Abstract #W114

# W114
Exogenous enzymes blend (DigeGrain Delta) improve growth performance and gut health of weanling pigs fed corn-soybean based diet in absence of antibiotic growth promoters.
Y. H. Kim1, S. L. Ingale*2, P. C. Rathi2, S. H. Lee1, B. J. Chae1, 1College of Animal Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea, 2Advanced Enzyme Technologies Ltd, Thane, Maharashtra, India.

The present study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation of an exogenous enzyme blend (DigeGrain Delta; a blend of amylase, protease, β-mannanase, xylanase and phytase) on growth performance, apparent total-tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, and gut health of weanling pigs. A total of 192 weaned piglets (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc, initial body weight: 7.3 ± 0.7 kg) were randomly allotted to 4 treatments on the basis of body weight (4 pens per treatment with 12 pigs in each pen). The dietary treatments included corn-SBM based basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 0.025, 0.050, or 0.075% exogenous enzyme blend. The experimental diets were fed in a meal form for 2 phases (d 0–14, phase I and d 14–28, phase II). Pigs fed dietary increasing levels of enzyme blend had linear improvement (P < 0.05) in overall (d 0–28) average daily gain (ADG), gain:feed (G:F), and ATTD of dry matter, gross energy, and crude protein. Also, overall ADG and G:F of pigs fed diets supplemented with 0.050 and 0.075% enzyme blend were greater (P < 0.05) than pigs fed the control diet. The ATTD of Ca and P was tended to increase (P < 0.10) with dietary increase in enzyme blend. At d 21, pigs fed dietary increasing levels of enzyme blend had greater (linear, P < 0.05) Lactobacills spp. (ileum and cecum) and fewer (linear, P < 0.05) Clostridium spp. (ileum and cecum) and coliform (ileum) populations. On d 28, villus height of the jejunum and ileum were linearly increased (P < 0.05) with dietary increase in enzyme blend. In addition, crypt depth (duodenum and ileum) and villus height:crypt depth (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) tended to increase (linear; P < 0.10) with increase in dietary level of enzyme blend. Results obtained in the present study indicates that dietary supplementation of amylase, protease, β-mannanase, xylanase, and phytase blend had potential to improve the growth performance, ATTD of nutrients, and gut health of weanling pigs fed a corn-SBM based diet in the absence of antibiotics growth promoters.

Key Words: exogenous enzyme blend, performance, weanling pig