Effects of bromelain supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, fecal microbial shedding, fecal score, and fecal noxious gas emission in weanling pigs

Abstract Text:

A total of 140 weanling pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an average BW of 6.75 ± 1.48 kg were used in 6-weeks trial. Pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 experimental treatments according to their initial BW (7 pens per treatment with 5 pigs per pen). Dietary treatments were: CON, basal diet; T1, CON + 0.05% bromelain; T2, CON + 0.10% bromelain; T3, CON + 0.20% bromelain. The experiment was divided into 2 phases (d 1 to 14 and d 15 to 42). All diets，in mash form, were formulated to meet or exceed the nutrient requirements (NRC, 2012) for weanling pigs. Feed intake and BW were monitored at the end of each phase. T3 treatment had greater (342 vs. 305 g; 409 vs. 387 g; P <0.05) ADG and ADFI than CON treatment in phase 1. In phase 2, the ADG was improved (from T1 to T3: 612, 616, 637 vs. 583 g; P <0.05) in all bromelain treatments compared with CON treatment, ADFI and G: F ratio of T3 treatment was higher (833 vs. 803 g; 0.765 vs. 0.726; P <0.05) compared with CON treatment. Overall, T3 treatment showed greater (539 vs. 490 g; 691 vs. 664 g; P <0.05) ADG and ADFI than CON. Moreover, pigs fed bromelain diets increased (0.769, 0.770, 0.780 vs. 0.738; P <0.05) G: F ratio compared with those fed CON diet. Pigs fed bromelain diets increased (2 wk: 79.06, 79.96, 79.42 vs. 77.98 %; 78.51, 78.86, 78.43 vs. 75.69 %; 6 wk: 74.49, 74.67, 75.02 vs. 72.70 %; 69.43, 70.78, 71.32 vs. 73.39 %; P <0.05) the ATTD of dry matter and nitrogen compared with those fed CON diet at wk 2 and wk 6. On d 42, the blood creatinine in CON group was higher (1.30 vs. 1.04, 0.97, 0.88 mg/dL; P <0.05) compared with those in bromelain treatments. The concentration of fecal E. coli counts were decreased (6.22 vs. 6.41 log₁₀cfu/g; P <0.05) in T2 treatment compared with CON treatment. The fecal NH₃ emission in T2 and T3 treatments decreased (17.72, 17.33 vs. 22.95 ppm; P<0.05) compared with CON. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 0.2% bromelain has been shown to improve the growth performance, ATTD of DM and N, and decreased E. coli and excreta NH₃emission in weaning pigs.

Keywords:

bromelain, growth, performance, fecal microbial, weanling pigs