Enzyme complex supplementation in different nutrient levels diets on pigs feces excretion and anaerobic digestion

This research aimed to evaluate enzyme supplementation in diets with different nutritional levels for pigs in their feces excretion and anaerobic digestion. Fifty four gilts were placed on diets formulated to achieve 100 or 95 or 90 % of a pig's nutrient requirements, with the addition of an enzyme complex containing amylase, -glucanase, cellulase, pectinase, xylanase, protease and phytase (diets 100E, 95E and 90E) or without the enzymes (diets 100, 95 and 90). The trial was divided into three periods (1, 1-2 and 1-3) based on the animal weight. The enzyme complex reduced (p < 0.05) excretions per period and per unit of weight gain (residue coefficients) of organic matter (OM) in Period 1, of N, Ca, Zn and Na in Period 1-2, and of Na excretions and residue coefficients in Period 1-3. Animals fed diet 95E had lower excretions (p < 0.05) of dry (DM), organic and mineral matters, N, Ca, Fe, Mn and Cu, and lower residue coefficients (p < 0.05) of DM, OM, P, Fe, Mn and Cu compared with the animals fed diet 95, in Period 1-3. Numerically, the enzyme complex improved biogas and methane production potentials in anaerobic digestion of the feces. The use of an enzyme complex in a diet formulated to provide 95 % of the gilts' nutrient requirements reduced fecal excretion and positively affected the anaerobic digestion of feces. These data show that pig nutrition and feeding are important tools for reducing the potential environmental impact of pig production.

Enzyme complex supplementation in different nutrient levels diets on pigs feces excretion and anaerobic digestion

This research aimed to evaluate enzyme supplementation in diets with different nutritional levels for pigs in their feces excretion and anaerobic digestion. Fifty four gilts were placed on diets formulated to achieve 100 or 95 or 90 % of a pig's nutrient requirements, with the addition of an enzyme complex containing amylase, -glucanase, cellulase, pectinase, xylanase, protease and phytase (diets 100E, 95E and 90E) or without the enzymes (diets 100, 95 and 90). The trial was divided into three periods (1, 1-2 and 1-3) based on the animal weight. The enzyme complex reduced (p < 0.05) excretions per period and per unit of weight gain (residue coefficients) of organic matter (OM) in Period 1, of N, Ca, Zn and Na in Period 1-2, and of Na excretions and residue coefficients in Period 1-3. Animals fed diet 95E had lower excretions (p < 0.05) of dry (DM), organic and mineral matters, N, Ca, Fe, Mn and Cu, and lower residue coefficients (p < 0.05) of DM, OM, P, Fe, Mn and Cu compared with the animals fed diet 95, in Period 1-3. Numerically, the enzyme complex improved biogas and methane production potentials in anaerobic digestion of the feces. The use of an enzyme complex in a diet formulated to provide 95 % of the gilts' nutrient requirements reduced fecal excretion and positively affected the anaerobic digestion of feces. These data show that pig nutrition and feeding are important tools for reducing the potential environmental impact of pig production.(AU)

Fate of native and introduced seeds consumed by captive white-lipped and collared peccaries (Tayassu pecari, Link 1795 and Pecari tajacu, Linnaeus 1758) in the Atlantic rainforest, Brazil / Destino das sementes consumidas por queixadas e catetos (Tayassu pecari e Pecari tajacu) na Mata Atlântica, Brasil

We studied the role of white-lipped and collared peccaries (Tayassu pecari and Pecari tajacu) as seed predators and dispersers in the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil. The Atlantic rainforest ecosystem is highly threatened and has experienced dramatic declines in its populations of large mammals. Local extinctions can disrupt essential plant-animal interactions such as seed dispersion and seed predation. We tracked seeds from time of consumption to germination to assess the direct impact peccaries have on seed survival. We offered fruits of 20 species found in the Atlantic rainforest to the peccaries. Seeds were categorised as intact, scarified, ingested or defecated, and germination tests were performed. The overall impact by both peccary species was similar. Seeds were sometime scarified by mastication, always with fatal consequences. Most seeds that were consumed were destroyed during ingestion and digestion. Only small seeds (<10 mm) were found in the feces and germination tests suggest a positive effect from the passage through the guts. Peccaries clearly have a double role as both seed predators and as small seeds dispersers, which is a specialised role within the granivore/frugivore community of the Atlantic rainforest.(AU)

O papel dos porcos-do-mato, cateto (Pecari tajacu) e queixada (Tayassu pecari), como predadores e dispersores de sementes foram estudados no contexto da Mata Atlântica. Neste ecossistema extremamente ameaçado, as populações de grande mamíferos vêm diminuindo drasticamente. A extinção local de algumas dessas espécies pode modificar as interações plantas-animais como a dispersão e a predação de sementes. Sementes de 20 espécies de plantas lenhosas da Mata Atlântica foram acompanhadas desde a ingestão até a germinação para avaliar o impacto direto que queixadas e catetos têm sobre a sobrevivência destas sementes. As sementes foram categorizadas em: ignoradas, escarificadas (danos mecânicos), engolidas ou defecadas. Também foram realizados testes de germinação. O impacto das duas espécies de foi similar. Às vezes, as sementes foram escarificadas por mastigação, com consequências letais. A maioria das sementes consumidas foi destruída durante a ingestão e digestão. Somente sementes pequenas (<10 mm) foram defecadas. Os testes de germinação sugerem um impacto positivo nas sementes que passaram pelo trato digestivo. Os porcos desempenham claramente um papel duplo: predadores de sementes e dispersores de sementes pequenas, um papel especializado dentro da communidade de frugívoros/granívoros na Mata Atlântica.(AU)