Response in nutritionally related blood metabolites, carcass traits and primal pork cuts of slow growing Windsnyer pigs fed on varying levels of potato hash silage

The response of Windsnyer pigs to diets containing varying levels of potato hash silage in nutritionally related blood biochemistry, carcass traits and primal pork was estimated. Thirty-six growing clinically healthy male Windsnyer pigs with an initial weight of 36 kg ± 4.89 (mean ± standard deviation (SD)) were randomly assigned to six experimental diets containing 0, 80, 160, 240, 320, and 400 potato hash silage g/kg dry matter (DM). Experimental diets were derived from mixing a summit diet containing no potato hash silage and a dilution diet containing 400 g potato hash silage/kg in various proportions. Pigs were allowed ad libitum access to diets and water. There was no relationship between inclusion levels of potato hash silage and albumin: globulin ratio, total protein, and uric acid. As inclusion levels of potato hash silage varied, there was a positive linear relationship between silage and albumin concentration. Globulin concentration had a positive quadratic relationship with the inclusion of potato hash silage. Inclusion levels of potato hash silage resulted in a positive quadratic relationship in alkaline phosphatase. There was a negative linear response in warm carcass weight and cold carcass weight to inclusion levels of silage. A negative linear response was observed in dressing percentage. Different inclusion levels of potato hash silage caused a positive quadratic relationship in cooler shrink. There were negative linear relationships between inclusion of potato hash silage with shoulder fat, carcass length and backfat thickness. There was a negative linear relationship between eye muscle area and inclusion level of ensiled potato hash. There was a positive quadratic relationship between hindquarter length (HQL) and inclusion levels of silage. The observed linear relationship between hindquarter circumference (HQC) and inclusion levels of potato hash silage was negative. There is a need to predict the optimum inclusion level of potato hash silage without compromising the healthiness and carcass yield of pigs.Keywords: Alkaline phosphatase, backfat thickness, cold carcass weight, cooler shrink, dorsal fat thickness, eye muscle area, hindquarter circumference, total protei

Dietary inclusion of ensiled avocado oil cake affects growth, nutrient digestion, and carcass characteristics of pigs

In this experiment, the effects were evaluated of various dietary inclusion levels of avocado oil cake (AOC) silage on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass characteristics in pigs. A mixture of 70% AOC, 25% wheat bran, and 5% sugarcane molasses was ensiled in 200 L drums for 90 days. It was then incorporated at 0%, 3% and 5% in the experimental diets. Twenty-seven Large White cross Landrace (LW x LR) weaner pigs, with an average live weight of 22 kg, were stratified by weight and randomly allocated to the three experimental diets (9 pigs/diet). Pigs were weighed individually each week throughout the trial. Daily feed intake, average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion rates (FCRs) were recorded. A nutrient digestibility study was carried out on completion of the growth trial. At the end of the experiment, pigs were fasted for twelve hours and weighed to determine the final weight. The pigs were then slaughtered, and carcass samples were collected and analysed. The growth performance of pigs was not affected by diet, irrespective of fibre levels in the AOC silage. However, the addition of 3% AOC silage improved the digestibility of fibre fractions. The weights of the cold carcass, chops, and backfat thickness were reduced with AOC silage addition

Co-products in maize-soybean growing-pig diets altered in vitro enzymatic insoluble fibre hydrolysis and fermentation in relation to botanical origin

