significant challenge to the intestinal health of poultry. Intestinal lysozyme can degrade PGNs which decreases the potential inflammatory signals caused by PGNs. The breakdown of PGNs can result in muramyl dipeptide (MDP) formation which, in turn, is sensed by intracellular recep- tors (such as NOD2) and has an anti-inflammatory effect. A broiler with a high feed intake and fast passage rate, how ever, cannot produce enough endogenous lysozyme to break down the amount of PGNs present in its gut. If an exogenous muramidase (Balancius) is added to the diet, the capacity to break down PGNs in dead bacterial cell walls is increased, supporting optimal gut functionality.
Benefits of breaking down PGNs A study evaluated the effects of muramidase on per- formance, energy and nutrient availability. There were
dose-dependant improvements in both BWG and FCR, but no effect on feed intake, when an exogenous muramidase was included at three levels in rations for broilers. Birds fed a medium inclusion of an exogenous muramidase for 42 days had a significantly higher European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) (431) than those in the control group (403). Dietary energy was found to improve with the inclusion of an exogenous muramidase. Another study reported that exogenous muramidase increased the appar- ent ileal digestibility of essential nutrients, suggesting an improvement in absorption capacity and gut functionality. The effects of muramidase as a feed additive on the degra- dation of PGNs from the cell wall fragments of (dead) micro- biota in the intestinal tract, could reduce the potential in- flammatory effects induced by PGNs. A trial published 2020 confirmed that exogenous muramidase hydrolysed PGNs to
▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 5/6, 2021
Birds fed a medi- um inclusion of an exogenous muramidase for 42 days had a significantly higher European Production Effi- ciency Factor (EPEF) (431) than those in the control group (403).
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PHOTO: ABERRATION FILMS LTD/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
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