Effect of a commercial enzyme (nutrase) on growth performance of growing pigs fed diets containing dried distillers grains with solubles

A total of 1,076 pigs (PIC 337 × C22, initially 87.4 lb) were used to determine the effect of a commercial enzyme product on the growth performance of pig fed diets containing dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). Pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 3 treatments balanced by average initial BW within gender. There were 13 replicate pens (7 barrow and 6 gilt pens) per treatment. Treatments included: (1) diet with 3% added fat (control); (2) diet supplemented with enzyme with only 2% added fat but formulated to have an energy content equal to that of the control diet on the basis of calculated increased ME from the enzyme (Nutrase; Nutrex, Lille, Belgium); and (3) diet with 2% added fat without enzyme formulated using the same energy values for the control diet (low energy). Diets were corn-soybean meal-based, contained DDGS, and were fed in 3 phases (87 to 130 lb, 130 to 185 lb, and 185 to 210 lb BW for Phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively). Thirty percent DDGS was included in diets from 87 to 185 lb, and 15% DDGS was included in the last phase from 187 to 210 lb. The control and Nutrase dietary treatments were balanced to a constant lysine:calorie ratio at 2.69, 2.29, and 1.97 g/Mcal ME for Phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively, whereas the low energy dietary treatment had calculated lysine:calorie ratios of 2.73, 2.32, and 2.00 g/Mcal ME for Phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively. There were no treatment × gender interactions (P > 0.25) observed for any response criteria evaluated. The expected differences (P > 0.03) in growth performance between barrows and gilts were observed in all periods and overall. Barrows had greater ADG, ADFI, and final weight but poorer F/G compared with gilts. Except for the poorer F/G (P 0.70), ADFI (P > 0.77), and F/G (P > 0.66) at any of the periods or for the overall study. In conclusion, under the conditions of the present experiment, the commercial enzyme used at the manufacturer’s recommended level did not affect growth performance of growing pigs fed diets containing DDGS

Economic impact of removing pigs before marketing on the remaining pigs’ growth performance

The economic impact of removing the heaviest pigs (topping) before marketing a finishing group and the effect of topping on performance of the remaining pigs were determined in 2 studies. In Exp. 1, a total of 1,126 pigs (BW = 241 lb; 25 pigs/pen) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: topping 0, 2, or 4 pigs/pen 15 d before marketing the remaining pigs in the group. After topping, floor space per pig was 7.2, 7.8, and 8.6 ft2 for pens with 0, 2, and 4 pigs topped per pen, respectively. Overall (d 0 to 15), increasing the number of pigs topped per pen improved ADG (P 0.76) between treatments, but feed usage and cost was reduced (quadratic; P 0.23) any of the carcass traits measured. Topping improves growth performance of the remaining pigs. Based on IOFC, topping 2 pigs once is the most optimal. Improvements in performance from topping more than 2 pigs were not great enough to overcome the reduction in total weight produced by the pen

A meta-analysis of supplemental enzyme studies in growing-finishing pigs fed diets containing dried distillers grains with solubles: effects on growth performance

A meta-analysis of 4 experiments involving 4,506 pigs was conducted to determine the effects of several commercial enzymes on the growth performance of growing-finishing pigs fed various amounts of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). Experiments 1 and 2 used corn-soybean meal-based diets with 15% DDGS. A β-mannanase enzyme (Hemicell; ChemGen Corp., Gaithersburg, MD) was used in enzyme treatments in Exp. 1, and a blend of enzymes that had β-glucanase, cellulase, and protease activities (Agri-king REAP; Agri-King, Inc., Fulton, IL) was used in Exp. 2. In Exp. 3, diets containing 45% and 60% DDGS were fed with or without 2 commercial enzyme products designed for use in diets containing DDGS. In Exp. 4, an enzyme product with bacterial endo-1,4-β-xylanase was evaluated in diets containing 30% DDGS. All enzyme treatments in each experiment were pooled in a meta-analysis to compare the responses to diets with or without enzyme addition regardless of the other factors tested in each trial. All experiments were conducted in the same commercial swine research facility. There were no differences in ADG (P > 0.52), ADFI (P > 0.33), F/G (P > 0.35), and final weight (P > 0.60) among pigs fed diets with added enzyme and pigs fed diets without enzyme in any of the 4 experiments or in the pooled data. In conclusion, on the basis of the combined results from the 4 experiments evaluated in this meta-analysis, adding these enzymes in diets containing various amounts of DDGS does not appear to be beneficial in pigs

Effects of mycotoxin binders and a liquid immunity enhancer on the growth performance of wean-to-finish pigs

