The Power of Stabilized Enzymes in Poultry Feed
Enzymes are one of the many types of protein in any biological system involved in anabolic and catabolic pathways of digestion and metabolism. They are essential in catalyzing the rate of a reaction, but are not themselves altered by the reaction, and tend to act on one or a limited number of compounds known as substrates.
Digestive enzymes are produced in every living organism, from the highest developed animals and plants to the simplest cellular forms of life, and are essential for metabolic purposes. These are categorized as endogenous (produced by the animal); however, they may also be exogenous (administered externally).
Enzyme cost: The largest single expense in any system of poultry production is feed cost, which can account for 70% of the total cost of production. Feeding enzymes to poultry is one of the major nutritional advances in the last fifty years. Feed industry experts have long known that the application of “best-generation” feed enzymes can be a potential solution to ever-increasing feed costs by optimizing the ingredients’ usage and unlocking hidden nutrients. Optimizing feed formulations will be the key to future success—allowing poultry nutritionists to formulate less-expensive diets and get the most out of each kg of feed.
Enzyme stability: When subjected to air, high humidity and elevated temperatures, enzymes become unstable and suffer potency loss. While pellets are the preferred method of poultry feed delivery, the pelleting process requires high temperature and steam, albeit for short periods of time, which most enzymes will not withstand. Other methods of applying enzymes to poultry feed have been found, but they are not ideal – typically involving overdosing of these expensive ingredients.
How microencapsulation can help: Maxx has collaborated with feed companies on using microencapsulates to stabilize enzymes for use in pelleted poultry feeds; research shows a 94% recovery rate of microencapsulated enzymes in pelleted feeds that are subjected to steam pelleting.
By coating the enzyme with food-grade matter, thermal stability is improved, it survives passage through the gastrointestinal tract and releases at the site where it is most effective. Feed mills no longer have to overdose and by using a stabilized enzyme there is significant cost savings. Storage cost is also reduced because no longer is there a need for expensive packaging.