With Adisseo, beyond energy and phosphorus savings, enhance carcass quality of pigs fed corn-based diets

A recent trial conducted in Brazil on pigs aged between 49 and 144 days confirms that including Rovabio^® Max, Adisseo’s multi enzymatic product in a corn-based diet improves the average daily gain, feed conversion and carcass quality of the pigs. Enzyme supplementation is efficient in reducing costs, by lowering nutrient content of the corn-soybean diets without compromising performance. 

The use of phytase in addition to other enzymes like carbohydrases is becoming common in pigs. Many combinations are being field tested but Adisseo has been working hard on the scientific analysis of Rovabio^® Max. 

In this experiment, the animals were split into three groups (each following a different treatment):

1 – Positive control (PC): regular diet without enzyme

2 – Negative control (NC): a diet decreased by 85 Kcal Net Energy / kg, 3% of protein and amino acids, 0.15% in Available Phosphorus and 0.10% Calcium

3 – NC + Rovabio^® Max

All feeds were corn/soybean-based.

As shown in Table 1, the average daily gain and feed conversion were significantly better for pigs receiving the negative control plus Rovabio^® Max (respectively + 6.6% and – 3.3%), even when compared with the results of the positive group. Pigs receiving the enzyme complex demonstrated a lower backfat thickness of the carcass and a better distribution regarding SEUROP classification, with higher carcass rated U. 

Table 1 Performances of pigs fed a corn-soybean based diet from 49 to 144 days of age with or without Rovabio^® Max.

(a), (b) Means with different superscripts within a row differ (P<0.05) 

This study recently published in JAM 2011 (Animal Science annual Meeting) (1) coincides with the results of a former trial (2) which showed the positive effects of Rovabio^® Max on zootechnical performance of piglets aged between 49 to 70 days on a corn-soybean-based diet. 

These two trials, in addition to other studies, confirm the positive effect of Rovabio^® Max (a combination of carbohydrases and a 6-phytase) on gut morphology, microbiota and digestibility of the diets for growing and finishing pigs. Pig producers can safely decrease energy and available phosphorus levels by 65-85  kcal NE/ kg and 0.15% respectively in corn-based diets. 

“The use of Rovabio® Max in swine feed is an efficient tool because it allows us to reduce the dietary nutritional levels and consequently the production costs (without affecting the performance of male and females pigs). It is also important to highlight that this enzyme significantly improved the carcass composition of these animals, due to the reduction in fat deposited on the carcass. In our study, Rovabio^® Max demonstrated its excellent efficiency and we are very pleased with the results.” Prof. Lucio Araujo – University of São Paulo

In Brazil, over five million pigs were fed with diets including Rovabio^® Max in 2011. Marcio Ceccantini, Adisseo South America Technical Director, says, “This represents savings close to five million dollars for the local pig industry.” 

(1) Ceccantini, M., Freitas, B.V., Mota, M.M., Petroli, N.B, C. C. Silva, C. S. S. Araujo, and L. F. Araujo. 2011. Effect of carbohydrolase complex and phytase combined in corn-soybean meal diet for pigs. ADSA/ASA meeting, July, 10-14, New Orleans, abs M211.  

(2) Freitas, B. V., Ceccantini, M., Petroli, N. B., Mota, M. M., Barbosa, L.C., Godoy, V.S., Valadares, L.C. and L.F. Araujo, 2010. Utilization of an enzyme complex in piglet diets. 4^th Latin American Congress of Animal Nutrition 23-26 November 2010 - São Pedro, Brazil, 2p.