Effect of Protease and α-Galactosidase Supplementation to Field Bean (Vicia faba) Based Diets on Growth and Carcass Traits of Grow-Finisher Pigs

Protease (PROT) and α-galactosidase (GAL) have been suggested to improve feed efficiency when supplemented to pig diets. This study investigated the effect of PROT and GAL supplementation to field bean based diets on grow-finisher pigs. A total of 80 pigs (MAXGRO^TM, Hermitage Genetics, Ireland; 39.0±0.43 kg) housed as same gender pairs and blocked by sex (boars and gilts), and weight. Pigs were allocated to 1 of 4 dietary treatments (n=10 replicates) in a 2x2 factorial arrangement. The factors included in the design were: 1) PROT supplementation (- vs. +1500 prot units/kg; Ronozyme ProAct^®, DSM, Germany) and 2) GAL supplementation (- vs.+200 galu units/kg; ITPSA, Spain). Diets were formulated with field beans (40%) and barley (54%) as the main ingredients. The diets provided 2221 Kcal NE/kg and 0.89% SIDLys. The experiment lasted 50d. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). There was no interaction between PROT and GAL. Pigs fed PROT supplemented diets had similar weight at d 50, similar ADG, lower ADFI (P=0.06), and had an improved FCR (P<0.05) vs. pigs fed un-supplemented diets. Pigs fed GAL supplemented diets had similar weight at 50d, ADG, ADFI and FCR (P>0.10) to pigs fed un-supplemented diets. The PROT supplementation had no effect on carcass weight (88.8 vs. 88.9±0.66 kg, P>0.10), kill out % (77.7 vs. 77.9 ±0.27%, P>0.10), fat depth (12.5 vs. 12.2 ±0.39mm, P>0.10), muscle depth (60.3 vs. 59.6 ± 2.0mm, P>0.10) or lean meat % (58.8 vs. 58.5±0.48%, P>0.10). The GAL supplementation had no effect on carcass weight (88.8 vs. 88.9±0.66 kg, P>0.10), kill out % (77.8 vs.77.8 ±0.27%, P>0.10), fat depth (12.7 vs. 12.1 ±0.39mm, P>0.10), muscle depth (59.2 vs. 60.7±2.02mm, P>0.10) or lean meat % (58.3 vs. 59.0±0.48%, P>0.10). Protease supplementation improved the feed efficiency of pigs fed field bean and barley based diets whereas GAL supplementation did not improve growth or feed efficiency. Neither supplementation with PROT or GAL affected carcass quality.

Effect of protease and α-galactosidase supplementation to field bean diets on growth of grow-finisher pigs

	Protease					α-galactosidase
Item	-	+	SEM	P-value		-	+	SEM	P-value
0-50d
Weight 0d, kg	38.9	39.1	0.43	0.543		38.9	39.0	0.43	0.803
Weight 50d, kg	114.1	114.2	0.79	0.898		114	114.3	0.79	0.779
ADG, g/d	1068	1070	12.51	0.931		1067	1071	12.5	0.828
ADFI, g/d	2459	2394	33.8	0.066		2429	2424	33.8	0.884
FCR, g/g	2.31	2.24	0.022	<0.05		2.27	2.28	0.022	0.687