Multienzyme supplementation improves bone strength in nutrient-restricted broilers without altering locomotor ability or pectoral myopathy severity.
Enzyme supplementation improves bone strength in nutrient-restricted broilers but does not significantly affect locomotor ability or myopathy severity.
Where it sits
this study against the rest of the afamelanotide corpusSummary and findings
This study assessed the impact of exogenous enzyme supplementation on bone quality, locomotor ability, and pectoral myopathy severity in nutrient-restricted broilers. A total of 1,400 male Cobb 500 broilers were divided into seven treatment groups, including various nutrient restrictions and enzyme-supplemented diets. Enzyme supplementation improved bone strength but did not significantly affect locomotor ability or pectoral myopathy severity.
Abstract
1. This study evaluated the effects of exogenous enzyme supplementation on bone quality, locomotor ability and pectoral myopathy severity in broilers given nutrient-restricted diets.2. A total of 1,400 one-day-old male Cobb 500 broilers were distributed among seven treatments. These included a positive control (PC); NC1 (reductions of 100 kcal ME/kg, 0.18% available phosphorus and 0.20% calcium); NC2 (reductions of 1.5% crude protein, 0.18% available phosphorus and 0.20% calcium); NC3 (combined reductions of 100 kcal ME/kg, 1.5% crude protein, 0.18% available phosphorus and 0.20% calcium); and their respective enzyme-supplemented diets: NC1 + phytase + carbohydrases (CPNC1), NC2 + phytase + protease (PPNC2) and NC3 + phytase + carbohydrases + protease (CPPNC3).3. Locomotor ability was assessed using gait score, pododermatitis, angular deformities and tibial dyschondroplasia. Bone quality was evaluated using tibial morphometry, Seedor index, ash content and mechanical resistance. Pectoral myopathies (wooden breast and white striping) were assessed.4. Nutrient restriction without enzyme supplementation reduced tibial weight, length, Seedor index and bone strength (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Compared with nutrient-restricted diets, enzyme supplementation increased bone strength, with PPNC2 restoring mechanical resistance to values comparable to those of the PC (<i>p</i> < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in gait score, tibial dyschondroplasia, angular deformities, or wooden breast severity (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Femoral degeneration scores were lower in birds fed nutrient-restricted diets, regardless of enzyme supplementation (<i>p</i> = 0.037). Pododermatitis scores were lower in NC2 and CPPNC3 than in the PC (<i>p</i> < 0.01). White striping severity differed among treatments (<i>p</i> = 0.038), with lower scores in birds fed nutrient-restricted diets without enzyme supplementation, although the magnitude of these differences was small.5. Exogenous multienzyme supplementation improved bone strength in broilers fed nutrient-restricted diets without adversely affecting locomotor ability. However, it did not consistently reduce pectoral myopathy severity, reinforcing the multifactorial nature of these conditions.
Background
The study addresses the challenge of maintaining bone quality and reducing myopathy in broilers on nutrient-restricted diets. Previous research has shown that nutrient restriction can negatively impact bone strength and increase the risk of myopathies. This study explores whether enzyme supplementation can mitigate these effects, which is important for optimizing poultry health and production efficiency.
Methods
The study was a controlled trial involving 1,400 one-day-old male Cobb 500 broilers divided into seven treatment groups. These included a positive control and various nutrient-restricted diets, both with and without enzyme supplementation. The primary outcomes measured were bone quality indicators such as tibial morphometry and mechanical resistance, as well as locomotor ability and pectoral myopathy severity.
Results
Enzyme supplementation significantly improved bone strength in nutrient-restricted broilers, with the PPNC2 group achieving mechanical resistance comparable to the positive control (p<0.001). However, there were no significant improvements in locomotor ability or pectoral myopathy severity. Femoral degeneration scores were lower in birds on nutrient-restricted diets, and pododermatitis scores were improved in certain enzyme-supplemented groups (p<0.01). White striping severity varied among treatments, but the differences were minor (p=0.038).
Interpretation
The study suggests that enzyme supplementation can effectively enhance bone strength in nutrient-restricted broilers, aligning with previous findings on enzyme benefits in poultry diets. However, the lack of significant improvement in locomotor ability and myopathy severity indicates that these conditions are influenced by multiple factors beyond diet alone. The findings are relevant for poultry producers seeking to optimize diet formulations, though the clinical significance may be limited by the small effect sizes observed.
Key findings
- 1,400 male Cobb 500 broilers were used.
- Enzyme supplementation increased bone strength, with PPNC2 restoring mechanical resistance to PC values (p<0.001).
- No significant differences in gait score, tibial dyschondroplasia, or wooden breast severity (p>0.05).
- Femoral degeneration scores were lower in nutrient-restricted diets (p=0.037).
- Pododermatitis scores were lower in NC2 and CPPNC3 than in PC (p<0.01).
- White striping severity differed among treatments (p=0.038), but differences were small.
Limitations
- Study conducted on broilers, limiting generalizability.
- Inconsistent effects on pectoral myopathy severity.
- Small effect sizes for some outcomes.
- Single species study.