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Zootechnical additives · broilers, laying hens, turkeys, minor poultry, weaned piglets, pigs for fattening
Econase XT
Brand Econase XT · Manufacturer AB Vista
↗ public sourceswww.abvista.com/products/econase-xt· 5 studies, 5 independent/mixed
Evidence · strong
The active substance is backed by 5 studies including meta-analyses; the verdict per claim below reflects what the literature actually shows, not the brochure. Strength reflects the active substance, not the brand.
What the manufacturer claims
Free
Captured from the product page, typed and attributed — the producer’s own statements, checked against the literature below.
Bioavailability
A beta-1,4 endo-xylanase designed to improve the degradation of dietary fibre (arabinoxylans) in the diet.
Performance
Maximises energy utilisation of the diet by releasing energy locked in fibre.
Physiological
Reduces digesta viscosity, improving nutrient access and gut function.
Economic
Improves animal performance and feed efficiency, helping reduce feed cost.
Manufacturer’s own words — not independently verified. The ledger below gives the evidence verdict for each.
Claim ↔ evidence ledger
Verdict free · receipts in Power
Each claim against the studies on the active substance, with the funding split. Open a row for the studies behind the verdict.
Claim
Verdict
Evidence & funding
BioavailabilityA beta-1,4 endo-xylanase designed to improve the degradation of dietary fibre (arabi…
Supported
no study
›
Xylanase hydrolyses arabinoxylans — the mechanism is well established and underlies the energy and viscosity effects.
PerformanceMaximises energy utilisation of the diet by releasing energy locked in fibre.
Supported
2 studies · 100% indep
›
Read Metabolizable-energy gains (AMEn +5–8%, ~120 kcal/kg compensation) are shown in meta-analysis and RCTs, mainly in viscous/energy-reduced diets.
2021
Effect of multicarbohydrase enzymes containing α-galactosidase (with xylanase) on growth and apparent metabolizable energy digestibility of broilers: a meta-analysisXylanase (alone or with α-galactosidase) improves growth performance and metabolizable-energy digestibility of broilers fed energy-reduced corn–soy diets.
Effect of a heat-stable xylanase on digesta viscosity, apparent metabolizable energy and growth performance of broilers fed a wheat-based diet (3 experiments)Increasing xylanase 0→16 ppm lowered digesta viscosity and raised AMEn up to +5% (and up to +8% in a 2,920 kcal/kg diet); body-weight gain +4% at the lowest dose.
PhysiologicalReduces digesta viscosity, improving nutrient access and gut function.
Mixed
1 study · 100% indep
›
Read Reduced digesta viscosity is consistently observed; the downstream digestibility benefit is larger in viscous (wheat/rye) diets than in corn-based diets.
2024
Xylanase supplementation in energy-deficient corn-based diets: impact on broiler growth, nutrient digestibility and chyme viscosityXylanase (2,000–3,000 U/kg) raised body weight and daily gain and lowered ileal viscosity, but ileal nutrient digestibility and meat composition were not significantly changed in this corn-based diet.
EconomicImproves animal performance and feed efficiency, helping reduce feed cost.
Supported
2 studies · 50% indep
›
Read Meta-analysis and a large trial show improved growth and feed efficiency; one industry-linked wheat trial is among them.
2022
Effects of xylanase supplementation on the performance, nutrient digestibility and digestive organ profiles of broiler chickens: a meta-analysisPooled: birds fed xylanase (any dose) had higher body weights and daily gains and improved feed efficiency vs negative-control diets throughout the period, with lower ileal digesta viscosity.
Exogenous xylanase improves broiler production efficiency by increasing proximal small-intestine digestion in wheat-based diets of various viscositiesIn reduced-energy, high-viscosity wheat diets, xylanase at 150 FXU/kg improved body weight, FCR and the European efficiency factor, with effects correlated to intestinal viscosity (2,850 birds).
Bottom line. Xylanase's core actions — lowering digesta viscosity and releasing metabolizable energy from arabinoxylans — are well and independently supported, including by meta-analysis (AMEn gains of ~5–8% in viscous diets).