A total of 1,120 pigs (PIC 337 × C22, initial BW = 16.0 lb) were used in a study to evaluate the effects of 2 commercial mycotoxin binders and a liquid immunity enhancer product on growth performance of wean-to-finish pigs. Pigs were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments balanced by initial average BW within gender with 10 replicate pens per treatment. Treatments were: (1) control standard phase-fed diets based on corn and soybean meal with DDGS (20 to 35%) fed for 132 d, (2) a control diet with mycotoxin binders Biomannan fed from d 0 to 55 and T-BIND fed from d 0 to 132, (3) a control diet with Biomannan and T-BIND fed from d 0 to 132, and (4) Treatment 3 with a liquid immunity enhancer product administered through the water lines of pens continuously for 7 d every 3 wk. Both mycotoxin binders and the liquid immunity enhancer product were provided by Biotech Development Company, Inc. (Dexter, MO). The mycotoxin binder products were added in the diets at the expense of corn. Pigs from each pen were weighed as a group and feed disappearance was determined every 2 wk to determine ADG, ADFI, and F/G. Results of laboratory analysis showed that all mycotoxins tested in diet samples were below the practical quantitation limit. Overall, there were no treatment × sex interactions (P > 0.50). As expected, gender differences were noted as barrows had greater (P 0.73) as all treatment groups had similar performance during the nursery (P > 0.28) and growing-finishing stages (P > 0.61). Under the conditions of the present study, the products tested had no effect on growth performance of wean-to-finish pigs

Effect of constant or step-up ractopamine hcl (paylean) feeding programs on growth performance and carcass characteristics of late-finishing pigs

A total of 1,099 pigs (PIC 337 × C22; initial BW = 208 lb) were used to evaluate the effect of ractopamine HCl (RAC) feeding programs on growth and carcass traits of late-finishing pigs. Pigs were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments balanced by average BW within gender. There were 14 pens per treatment and 26 pigs per pen. Treatments were a basal diet with: (1) 0 g/ton RAC for 28 d (control), (2) 0 g/ton RAC from d 0 to 7 and 4.5 g/ton RAC from d 7 to 28 (constant), and (3) 4.5 g/ton from d 0 to 14 and 6.75 g/ton from d 14 to 28 (step-up). Pig ADG, ADFI, and F/G were determined weekly, and carcass data were collected at the end of experiment. From d 0 to 7, step-up pigs had improved (P 0.27) F/G. Overall (d 0 to 28), ADFI (P = 0.15) was similar between treatments, but RAC-fed pigs had greater (P < 0.01) ADG than control pigs, which led to improved (P < 0.01) F/G. Pigs fed either RAC feeding strategy had similar performance overall. RAC-fed pigs had heavier (P < 0.05) carcass weights and tended (P < 0.10) to have greater yield than control pigs. Among the 3 groups, step-up pigs had the greatest (P < 0.05) percentage lean, loin depth, and fat-free lean index as well as the lowest (P < 0.01) backfat depth. The pigs fed either RAC program had greater (P < 0.05) revenue than control pigs. Although feed cost was higher (P < 0.01) in the RAC-fed pigs than in the control, income over feed cost tended (P < 0.07) to be higher for RAC-fed pigs than for control pigs. In conclusion, feeding a constant level of 4.5 g/ton RAC for 21 d improved growth similarly to feeding the 28-d step-up program. However, the 28-d RAC step-up program resulted in additional improvement in carcass traits of late-finishing pigs

Evaluation of a pcv2 vaccine on finishing pig growth performance and mortality rate

A total of 2,553 pigs (PIC L337 × C22) were used in two experiments in a commercial research barn to evaluate the effects of a commercially available Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) vaccine on finisher pig growth rate, feed efficiency, and mortality rate. Pigs in Exp. 1 were vaccinated at 9 and 11 wk of age while pigs in Exp. 2 were vaccinated earlier at 5 and 7 wk of age. In Exp. 1, 1,300 pigs were individually weighed and the vaccine treatment administered 15 and 1 d before being placed on test in the finisher. In Exp. 2 1,253 pigs were used and randomly allotted based on nursery pen average pig weight and the vaccine treatment administered 41 and 27 d before being placed on test in the finisher. Pen weights were obtained on d 0 and every 2 weeks until the end of the trial. Feed intake was recorded on a pen basis. In Exp 1, growth rate, feed intake, feed efficiency, and mortality were improved (P<0.05) in vaccinated pigs compared to unvaccinated pigs. In Exp. 2, there was a vaccine by sex interaction (P<0.01) for ADG 2. The interaction was the result of the vaccine increasing ADG to a greater extent in barrows than in gilts. The interaction for ADG resulted in a vaccine by sex interaction for market weight (P<0.05). Vaccinated barrows were 10.6 lb heavier compared to unvaccinated control barrows while vaccinated gilts were only 2.1 lb heavier than unvaccinated gilts at market. In Exp. 2, ADFI and F/G were numerically better and mortality rate was decreased for vaccinated pigs compared to control pigs. In both experiments, mortality rates were lower (P<0.05) in vaccinated pigs. Vaccinated pigs had 2.6 and 5.9% less mortality than nonvaccinated pigs in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. The commercial PCV2 vaccine used in this study was effective at reducing mortality and increasing growth rate in finisher pigs with histopathologic lesions suggestive of Porcine Circoviral Disease (PCVD)

