Effect of food enzymes on utilisation of lupin carbohydrates by broilers.

1. The effects of 3 commercial enzyme products on the nutritive value of 2 lupin species were investigated with the emphasis on changes in composition of non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) along the digestive tract. Enzyme A contained primarily cellulase, beta-glucanase and xylanase activities, enzyme B primarily hemicellulase, pentosanase and xylanase activities, and enzyme C primarily hemicellulase, pectinase and beta-glucanase activities. 2. The enzymes were added to semi-purified diets based on sorghum and casein containing 35% whole seed lupins (Lupinus angustifolius cv Gungurru or Lupinus albus cv Kiev mutant). Control diets contained no lupins. 3. Food conversion ratio (FCR), excreta moisture content and apparent metabolisable energy (AME) were affected by lupin species but not by enzyme supplementation. 4. In diets with L. angustifolius, enzyme C significantly increased digesta viscosity and increased the concentration of soluble NSPs in all sections of the intestine. 5. Digestibility of protein and NSPs in the ileum and microbial fermentation in the ileum and caeca were not affected by adding enzymes to diets containing L. angustifolius. 6. Enzyme addition to diets with L. albus did not affect digesta viscosity nor concentration of soluble NSPs but caused a significantly (P<0.05) reduced concentration of insoluble NSP in the ileum. 7. Enzyme addition to L. albus significantly (P<0.05) increased NSP digestibility in the ileum but had no effects on protein digestibility and fermentation in the ileum and caeca.