Non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) are an important part of the diet of monogastric animals. However, these NSPs can negatively impact feed utilisation by reducing the digestibility and absorption of nutrients along the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).
The antinutritional effects of soluble NSPs (arabinoxylans (AX), glucans) have been attributed to their ability to increase the viscosity of the digesta, limiting the absorption of nutrients and favouring the growth of pathogens in the GIT.
In addition, insoluble NSPs (AX, cellulose) can limit the access of endogenous enzymes to nutrients trapped in the cell wall matrix and thus hinder digestion.
To counteract the antinutritional factors of NSPs, enzymes that degrade NSPs are considered the best practice in animal nutrition, improving feed digestion and helping to enhance animal performance.
Equally important, the use of NSPases contributes to a significant reduction in feed costs, as their action allows for nutrient saving effects and the use of alternative raw materials in feed formulations.
Prices and availability of raw materials, as well as concerns about the sustainable production of animal protein, are beginning to focus attention on the use of alternative feeds of local origin, such as larger quantities of certain cereals and by-products of oilseeds.
The use of these alternatives has a strong impact on the fibre composition of the feed, and consequently, on the enzymes needed for efficient fibre degradation.
In December 2025, Huvepharma received European Union registration for the use of a new NSPase, Huvezym® neXo in all poultry and swine species. This new enzyme complex is the result of several years of research conducted in collaboration with Wageningen University on the enzymatic degradation of fibre in the digestive tract of monogastric animals.
The development of Huvezym® neXo focused on specific enzymatic activities with zootechnical relevance for the degradation of complex fibre structures in diets containing more fibrous raw materials or alternative raw materials.
Mode of action of Huvezym® neXo
Huvezym® neXo is an enzyme complex of 1,4-beta-xylanase, 1,4-beta-glucanase, and xyloglucanase. Various research studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Huvezym® neXo in improving the performance of animals fed different types of diets, including those containing more complex fibre.
The performance improvement reported with Huvezym® neXo can be linked to three different modes of action:
- First, partial enzymatic hydrolysis and depolymerization of soluble AX and glucans, which reduces intestinal viscosity and improves nutrient absorption.
- Huvezym® neXo partially degrades the insoluble NSPs present in the cell wall matrix, disrupting the cell wall and releasing nutrients that were physically trapped by the intact cell wall. This effect is enhanced by the presence of xyloglucanase which hydrolyses the xyloglucans that bind the cellulose fibrils together. The disruption of the cellulose matrix facilitates access for 1,4-beta-xylanase to its substrate, resulting in more efficient cell wall degradation.
- By solubilizing AX, Huvezym® neXo releases arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS). AXOS have prebiotic potential and have been linked to increased short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production in the cecum of broiler chickens.
SCFAs are known to promote intestinal health and provide additional energy to the host, among other benefits. In a broiler research trial conducted in Belgium, content samples were taken from different segments of the GIT and used to measure SCFA formation, evaluating the effect of Huvezym® neXo supplementation on fermentation processes along the GIT.
The results (Table 1) show that the addition of Huvezym® neXo significantly increased the acetate and succinate content in the ileum, as well as total acetate, butyrate and SCFAs in the cecum.
These SCFAs can be used by the host in different metabolic pathways as an additional source of energy and to promote intestinal health.
When to use Huvezym® neXo
Huvezym® neXo is a coated enzyme complex developed for optimal fibre degradation and is a nutritional tool to support animal production efficiency.
It was developed to break down complex fibre structures in diets that use more fibrous or alternative raw materials which may require a specific combination of enzymes to ensure that the animal makes the most of the fibre.
Furthermore, being a coated formulation, it guarantees stability through feed processing systems up to 85 oC.
The new and unique enzyme complex of 1,4-beta-xylanase; 1,4-beta-glucanase and xyloglucanase is the necessary help to improve performance in animals fed with complex fibre diets.
The increased complexity of the fibre composition of the food requires the support of additional enzymes, such as cellulases (1,4-beta-glucanase and xyloglucanase), which will disrupt the cell wall matrix and facilitate access of the xylanase enzyme to its substrate (arabinoxylan).
The efficiency of Huvezym® neXo in the degradation of complex fibre is shown in Figures 1 and 2. Significant improvements in fibre digestibility for both cellulose and hemicellulose can be observed in broiler chickens (Figure 1) fed a diet of corn, wheat and soybean meal (SBM) and laying hens (Figure 2) fed a diet of wheat, corn, barley, SBM, sunflower meal (SFM) and rapeseed meal (RSM).
Huvezym® neXo arrives on the NSPASA market as the first innovative nutritional tool in decades
Backed by cutting-edge science, Huvezym® neXo highlights the importance of cellulose-degrading enzymes when fibre composition shifts towards more complex NSPs.
The two cellulases present in Huvezym® neXo: 1,4-beta-glucanase and xyloglucanase (the only xyloglucanase labelled among feed enzymes), combined with a highly efficient xylanase, ensure optimal fibre degradation.
This unique combination allows the animal to release the nutritional value of the fibre in its diet and allows the nutritionist to formulate more cost-effective and high-performance diets.
Why use Huvezym® neXo?
Huvezym® neXo is now registered in the EU for use in all species of pigs and poultry.
Market experience gained from customers outside the EU, as well as through trials with customers within the EU and Huvepharma's extensive research, validate Huvezym® neXo as a unique nutritional tool for complex fibre challenges.
The advantage of Huvezym® neXo is the enzymatic breakdown of antinutritional factors, generating better or equivalent performance with lower feed costs.
The results shown in Figures 3 and 4 summarise the improvements in performance compared to a control diet in terms of final body weight and feed conversion parameters in broiler chickens and piglets.
Figure 3 shows the results of four broiler trials, each with a different diet with a different level of fibre complexity (level of soluble NSP, degree of arabinoxylan polymerisation).
Figure 4 shows the results of five trials in piglets from weaning to approximately 35 kg, each with a different diet with a different level of fibre complexity (level of soluble NSP, degree of polymerization).
In both species, as the level of soluble NSP in the diet (wheat/barley) or the degree of polymerisation (corn diets) increases, the magnitude of the effect of Huvezym® neXo also increases.
This supports the described mode of action and opens the door to various reformulation strategies, including the use of alternative raw materials or the reformulation of diets at a lower cost while maintaining performance.
Huvezym® neXo, the new nutritional tool for optimal animal performance
Huvezym® neXo is a validated nutritional tool that allows animals to make the most of fibre, especially when the diet includes complex fibre. Its effectiveness is reflected in improved animal performance and a healthier gut.
Furthermore, Huvezym® neXo is a tool for formulating feeds more cost-effectively, allowing the use of alternative raw materials without compromising animal performance.
