480
The effects of β-mannanase (Hemicell® HT )supplementation to nursery pig diets on nutrient digestibility and retention
Three groups of 18 barrows with an initial BW of 10±2.95 kg were blocked by BW and randomly assigned to diets containing 0, 32 or 48 kU/kg of β-mannanase (Hemicell® HT) to investigate energy and nitrogen digestibility and retention. Pigs were individually housed in pens (0.35 m2) and provided ad libitum access to feed and water for 7d. Following this 7d adaptation period, 12 pigs (4 pigs/diet in each group, 12 pigs/diet in total) were selected and moved to metabolic pens (0.84m2) where they remained for the final 7d of the experiment. In the metabolic pens, feed was supplied at 9% of metabolic BW (BW0.75) split evenly in 2 daily feedings and water was supplied ad libitum. A total collection of feces and urine was conducted for the final 4d in the metabolism pens for subsequent determination of nutrient digestibility and retention. There was no effect of β-mannanase supplementation on growth (P=0.23), feed efficiency (P=0.84), or feed intake (P=0.27) in either the adjustment period (d0-7) or the collection period (d7-14). Supplementing nursery pig diets with β-mannanase resulted in increased digestible (P < 0.001) and metabolizable (P < 0.001) energy and improved DM digestibility (P < 0.001) and N retention (P < .02). These responses to β-mannanase were greatest when β-mannanase was supplemented at 32 kU/kg. Feeding β-mannanase at 48 kU/kg resulted in DE, ME and DM digestibility and N retention values that tended (P < 0.10) to be greater than control fed pigs, but were not significantly different from pigs fed 32 kU/kg β-mannanase. The results of this experiment indicate that β-mannanase supplementation improves energy digestibility and retention and DM digestibility and N retention in nursery pigs.
β-mannanase, kU/kg: |
0 |
32 |
48 |
MSE |
P Value |
DE (kcal/kg) |
3300a,x |
3462b,y |
3385a,b,y |
96.14 |
<0.001 |
ME (kcal/kg) |
3249a,x |
3429b,y |
3351a,b,y |
94.96 |
<0.001 |
N Digestibility,% |
91.2 |
91.4 |
91.8 |
0.88 |
0.18 |
N Retention,% |
72.2x |
77.2y |
74.9x,y |
4.49 |
0.02 |
DM Digestibility, % |
83.5a,x |
87.2b,z |
85.6b,y |
2.40 |
<0.001 |
a,b Values in a row are different at α=0.05
x,y,z Values in a row are different at α=0.10
Keywords: Pig, Digestibility, β-mannanase