Fibrolytic enzymes in ruminant diets

Abstract

Research has shown that supplementing diets with fibrolytic has significant potential to improve feed utilization and animal performance. Fibrolytic enzymes for ruminants, mainly xylanases and cellulases, are concentrated extracts resulting from bacterial or fungal fermentation with specific enzyme activities. Improvements in animal performance due to the use of enzyme additives can be attributed mainly to improved fiber digestion, resulting in increased caloric intake of digestible. When viewed through a variety of enzyme products and experimental conditions, the response to fibrolytic enzyme for ruminants has been variable. This variation can be attributed to the experimental conditions, as well as the activities and characteristics of enzymes or the supplementation of enzyme activities and the appropriate method of providing the enzyme product for the animal. Though much progress in the advancement of technologies fibrolytic enzymes for ruminants, considerable research is still needed to reduce the variability of responses. With increasing consumer concern about the use of growth promoters and antibiotics in animal production. This paper reviews research on the selection of fibrolytic enzymes, the responses of animals with the use of fibrolytic enzymes and the mechanisms by which these products improve nutrient utilization.