Evaluation of commercial enzyme supplementation on growing pig performance

A total of 1,129 pigs were used in a 56-d study to evaluate the effect of a commercial enzyme on growth performance and assess its energy replacement value in swine diets. Pigs were blocked on the basis of pen weights and allotted to 1 of 6 dietary treatments fed in 3 phases. Dietary treatments had increasing levels of fat (0, 2.5, and 5.0%) with or without added enzyme (0.05% or 0% Agri-King REAP). Phase 1 was fed from approximately 75 to 110 lb BW, phase 2 was fed from 110 to 160 lb BW, and phase 3 was fed from 160 to 200 lb BW. Diets were based on cornmeal and soybean meal with 15% added dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) and balanced to a constant lysine to calorie ratio (2.98, 2.68, and 2.38 g/Mcal ME for phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively) within diet phase. Pen weights and feed intake were obtained every 2 wk from d 0 to 56 to determine ADG, ADFI, and F/G. There were no interactions (P > 0.11) between the addition of enzyme and added fat for ADG, ADFI, or F/G of pigs throughout the duration of the 84-d experiment. There was no difference (P = 0.53) in ADG, ADFI, or F/G between pigs fed diets with and without added enzyme. However, pigs fed diets with increasing added fat levels had improved (linear, P < 0.03) ADG and F/G. In conclusion, the addition of the commercial enzyme did not affect growth performance of pigs in this study, but ADG and F/G improved with the addition of fat in the corn-soybean meal-based diets with 15% DDGS

Determination of amino acid digestibility and calculated energy values in high-protein sorghum dried distillers grains with solubles in growing pigs

An experiment was conducted to determine the digestibility of amino acids (AA) and energy in high-protein sorghum dried distillers grain with solubles (DDGS). Six growing barrows (initially 50 lb) surgically fitted with T-cannulas were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments in a 2-period crossover design. The treatments were a diet with the high-protein sorghum DDGS (50% of the diet) as the only protein source and an N-free diet for determining basal endogenous AA loss. Both diets contained 0.25% chromic oxide as an indigestible marker. Fecal and ileal digesta samples were collected during each period for energy and AA analysis. On the basis of these analyses, apparent (AID) and standardized (SID) ileal digestibility and energy values were calculated. The analyzed CP of the product was 44.5% with a lysine:CP ratio of 3.6%. Crude fat, ADF, and NDF were 2.9, 16.1, and 18.8%, respectively. The AID for lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan were 51.9, 73.0, 60.6, and 71.7%, respectively. The SID values were 53.7, 73.8, 63.0, and 73.8% for lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan, respectively. The analyzed GE of the product was 2,317 kcal/lb of DM. The calculated DE, ME, and NE values were 1,759; 1,610; and 1,023 kcal/lb of DM, respectively. In conclusion, the high-protein sorghum DDGS is higher in CP, AA, Ca, and P but lower in AA digestibility and energy compared with reported values for traditional DDGS

Amino acid digestibility and energy content of corn distillers meal for swine

An experiment was conducted to determine the apparent ileal digestibility and standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids and energy of corn distillers meal in pigs. Five growing barrows (initially 150 lb) were allotted to one of two diets in a crossover design. One diet contained corn distillers meal (66.7%) as the sole protein source. The second diet was nitrogen-free to determine basal endogenous AA losses. Ileal digesta and fecal samples were collected during each period and analyzed for amino acid and energy contents. Based on these analyses, apparent ileal digestibility (AID), standardized ileal digestibility (SID), gross energy (GE), digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), and net energy (NE) were calculated. Apparent ileal digestibility values of lysine, methionine, and threonine in corn distillers meal were 47.2, 79.4, and 64.1%, respectively while SID values of the same amino acids were 50.4, 80.4, and 66.3%, respectively. The ME, DE, and estimated NE values of the corn distillers meal were 1,137; 1,233; and 813 kcal/lb, respectively