Xylanase for meat-type quails from 15 to 35 days old

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the supplementation of two xylanases in the diet of meat-type quail on performance, morphology of the intestinal mucosa, metabolization of nutrients, and carcass yield. The experimental design was a completely randomized 2×3+1 factorial arrangement [two metabolisable energy reductions (70 and 140 kcal/kg), with or without the inclusion of two xylanases (A and B), plus a control treatment without xylanase), totalling seven treatments with five replicates and 42 quail each. Total excreta were collected at 28 days of age to determine the metabolisable coefficients of dry matter, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), and gross energy (GE). There was no interaction between the energetic reductions and inclusion of xylanases on performance variables of the birds. The 70 kcal/kg reduction led to better results for feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion, while the 140 kcal/kg reduction led to worse results. In terms of jejunum morphometry, there was no interaction between energy reductions and inclusion of xylanases, although xylanases increased villi height and villus:crypt ratio. There was an interaction between energy reduction and inclusion of enzymes for the metabolisability coefficients of CP, NDF, and GE, leading to improvements in these coefficients. Xylanases A and B are effective in energy-reduced corn and soybean meal diets for 15 to 35-day-old quail.