The study examined the effects of botanical factors and fermentation-based, high-level dilution of co-product feeds in maize–soybean growing-pig diets on enzymatic insoluble fibre hydrolysis and fermentation. Feed insoluble fibre residues that were recovered after pepsin-pancreatin digestion were subjected to Roxazyme® G2 (Roxazyme) versus Viscozyme L® V2010 (control) hydrolysis, and to 64-hour fermentation using pig faecal inoculum. The control diet was a 13 MJ metabolizable energy, 141 g total dietary fibre/kg dry matter maize-meal/hominy chop-soybean diet, which was diluted with maize cob, soybean hulls, barley brewer’s grains, lucerne hay or wheat bran in 12 MJ metabolizable energy, 246 g total dietary fibre/kg dry matter iso-nutrient, single co-product test diets. Fermentable insoluble fibre was employed in a computerized iterative selection of ingredients in two iso-nutrient 11 MJ metabolizable energy 319 total dietary fibre/kg dry matter mixed fibre test diets for maximal contrast (high (HF) versus low (LF)) in fermentability. Insoluble fibre extractive pepsin-pancreatin digestibility differed between feed ingredients, and the single co-product test diets, and between the HF and LF mixed co-product diets. Fibre digestibility depended on both the origin and enzyme, with interaction, whereby carbohydrases expressed similar low (0.04 - 0.05) insoluble fibre digestibility for maize cob, moderate (0.12) digestibility for wheat bran and brewer’s grain, with inferior Roxazyme G2 digestibility for maize hominy chop (0.02 vs 0.10) and meal (0.04 vs 0.16), dehulled soybean meal (0.02 vs 0.17), lucerne hay (0.08 vs 0.18), and soybean hulls (0.05 vs 0.33). Co-product-enzyme affinities were expressed in single fibre diets. Low Roxazyme-basal fibre affinity limited its comparative single co-product (0.03 - 0.07 vs 0.16 - 0.22) HF (0.07 vs 0.17) and LF (0.4 vs 0.20) dietary fibre digestibility. Screening for HF/LF did not affect enzymatic digestion, though enzyme combination increased HF, but not LF digestibility. Gas and short chain fatty acid production predicted fermentability proportionately in the declining order of dehulled soybean ≥ maize ≥ soy hulls ≥ maize hominy chop > wheat bran >lucerne hay ≥ brewer’s grain = maize cob. Induced HF and LF contrast was significant. Co-product fibre enrichment decreased fermentability for all except the soy hull and HF diets. Cereal fibre yielded proportionately less acetate, with more propionate and butyrate, and a greater butyrate shift for maize fibre. The HF fibre induced more ACE and less butyrate. Biomarkers of deleterious proteolytic fermentation were high for lucerne (iso-butyrate) and soy hulls (iso-valerate). In conclusion, high-level and fermentation based co-product feed dilution into maize-soybean growing pig diets altered enzymatic insoluble fibre hydrolysis and fermentation in relation to botanical origin. Roxazyme expressed weak hydrolytic potency on maize and soybean insoluble fibre.Keywords: fermentation gas, fermentation kinetics, fibre fermentability, insoluble non-starch polysaccharides, non-starch polysaccharide degrading enzymes, proteolytic fermentation, short-chain fatty acid

Seasonal effects of Rhus lancea and Celtis africana on intake preference and physiological responses in South African indigenous goats

This study investigated the seasonal effects of Rhus lancea and Celtis africana leaves on preference, intake, weight, and serum metabolites in South African indigenous, mature, male goats. Twelve mature, male goats weighing 34 ± 5.9 kg (mean ± SD) were randomly allocated to two groups of six and kept in metabolic crates for periods of 21 days in October 2015 and March, May, and August of 2016. A browser diet of R. lancea and C. africana and a control diet (lucerne and concentrates) were randomly allocated to each group. Measurements taken included nutritional composition of browse per season, and browse preference, intake, weight changes, and serum metabolites in the goats. The acid detergent fibre (24–36%) and neutral detergent fibre (26.9–70.4 %) in R. lancea over the months were greater than in C. africana (50.3–53.2% and 49.4–55.4%, respectively). In the preference study, the goats preferred C. africana more in October (51.2 vs 48.8%), March (51.4 vs 48.6%), and May (54.3 vs 45.7%). Goats on the browser diet lost weight in March, May, and in August whereas those on the control diet gained weight. The serum urea concentration of goats consuming browser diets in May and August (1.8–3.3 mmol/l) was lower than the normal range, consistent with animals failing to derive their protein requirements from the diet. Goats prefer to browse C. africana more than R. lancea. The study also indicated the need for supplementation to meet maintenance requirements in animals fed R. lancea and C. africana.College of Agriculture and Environmental Science