Protease Inclusion Improves Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs

Inclusion of high levels of byproducts can reduce diet cost but tend to also decrease growth performance due to low nutrient digestibility. Dietary enzyme supplementation may be a viable solution to increase byproduct inclusion while maintaining growth performance.

Pigs (337 × C-22, PIC, Hendersonville, TN) weaned at 21 days (d) of age were housed (21 pigs per pen, half barrows and half gilts) in a commercial research facility. Phase 2 and 3 (d 7-21 and 21-42, respectively) diets were formulated to be high in crude protein (CP, >137% requirement), neutral detergent fiber (NDF, >15.8%), and 7.5% reduction in standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine (Lys); all other nutrients were at or above requirements. Treatments were amino acid supplementation to requirement (AA), 500 ppm of protease (Cibenza® DP100), or no supplementation (NEG). All diets included carbohydrases (Cibenza® CSM and Cibenza® DE200, each at 500 ppm). Body weight (BW) and feed intake were determined at 7, 21, and 42 d post-weaning. A Complete Randomized Design with 16 replicate pens per Treatment was used and data were analyzed using proc mixed (SAS® Institute, Gary, NC).

Treatment had no effect on BW (P = 0.17 to 0.48). Weight gain was higher (P < 0.09) for AA compared to Cibenza® DP100 or NEG but no different between Cibenza® DP100 and NEG for d 21 and 42 (P = 0.33 to 0.39). Feed intake was 3% higher (P = 0.03) in NEG compared to AA and intermediate for Cibenza® DP100 suggesting a compensatory response to obtain more dietary amino acids. Gain:Feed was higher (P < 0.007) for AA compared to NEG at d 21 and 42. Most importantly, protease supplementation increased Gain:Feed by 3% (P < 0.05) compared to NEG suggesting an improvement in amino acid availability.

Inclusion of dietary protease can increase the growth efficiency of nursery pigs consuming a high CP, fiber, and low Lys SID diet.

Dietary protease supplementation may be used to increase nutrient digestibility and bioavailability, and/or reduce anti-nutritional constrains of high byproduct inclusion.

Keywords: Enzyme, protein, amino acid.