Animal feed ingredients contain non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and specified NSP fibre substrates. NSP fibre substrates refer to the largest heterogenic variety of polysaccharide molecules in nature and there is no endogenous enzyme produced by poultry birds that can hydrolyse NSP.
NSP shows anti-nutritive effects and inhibits the digestion and utilization of dietary nutrients by two mechanisms. First mechanism linked with the fact that nutrients are encapsulated by the fibrous cell wall so that digestive enzymes cannot reach there thus nutrients remain unutilised. Second mechanism relates the viscous nature of digesta caused by NSPs which directly affects passage rate of digesta and nutrient utilisation.
The anti-nutritive activities of Non-Starch Polysaccharides (NSP fibre) are eliminated effectively by supplementation of NSP enzymes into feed.
