Effects of a multi-component enzyme product in diets with/without wheat middlings on the performance of nursery pigs during the first 23 d post-weaning

Abstract Text: Pigs (PIC 29 × 380, initial BW = 6.72 ± 1.17 kg, n = 200) were blocked by BW at weaning (21 ± 3 d) and allotted to 1 of 5 pens (5 pigs/pen) within each of 8 blocks to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with a multi-component enzyme product (MEP) during the first 23 d post-weaning. Pens within blocks were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 treatments in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial arrangement. The dietary treatments were: 1) a moderately complex diet without wheat middlings (CON); 2) CON with 10% wheat middlings (WM); 3) CON with MEP 1 (C+MEP 1); 4) WM with MEP 1 (WM+MEP 1); and 5) WM with MEP 2 (WM+MEP 2). All diets were pelleted and met or exceeded the NRC (2012) nutrient requirements over 2 diet phases. Pigs fed diets containing wheat middlings had reduced (Midd effect; P < 0.01) ADG in phase 2 (d 9 to 23) and for the overall experiment (phase 1 & 2 periods combined, d 0 to 23); however, ADG was improved (MEP 1 effect; P < 0.05) with the inclusion of MEP 1 in phase 2 and for the overall experiment. Similarly, ADFI was reduced (Midd effect; P < 0.05) in pigs fed wheat middlings in phase 1 and for the overall experiment, and pigs fed MEP 1 had greater (MEP 1 effect; P < 0.05) ADFI in phase 2 and for the overall experiment. Pigs fed WM+MEP 2 had improved (P < 0.05) ADFI in phase 2 and overall when compared to those fed WM treatment. During phase 2 and the overall experiment, G:F was decreased (Midd effect; P < 0.01 and 0.06, respectively) with dietary wheat middlings, and no effect of MEP 1 was observed. For pigs fed WM treatment compared to WM+MEP 2, G:F was increased (P < 0.05) during phase 2. Overall G:F was improved (P < 0.05) for pigs fed WM+MEP 1 compared to WM+MEP 2. At the end of the experiment (d 23 post-weaning), BW was reduced in pigs fed wheat middlings (Midd effect; P < 0.01), but was improved (MEP 1 effect; P < 0.05) by the addition of MEP 1. These results indicate that dietary wheat middlings decreased growth performance in early nursery phases, but the growth of pigs was increased by feeding MEP 1 in diets with or without dietary wheat middlings.

Keywords: multi-component enzyme product, wheat middlings, nursery pigs