Improving Animal Feeds: Basic Functions of the First Feed Enzymes
Basic Functions of the First Feed Enzymes
The first enzymes used in feedstuff were arabinoxylanases and beta glucanases. These enzymes were used to degrade the fibrous portions of grains, making them more digestible and allowing for greater uptake of vital nutrients in the gut. Since then, enzyme technology has enabled swine and poultry to extract nutrients from their feed easily, allowing them to make more efficient use of the feed and improving their overall health.
Characteristics of Enzymes
Enzymes are biological catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions. They are proteins, with complex structures that allow them to remain stable during the high temperatures necessary for feed manufacture, and while moving through the animal's gastrointestinal tract. One of the most important characteristics of the enzyme is its ability to break down specific substrates in precise reaction sites. The exact enzymes used in the enrichment of feed-stuffs are purposefully selected to target distinct substrates used in that feed.
Enzymes will only react under certain conditions. The moisture content, quantity of enzymes used, temperature, and pH levels during use must meet the enzymes' specific reactive requirements for them to function effectively. Under favorable conditions, a greater concentration of the enzyme will result in a faster rate of reaction.
Poultry and Swine Feed
Corn and soybean meal are the major feed ingredients used for poultry and swine diet. However, the mature animals cannot digest 12-15 percent of this diet. This percentage is even greater in young animals, who are unable to produce the necessary enzymes in their guts to digest feed properly.
The effects of undigested feed include stomach irritation, diarrhea, increased undigested waste production and higher mortality rates. Sometimes price fluctuations necessitate the use of feeds that might result in an even greater percentage of undigested feed, which further harms the cost efficiency of production.
Approaches for Enzyme Use
Enzymes can be added to animal diets to improve the efficacy of digestion, particularly in younger and weaning animals. Each type of enzyme has a particular role in the body. These enzymes target specific substrates in the animal's diet, where they break down complex indigestible molecules into their simpler forms. This means the previously indigestible material can now be broken down efficiently and utilized by the gut, allowing the animal to absorb and benefit from vital nutrients.
