Effect of Enzymatically Fermented Soybean Meal and Lactobacillus Plantarum on Nursery Pig Performance

A total 360 pigs (PIC C-29×359, initial BW 5.52 kg) were used in a 45-d trial to determine the effects of enzymatically fermented soybean meal (EFS) and Lactobacillus plantarum (LP1) on nursery pig performance. Pigs were weaned at approximately 18 to 20 d of age and allotted to pens blocked by BW within sex. Pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments with 10 pigs/pen and 9 replications/treatment. Dietary treatments were arranged in a 2×2 factorial with main effects of added EFS (0 vs. 8% replacing soybean meal) and LP1 (0 vs. 0.1%). Experimental diets were fed in 2 phases (Phase 1: d 0-14 and Phase 2: d 14-24) with a common diet fed to all pigs from d 24-45 post-weaning. From d 0-24, pigs fed the diet containing EFS tended to have decreased (P=0.088) ADFI compared to pigs fed diets without EFS; however, no evidence for differences were observed for ADG and G:F. Also, pigs fed diets containing LP1 tended to have improved (P=0.053) G:F compared to pigs fed diets without LP1, with no evidence of differences observed for ADG or ADFI. Overall (d 0-45), a LP1×EFS interaction was detected for G:F (P=0.021) where LP1 and EFS individually improved G:F, but the effects were not additive when combined. In conclusion, the addition of LP1 and EFS in nursery diets had variable responses when fed independently, but when combined, no benefit was evident.

						Probability, P <
BW, kg	CTRL	LP1	EFS	LP1 + EFS	SEM	LP1 × EFS	LP1	EFS
d 0	5.52	5.51	5.52	5.53	0.012	0.301	0.892	0.392
d 24	10.86	11.04	10.84	10.98	0.136	0.890	0.247	0.751
d 45	22.78	23.42	23.07	23.29	0.276	0.459	0.130	0.782
d 0 to 24
ADG, g	222	231	222	226	5.8	0.709	0.294	0.662
ADFI, g	303	298	290	292	5.4	0.544	0.789	0.088
G:F	0.734	0.774	0.765	0.773	0.0122	0.210	0.053	0.244
d 0 to 45
ADG, g	383	398	390	393	6.2	0.332	0.142	0.832
ADFI, g	539	549	534	547	8.5	0.881	0.178	0.658
G:F	0.710a	0.723b	0.732b	0.721ab	0.0050	0.021	0.826	0.055