Exogenous protease influences protein digestibility, growth performance, and gut microflora in weanling pigs on a limited protein diet.

The study was conducted to evaluate the impact of dietary level of crude protein (CP) and protease supplementation on growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota in weaning pigs. Three hundred cross-bred piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) were allotted to five dietary treatments on the basis of initial body weight (BW) and sex. Pigs were group-housed in pens with each treatment with 10 replicate pens with six pigs per pen. The treatments included a standard diet (STD), STD with 0.6% lower protein (STD0.6), STD with 0.6% lower protein and protease supplementation (Pro0.6), STD with 1.0% lower protein (STD1.0), STD with 1.0% lower protein and protease supplementation (Pro1.0). Results indicated a higher BW (p < 0.05) of piglets in the Pro0.6 group at days 0-42 compared to the STD0.6 and STD1.0 groups. The average daily gain was higher (p < 0.05) in the Pro0.6 treatments at days 0-42 compared to the STD0.6 and STD1.0. The gain to feed ratio was higher (p < 0.05) in the STD, and Pro0.6 groups compared to the STD0.6, Pro1.0 and the STD1.0 groups at days 0-42. Dry matter digestibility was lower (p < 0.05) in the STD1.0 group than the Pro0.6 and Pro1.0 groups. The crude protein digestibility was higher (p < 0.05) in the Pro0.6 group compared to the STD, STD0.6 and STD1.0 treatment groups while crude fat digestibility was higher (p < 0.05) in the STD and Pro0.6 compared with the STD0.6 and STD1.0 groups. Digestibility was higher for histidine (p < 0.05), leucine (p < 0.05) in the protease Pro0.6 and Pro1.0 groups than in the STD0.6 and STD1.0 groups. The digestibility of non-essential AA was higher for alanine (p < 0.05) in the Pro0.6 than the STD1.0 group. For faecal microbial population, Faecalibacterium abundance was higher (p < 0.05) in the Pro0.6 compared to all the other groups while the population of Actinobacteria was greater (p < 0.05) in the STD group and lowest in the Pro1.0 treatment. In the ileum, villus height was greater (p < 0.05) in the protease Pro0.6, and Pro1.0 groups compared to the STD0.6, and STD1.0 groups while the villus height to crypts depth ratio was lower (p < 0.05) in the STD 1.0 group compared to the STD, Pro0.6, and Pro1.0 groups. Based on these results, dietary protease supplementation improved nutrient digestibility and gut histo-morphology translating to improved utilisation of nutrients thus positively impacting growth performance in weaned pigs. Further, reducing the CP content in the diets increased the abundance of Muribaculaceae while protease supplementation increased the population of Faecalibacterium in the gut of the weanling piglets on the STD0.6 diet.

Supplementation of enzyme cocktail in chickens diet is an effective approach to increase the utilization of nutrient in wheat-based diets.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementing enzyme cocktail on growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, and monosaccharide concentration in ileum and ceca of broiler chickens fed wheat-based diets. A total of 600 male broilers (42.26 ± 1.76 g, 0 day old) were used for 35 days of feeding trial consisting of 2 phases (starter phase from d 0 to 21 and finisher phase from d 21 to 35). Four dietary treatments were prepared based on wheat diets containing four levels of enzyme cocktail supplementation at 0, 0.2, 0.3, and 20 g/kg. Overall, dietary enzyme cocktail supplementation decreased feed conversion ratio (linear p = 0.007; quadratic p = 0.013) and improved (linear p < 0.05) the apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein, and soluble and insoluble non-starch polysaccharides. The apparent total tract digestibility of DM and gross energy were increased (linear p < 0.01) with increasing supplementation levels of the dietary enzyme cocktail. The concentrations of arabinose, xylose, mannose, and glucose in ileal digesta were linearly increased (p < 0.01) with increasing enzyme cocktail supplementation levels. In addition, the quadratic effect was observed (quadratic p = 0.046) in mannose concentration of ileal digesta. The concentration of arabinose, xylose, mannose, and galactose in cecal digesta was increased (linear p < 0.05) with increasing dietary enzyme cocktail supplementation levels. The supplementation of enzyme cocktail efficiently increased the utilization of nutrients in broiler and there was no adverse effects of high dosage supplementation level.

Synergistic effect of exogenous multi-enzyme and phytase on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, blood metabolites, intestinal microflora and morphology in broilers fed corn-wheat-soybean meal diets.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the synergistic effect of exogenous multienzyme and phytase on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, blood metabolites, intestinal microflora, and morphology in broilers fed corn-wheat-soybean meal diets. METHODS: A 2×2 factorial design was used in this study. Four dietary treatments consisted of i) basal diets (corn-wheat-soybean meal based diets without multi-enzyme and phytase), ii) basal diets with phytase (0.05%), iii) basal diets with exogenous multi-enzyme (0.05%), and iv) basal diets with exogenous multi-enzyme including phytase (0.05%). A total of 480 broiler chickens (Ross 308 - one day old) were weighed and allotted to thirty-two cages (15 birds per cage), and chicks were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments. RESULTS: The body weight gain and feed conversion rate were improved by supplementation of exogenous multi-enzyme containing phytase during the finisher period (p<0.05). The birds fed diets with exogenous multi-enzyme containing phytase had a significantly greater digestibility of dry matter, gross energy, crude protein, calcium, and phosphorus compared with birds fed non-supplemented diets (p<0.05). The chickens fed diets with exogenous multi-enzyme containing phytase showed a higher concentration of Ca and P in the serum (p<0.05). The population of Lactobacillus spp., Escherichia coli, and Clostridium were not affected in the ileum and cecum of chickens fed enzyme-supplemented diets. The dietary supplemental exogenous multi-enzyme containing phytase showed a significant improvement in villus height, crypt depth, and villus height and crypt depth ratio, compared to basal diets or dietary supplemental phytase (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The supplementation of the exogenous multi-enzyme containing phytase synergistically improved the growth performance, nutrients digestibility, and villus height of the small intestine of broiler chickens fed a corn-wheat-soybean meal based diets.

