Exogenous protease influences protein digestibility, growth performance, and gut microflora in weanling pigs on a limited protein diet

Arch Anim Nutr. 2023 Oct 27:1-21. doi: 10.1080/1745039X.2023.2257921. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe study was conducted to evaluate the impact of dietary level of crude protein (CP) and protease supplementation on growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota in weaning pigs. Three hundred cross-bred piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) were allotted to five dietary treatments on the basis of initial body weight (BW) and sex. Pigs were group-housed in pens with each treatment with 10 replicate pens with six pigs per pen. The treatments included a standard diet (STD), STD with 0.6% lower protein (STD0.6), STD with 0.6% lower protein and protease supplementation (Pro0.6), STD with 1.0% lower protein (STD1.0), STD with 1.0% lower protein and protease supplementation (Pro1.0). Results indicated a higher BW (p < 0.05) of piglets in the Pro0.6 group at days 0-42 compared to the STD0.6 and STD1.0 groups. The average daily gain was higher (p < 0.05) in the Pro0.6 treatments at days 0-42 compared to the STD0.6 and STD1.0. The gain to feed ratio was higher (p < 0.05) in the STD, and Pro0.6 groups compared to the STD0.6, Pro1.0 and the STD1.0 groups at days 0-42. Dry matter digestibility was lower (p < 0.05) in the STD1.0 group than the Pro0.6 and Pro1.0 groups. The crude protein digestibility was higher (p < 0.05) in the Pro0.6 group compared to the STD, STD0.6 and STD1.0 treatment groups while crude fat digestibility w...

Source: Archives of Animal Nutrition - October 27, 2023 Category: Nutrition Authors: Joseph Moturi Abdolreza Hosseindoust Elick Kinara JunYoung Mun SangHun Ha SeRin Park SangIn Park Habeeb Tajudeen Anushka Lokhande Santosh Ingale JinSoo Kim Source Type: research