The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of xylanase enzyme (Econase XT25) on the metabolism of nutrients and the performance of laying hens from 24 to 48 weeks of age. It was used 288 laying hens, distributed in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with two levels of metabolizable energy (2,900 and 2,755 kcal/kg) combined or not with addition of xylanase enzyme (37.5 g/t of ration), totaling four treatments (positive control, negative control, positive control + xylanase; and negative control + xylanase), evaluated with 12 replicates of 6 birds per experimental unit. Positive control and positive control + xylanase diets were formulated following the recommendations by Tabelas Brasileiras (100% metabolizable energy) while negative control and negative control + xilanase diets were calculated by reducing 5% of metabolizable energy. The addition of xylanase enzyme to the negative control diet provided egg production and egg mass similar to the ones observed in the positive control group. Reduction of 5% of metabolizable energy resulted in a decrease in egg production, in egg mass, worsening in feed conversion and increase in feed intake. Composition of the eggs was not affected by the diets. The average values of corrected apparent metabolizable energy are higher in diets with higher level of metabolizable energy. The addition of enzyme xylanase improved the use of energy and egg production in diets for laying hens.
enzymes; laying hens; metabolism; metabolizable energy; performance
