What is the role of enzymes like amylase and protease in non-ruminant diets?

• A. Amylase improves starch digestion, but protease has no effect.
• B. Amylase improves starch digestion and protease improves protein digestibility, enabling lower crude protein diets without compromising performance.
• C. Amylase reduces fiber fermentation; protease inhibits digestion.
• D. They are not used in non-ruminants.

Answer: (B)

Exogenous enzymes can boost how well non-ruminants use their feed. Amylase helps break down starch, increasing the usable energy animals get from carbohydrate-rich ingredients. Protease breaks down dietary proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids, improving protein digestibility and amino acid availability. When these nutrients are more efficiently utilized, animals can maintain performance on diets with slightly lower crude protein, reducing nitrogen excretion and often feed costs. The idea that protease has no effect, that amylase would reduce fiber fermentation or that these enzymes aren’t used in non-ruminants, doesn’t fit how these enzymes work or how they’re applied in practice.