Screening of fibrolytic enzymes as additives for ruminant diets: relationship between enzyme activities and the in vitro degradation of enzyme-treated forages

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Abstract
Results in the literature concerning the efficacy of feed enzymes for ruminant diets have been mixed. Commercial preparations currently used are fermentation extracts containing several enzymic activities. It has been suggested that ruminal fermentation of grass and maize silages is enzyme-limited (Wallace et al., 2001). In order to design better enzyme additives, the enzyme activities likely to affect the animal responses should be identified. This study examined 23 commercial enzyme preparations for their biochemical properties and their ability to influence the in vitro degradation of alfalfa and maize silage.