels (50 and 500 g/t), on AMEn, nutrient availability, ileal and caecal SCFA production and production performance of broilers fed XYL supplemented maize-based diets. Compared to the control diet, feeding XOS improved production performance, AMEn and nutrient availability. Feeding 50 g/t of either XOS sources produced a greater concentration of caecal SCFA but did not modulate production performance. In conclusion, feeding XYL and XOS may improve bird performance and nutrient availability regardless of XOS level fed.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Divisions:	Agriculture and Environment (from 1.08.20)
Depositing User:	Miss Anna Cope
Date Deposited:	28 May 2025 12:24
Last Modified:	28 May 2025 12:24
URI:	https://hau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18216

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