Efficacy of non-starch polysaccharide hydrolyzing enzymes on nutrient digestibility and gross energy convertibility of barley-rye and wheat-rye based diets for laying hens]

The efficiency of beta-glucanase or xylanase containing enzymes supplemented to rations for laying hens on the basis of barley-rye and wheat-rye were tested in two balance experiments. Five diets for eight hens each (White Lohmann Leghorn Hybrids) have been proved. The balances were carried out in the 23rd and 29th week of life. Statistically significant differences in the digestibility of nutrients like protein, fat and starch as well in the transformation of gross energy and metabolizable energy appeared especially in the first balance period. In the second balance period the starch digestibility was increased significantly from 93.7% to 99.7% by enzyme supplementation of the barley-rye rations. A positive influence of enzymes on the ileal digestibility of starch and fat could also be found. The addition of enzymes led to a decreasing reaction of the viscosity in the feed, in the different parts of the digesta and in the excreta.