ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE October 2025 53 is known that insoluble fiber has the ability to remain in the gizzard for a longer period of time, enhancing muscular development and function, and prolonging feed retention time. This slower transit improves nutrient digestion and reduces toxin buildup, while for soluble fiber, it tends to increase intestinal viscosity, potentially decreasing nutrient absorption. Enzyme supplementation in animal diets can selectively break down insoluble and soluble dietary fiber fractions, reducing their antinutritive effects while releasing beneficial fermentable substrates that support gut microbial balance and overall gastrointestinal health. Dietary fiber does hold advantages and moderate levels of insoluble fiber are recommended for broiler, layer, and pig diets. Common sources include wheat bran, rice bran, oat hulls, purified lignocellulose, and specialized crude fiber concentrates. Strategic use of these ingredients can enhance gut health by promoting intestinal motility, supporting microbial diversity, and contributing to improved digestive resilience. In the hindgut, dietary fiber is fermented by microbes to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, acetate, and propionate. These SCFAs serve as energy sources for gut epithelial cells, strengthen gut barrier integrity, and help reduce inflammation. While soluble fibers ferment more rapidly, insoluble fibers also undergo significant fermentation, shaping the gut microbiome and supporting gut health in both poultry and pigs. Anti-Nutritional Factors (ANFs): Certain feed ingredients may contain compounds such as protease inhibitors, tannins, lectins, phytates, saponins, and gossypol. These components can impair protein digestion, mineral absorption, and overall nutrient uptake, causing nutritional stress that weakens the immune system. This stress triggers bacteria to form biofilms, which are protective communities that shield microbes from antimicrobial agents. Biofilms also facilitate close contact between bacteria, promoting the transfer of resistance genes and accelerating AMR. Additionally, many ANFs induce gut inflammation and oxidative damage, disrupting the intestinal barrier and upsetting gut microbiota balance. This imbalance favors colonization by pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Managing and reducing ANFs through improved feed processing and careful ingredient selection can minimize these negative effects. Medium-Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs): The ones that contain 6 to 12 carbon atoms, are particularly valuable because they are rapidly absorbed and metabolized by intestinal cells, offering quick, efficient energy that supports intestinal lining repair—a vital process for maintaining the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier. By promoting epithelial cell regeneration and preserving mucosal integrity, MCFAs strengthen the gut barrier, preventing harmful pathogens and toxPhoto: Manop Boonpeng | ShutterStock
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