Effects of Various Fibrolytic Enzyme Extracts on Digestibility and Productive Performance of Lambs Fed a Forage-Based Diet#

Three fibrolytic enzyme extracts were evaluated for their effects on lamb growth and feed digestibility, using diets containing 60% forage. Twenty Pelibuey lambs (26.14 kg average initial weight) were randomly assigned to a control or to one of three enzyme treatments. Enzymes were added to feed as follows: Control (0 mL kg−1 DM), Trichoderma longibrachiatum commercial extract (3.5 mL kg−1 DM), Fomes fomentarius extract (21.1 mL kg−1 DM) and Cellulomonas flavigena extract (2.47 mL kg−1 DM). There were no effects of fibrolytic enzyme extracts on the final weight of lambs or on dry matter intake, but daily weight gain and feed efficiency were negatively affected (P<0.05) by Cellulomonas flavigena extract. The addition of enzyme extracts increased (P<0.05) the percentage of butyrate in rumen fluid. The DM digestibility was negatively affected by C. flavigena extract. There were no beneficial effects of fibrolytic enzyme extracts on feed digestibility or productive performance of lambs.