Influence of exogenous acid protease in broiler chickens fed corn-soybean meal-based diets.

This study was conducted to determine the influence of exogenous acid protease (EAP) on growth performance, blood profiles, excreta noxious gas emissions, ileum digesta viscosity and apparent ileal digestibility in broilers. A total of 600 1-d-old broilers with average initial body weight of 47.0 ± 0.2 g were used in a 5-week feeding trial. The broilers were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 treatments with 10 replicate pens per treatment and 15 birds per cage. Dietary treatments consisted of: CON, basal diets; EAP1, CON + 2,700 exogenous acid protease unite (APU)/kg; EAP2, CON + 5,400 APU/kg; EAP3, CON + 8,100 APU/kg. The body weight gain (BWG) had a linear improvement when chicks fed 8,100 AP/kg diets from d 18 to 35 and overall (p < .05). Lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) was obtained in broilers fed 5,400 APU/kg and 8,100 APU/kg as compared with the CON during overall (p < .05). Birds fed diets supplemented with EAP diet led to a linear increase in the ileal digestibility of crude protein, energy and amino acids (lysine, methionine, cystine, threonine, isoleucine, leucine, histidine and tryptophan) compared with CON group (p < .05). In conclusion, based on our results, we suggest that supplementation with EAP diet was effective in improving growth performance through increasing ileal digestibility of some nutrients (crude protein, energy and amino acids) in broilers.

Effects of citrus pulp, fish by-product and Bacillus subtilis fermentation biomass on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and fecal microflora of weanling pigs.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with citrus pulp, fish by-product, and Bacillus subtilis fermentation biomass on the growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, and fecal microflora of weanling pigs. A total of 180 weaned piglets (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc) were randomly allotted to three treatments on the basis of body weight (BW). There were six replicate pens in each treatment with 10 piglets per pen. Dietary treatments were corn-soybean meal-based basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 2.5, and 5.0% citrus pulp, fish by-product, and B. subtilis fermentation biomass. The isocaloric and isoproteineous experimental diets were fed in mash form in two phases (d 0 ~ 14, phase I and d 15 ~ 28, phase II). Dietary treatments had significant linear effects on gain to feed ratio (G:F) in all periods, whereas significant linear effects on ATTD of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), and ash were only observed in phase I. Piglets fed diet supplemented with 5.0% citrus pulp, fish by-product, and B. subtilis fermentation biomass showed greater (p < 0.05) G:F (phase I, phase II, and overall) as well as ATTD of DM, GE, and ash (phase I) than pigs fed control diet. Dietary treatments also had significant linear effects on total anaerobic bacteria populations by d 14 and 28. In addition, piglets fed diet supplemented with 5.0% citrus pulp, fish by-product and B. subtilis fermentation biomass showed greater (p < 0.05) fecal total anaerobic bacteria populations (d 14 and 28) than pigs fed control diet. Dietary treatments had no significant effects (linear or quadratic) on average daily gain (ADG), average dial feed intake (ADFI; phase I, phase II, and overall), or fecal populations of Bifidobacterium spp., Clostridium spp., and coliforms (d 14 and 28). These results indicate that dietary supplementation with 5.0% citrus pulp, fish by-product, and B. subtilis fermentation biomass has the potential to improve the feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility, and fecal microflora of weanling pigs.

Effects of dietary supplementation with antimicrobial peptide-P5 on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility, faecal and intestinal microflora and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs.

BACKGROUND: The increase in drug-resistant bacteria and the ban on antibiotic growth promoters worldwide make the search for novel means of preventing bacterial infection and promoting growth performance imperative. In this sense, antimicrobial peptides are thought to be ideal candidates owing to their antimicrobial properties, broad spectrum of activity and low propensity for development of bacterial resistance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with antimicrobial peptide-P5 (AMP-P5) on weanling pig nutrition. RESULTS: A total of 240 weanling pigs were allotted to four treatments on the basis of initial body weight. There were four replicates in each treatment, with 15 pigs per replicate. Dietary treatments were negative control (NC, basal diet without antimicrobial), positive control (PC, basal diet + 1.5 g kg(-1) apramycin), basal diet with 40 mg kg(-1) AMP-P5 (P5-40) and basal diet with 60 mg kg(-1) AMP-P5 (P5-60). Pigs fed the PC or P5-60 diet showed improved (P < 0.05) overall growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and gross energy and reduced (P < 0.05) faecal and intestinal coliforms compared with pigs fed the NC diet. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study indicate that dietary supplementation with 60 mg kg(-1) AMP-P5 has the potential to improve the growth performance and apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients and reduce coliforms in weanling pigs.