Effect of protease and anti-inflammatory supplementation with low nutrient diets on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile and fecal noxious gas in growing-finishing pigs

Abstract Text: A total of 180 crossbred pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] with an average initial body weight (BW) of 22.61 ± 1.23 kg were used in 18 week study. Pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments (9 replicate pens per treatment, 5 pigs per pen). Dietary treatments included: 1) T1 (CON), 2) T2 (low protein diet), 3) T3 (low protein diet + 0.02% protease), and 4) T4 (low protein diet + 0.03% bromelain). All data were subjected to the GLM procedures of SAS and differences among treatments were separated by Tukey’s multiple range test with a P < 0.05 indicating a significance. At the wk 18, pigs fed the T3, and T4 treatments had a greater ADG (P < 0.05) than pigs fed the T2 treatment. There was no differences (P > 0.05) in ADG, ADFI, G:F at the wk 6, wk 12 and in the overall experimental period. There was no significant difference observed in ADG, ADFI, G:F between T1, T3 and T4 treatments at the wk 6, wk 12, wk 18, and overall. The results showed that dry matter (DM), and nitrogen (N) increased (P < 0.05) at the wk 6 with pigs fed T4 treatment compared with T2 treatment. In addition, an increase (P < 0.05) of N and energy was observed with protease supplementation treatment compared with T2 treatment at the wk 6 , wk 12, respectively. On blood profile, the levels of creatinine in the T2, T3, and T4 treatments was lower (P < 0.05) than the T1 treatment. The blood urine nitrogen in pigs fed the T4 treatment was lower (P < 0.05) than those fed the T3 treatment. At the wk 6th, a dramatic decrease (P < 0.05) in NH₃ and total mercaptans was observed in the T4 treatment compared with the T1 treatment. There was a decrease (P < 0.05) in NH₃ and H₂S in pigs fed with the T3 treatment compared with T1 treatment. No other significant differences were observed in NH₃, H₂S, and total mercaptans among T1, T2, T3 and T4 treatments (P > 0.05) in wk 12 and wk 18. In conclusion, results achieved in the present study indicated that supplementation of protease and bromelain with low protein enhanced growth performance, nutrient digestibility and decreased the amount of noxious gas emission in finishing pigs. 

Keywords: Bromelain, protease, finishing pigs