Evaluation of Enogen® corn as a replacement for conventional corn in standard and energy-deficient diets for pullets

This study evaluated the effects of substituting conventional corn with Enogen® corn in standard and energy-restricted diets on pullet growth performance, body composition, bone health, and intestinal morphology across major pullet developmental phases. Birds were fed conventional corn or Enogen® corn (expressing thermostable α-amylase enzyme endogenously) based diets, with or without a 200 kcal/kg energy reduction. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether, and if so, how, these dietary modifications influence physiological adaptation and energy partitioning during critical growth phases in pullets. Pullets showed compensatory feeding behavior under energy-restricted diets by increasing feed intake to maintain body weight and growth rates. Enogen® corn substitution did not significantly improve growth performance under ad libitum feeding conditions; however, numerical trend toward improved feed efficiency was observed. Body composition, including fat and muscle percentages, remained stable across all diets, suggesting effective metabolic homeostasis. Bone mineralization and microarchitecture were unaffected by dietary treatments, suggesting the adequacy of dietary minerals in supporting skeletal development. Similarly, intestinal structure showed no morphological changes, indicating that balanced protein, amino acids, and minerals supported gut integrity without necessitating compensatory remodeling. These results emphasize the resilience of pullets to moderate dietary variations when fundamental nutritional requirements are met. While the benefits of Enogen® corn in standard feeding regimens were inconclusive, its potential under energy-restricted and challenge conditions warrants further research.