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Why these studies The evidence for a proprietary product is the evidence for its active substance. These are the studies (meta-analyses first) behind the verdicts above, with funding labelled.
Year
Study & effect size
Funding
Type
Access
2022
Effects of xylanase supplementation on the performance, nutrient digestibility and digestive organ profiles of broiler chickens: a meta-analysisPooled: birds fed xylanase (any dose) had higher body weights and daily gains and improved feed efficiency vs negative-control diets throughout the period, with lower ileal digesta viscosity.
Effect of multicarbohydrase enzymes containing α-galactosidase (with xylanase) on growth and apparent metabolizable energy digestibility of broilers: a meta-analysisXylanase (alone or with α-galactosidase) improves growth performance and metabolizable-energy digestibility of broilers fed energy-reduced corn–soy diets.
Effect of a heat-stable xylanase on digesta viscosity, apparent metabolizable energy and growth performance of broilers fed a wheat-based diet (3 experiments)Increasing xylanase 0→16 ppm lowered digesta viscosity and raised AMEn up to +5% (and up to +8% in a 2,920 kcal/kg diet); body-weight gain +4% at the lowest dose.
Exogenous xylanase improves broiler production efficiency by increasing proximal small-intestine digestion in wheat-based diets of various viscositiesIn reduced-energy, high-viscosity wheat diets, xylanase at 150 FXU/kg improved body weight, FCR and the European efficiency factor, with effects correlated to intestinal viscosity (2,850 birds).
Xylanase supplementation in energy-deficient corn-based diets: impact on broiler growth, nutrient digestibility and chyme viscosityXylanase (2,000–3,000 U/kg) raised body weight and daily gain and lowered ileal viscosity, but ileal nutrient digestibility and meat composition were not significantly changed in this corn-based diet.
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Analysis & tools
◆ Power
The working map a maker won’t give you — built only from the evidence on this page. Nothing here is marketing.
◆ Power view
Open the analyst workbench
Dose benchmark, the independent-vs-sponsored split, the pooled meta-analysis effects, the contradictions and the gaps — all derived from the studies above.
EFSA assessed this product’s protected form. Opinion ↗
Meta-analysis effects (pooled)
growth + feed efficiency + viscosity (broilers) Independent↑BW, ↑daily gain, improved feed efficiency, ↓ileal viscosity vs NC
growth + AME (energy-reduced diets) IndependentImproved growth and metabolizable-energy digestibility
Pooled estimates from the systematic reviews/meta-analyses above — the closest thing to a settled answer.
Discussion — grounded in the evidence
Xylanase's core actions — lowering digesta viscosity and releasing metabolizable energy from arabinoxylans — are well and independently supported, including by meta-analysis (AMEn gains of ~5–8% in viscous diets).
Improved growth and feed efficiency are confirmed by meta-analysis, so the performance and cost claims are credible.
The size of the benefit is diet-dependent: largest in wheat/rye/high-fibre diets, smaller in corn-based low-viscosity diets.
EFSA has assessed and the EU has authorised the product (4a8); the production strain and its DNA are absent from the final product.
The evidence is for the xylanase class; specific Econase XT magnitudes versus rivals are not independently established, and dose units differ across studies.
Where studies disagree: The energy and digestibility benefit is largest in viscous, fibre-rich diets (wheat, rye, barley); in low-viscosity corn-based diets the growth effect can hold while digestibility barely moves. Published trials use different activity units and different xylanases, so the magnitude is not directly transferable to Econase XT's BXU dose.
Gaps: Few independent head-to-head trials of Econase XT specifically versus other commercial xylanases. Pig-specific efficacy is less represented in the retrieved literature than broiler data.
Manufacturer’s stated mechanism (their words): A beta-1,4 endo-xylanase (produced by a genetically modified Trichoderma reesei) that hydrolyses arabinoxylans, the main non-starch polysaccharides of wheat, rye and other cereals. This lowers digesta viscosity, frees encapsulated nutrients and energy, and improves nutrient access — most useful in viscous, fibre-rich diets.
Compare & export
Put this beside alternatives on the same active substance (e.g. HMBi / other rumen-protected methionine), and take the data with you.
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