Importance of considering non-starch polysaccharide content of poultry diets

SUMMARY

The contribution of dietary fibre in feed ingredients is still inadequately accounted for during feed formulation, despite extensive evidence of its impact on bird performance, litter quality and digestibility of other nutrients, and its high level in plant-derived feed ingredients. True dietary fibre is defined as the total quantity of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and lignin. In contrast to other nutrients, NSP vary substantially in composition, both among different feed ingredients and among batches of the same ingredient. Consequently, NSP display variable characteristics in final feeds. NSP have traditionally been recognised as anti-nutritive, through their impact on digesta viscosity and as a nutrient diluent in poultry rations. However, more recently, there is growing interest in their capacity to stimulate gastrointestinal function, improve gut health and act as a source of energy, partially via prebiotic properties. Recent developments in methods for measuring NSP have increased precision when estimating the dietary fibre component of feed ingredients and diets, yet there is still a lack of application of NSP values in both research and industry diets for poultry. Determining the fate of fibre post-ingestion is challenging, due to the complexity of its structural components and limited understanding about how fibre interacts with other dietary nutrients within the intestinal tract environment. The aim of this review is to highlight the importance of considering NSP values when formulating poultry rations, based on evidence from scientific studies presenting the direct impact dietary NSP has on gastrointestinal health and bird performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Fibre
• non-starch polysaccharide
• performance
• feed formulation
• poultry

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

H. T. Nguyen

H. T. Nguyen is a PhD student in Poultry Nutrition at the University of New England, Australia. She completed a BSc (Hons) in Animal Science and Veterinary at Hanoi University of Agriculture, Vietnam and Masters of Rural Science at the University of New England, Australia. Her research interest is utilisation of non-starch polysaccharides in monogastrics.

M. R. Bedford

Dr M. R. Bedford is Research Director at AB Vista, where he oversees the company’s feed enzymes, yeast, betaine and other associated additives. His work focuses on new product development and maximising the value of current products. He is currently interested in using different fibre sources and prebiotic oligosaccharides as a tool to enhance poultry productivity.

N. K. Morgan

Dr N. K. Morgan is a Research Fellow in Poultry Nutrition and Lecturer in Animal Nutrition at the University of New England, Australia. She completed a BSc (Hons) in Animal Biology and PhD in Poultry Nutrition at Nottingham Trent University, England.  Her current research interest is carbohydrate chemistry, enzymes and prebiotic oligosaccharides in poultry.