A review on role of exogenous enzyme supplementation in poultry production

Monogastric animals like poultry, pigs, etc. lack the alloenzymes from rumen microflora and thus it become necessary to incorporate the enzymes in their diets in order to derive optimal nutrient utilization from complex feed matric. Feed enzymes are added to animal feed to increase the availability of nutrient by digesting the feed components during storage or after consumption within the gastrointestinal tract. Some of the enzymes that have been used over the past several years and have potential for use in the feed industry include cellulase (β-glucanases), xylanases and associated enzymes, phytases, proteases, lipases, and galactosidases. Most of the enzymes used in the feed industry have been applied for poultry to neutralize the effects of the viscous, nonstarch polysaccharides in cereals such as barley, wheat, rye, and triticale. Recently, considerable interest has been shown in the use of phytase as a feed additive. The addition of phytase to feed improves phosphorus utilization in both ruminant and monogastric animals, reducing the need for supplemental inorganic phosphate and helps in reducing the environmental problems that arise from organic phosphate excretion. Thus, enzyme supplementation in the feed play an important role in increasing the availability of nutrients and retarding the adverse effect of anti-nutritional factors present in the feed components. This review aims to elucidate the different enzymes being used in the poultry industry and their efficiency in increasing the poultry production.