Enzyme addition facilitates the post-disease compensatory growth of broiler chickens challenged with Clostridium perfringens

In vitro incubation studies using a multicarbohydrase supplement showed a significant depolymerization of nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP) of soybean meal (SBM), canola meal and flaxseed meal, which was associated with the production of water-soluble NSP hydrolysis products. Effects of diet type and enzyme addition on growth performance of broiler chickens were investigated in a Clostridium perfringens challenge (10 9 CFU bird -1 on day 14) study. A total of 2640 male chickens were assigned to six treatments (wheat/SBM, unchallenged; wheat/SBM challenged; wheat/SBM + enzyme, challenged; wheat/flaxseed, unchallenged; wheat/flaxseed, challenged; wheat/flaxseed+enzyme, challenged). When compared with the wheat/SBM-based diets, birds fed flaxseed-containing diets had a decreased final body weight, an inferior overall feed conversion ratio (FCR), and an increased intestinal digesta viscosity (P < 0.01). Pathogen challenge caused mucosal lesions and increased (P < 0.05) the incidence of necrotic enteritis mortality with the highest mortality rate observed in birds fed the flaxseed diet without enzyme. Enzyme addition decreased (P < 0.05) the overall FCR from 1.88 to 1.77 and from 1.96 to 1.86 in challenged birds fed wheat/SBM and flaxseed-containing diets, respectively. In conclusion, feeding flaxseed had adverse effects on growth performance, and enzyme addition improved the nutritive value of flaxseed-containing diets, and facilitated the post-disease compensatory growth of chickens after C. perfringens challenge.