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The aim of this study was to assess the effects of purified, low-molecular-weight, polymannuronate on the performance, immune status, antioxidant capacity and the intestinal tract fermentation profile of weaned piglets. In a 28-d experiment, 180 crossbred Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) piglets weighing 9.19 ± 1.47 kg and weaned at 35 days of age, were divided into 5 groups and fed corn-soybean meal based diets supplemented with 0, 3, 4, 5 or 6 g/kg polymannuronate (supplemented at the expense of corn). Each treatment was replicated 6 times with 6 pigs per replicate. Average daily gain (ADG), gain to feed (G:F) ratio as well as the serum IgM and hepatic glutathione linearly increased ( P < 0.01) with increasing level of polymannuronate. Supplementation with increasing levels of dietary polymannuronate resulted in increased numbers of ileal and colonic lactic acid bacteria (linear effect, P < 0.01). The number of E. coli in ileum and colon was linearly decreased ( P < 0.05) with increasing level of polymannuronate. At the end of the experiment, ileal and cecal lactic acid concentrations were significantly linearly increased ( P < 0.01) with increasing level of polymannuronate. The concentration of butyric acid in the cecum, acetic acid and total VFA in colonic were also linearly increased ( P < 0.05) with increasing polymannuronate inclusion levels. These results indicate that polymannuronate can improve immune status, antioxidant capacity and performance of weaned piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was undertaken to study the effect of dietary fibre on gastric microflora, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) concentrations at different time after feeding in gestating sows. Three experimental diets consisting of two dietary fibre-rich diets and one concentrated, low dietary fibre diet (C) were used. One fibre-rich diet contained soluble dietary fibre from sugar beet pulp (S) and the other contained insoluble dietary fibre from wheat bran (W). The experiment was carried out as repeated 3×3 Latin squares with six gastric-cannulated gestating sows fed one of the three experimental diets, with experimental periods of 7 days, comprising 3 days of adaptation to each diet, followed by 4 days of collection of gastric digesta. The gastric digesta were evacuated once daily through the gastric cannula in a randomized order 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 15.5 h after feeding the morning meal. The evacuated gastric digesta were quantified and a representative sample collected for measuring pH, dry matter (DM) content, SCFA, density of various bacterial populations (including coliform bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, lactobacilli, enterococci and yeasts), adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP), and adenylate energy charge (AEC). With all three diets, gastric pH was highest at 0.5 h after feeding, and then fell gradually with increasing time (especially between 0.5 and 2 h) after feeding. The changing trend of pH with the three diets was not significantly different. The total counts of coliform bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, lactobacilli, enterococci and yeasts were also highest at 0.5 h after feeding, in agreement with gastric pH values. The population of coliform bacteria with diet S decreased significantly compared with diet C or diet W (P<0.05). The concentration of gastric ATP was highest at 15.5 h after feeding. The level of acetate had the lowest value at 0.5–1 h with diets S and C, but at 2 h with diet W. In conclusion, gastric pH was unstable at different time after feeding, and was highest at 0.5 h after feeding. The highest populations of various gastric bacteria were found at 0.5 h after feeding, irrespective of type of diet. As gastric pH increased, gastric microbial activity was inhibited. The populations of lactic acid bacteria and lactobacilli with the insoluble dietary fibre were always higher than with the soluble dietary fibre at all times after feeding. Soluble dietary fibre increased the level of acetate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• DAI supplementation improved growth performance of growing-finishing pigs. • DAI elevated serum IGF-1 and testosterone concentrations and antioxidant capacity. • DAI improved pork quality by changes of the glucose and lipid metabolism. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary daidzein (DAI) supplementation on growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs. Seventy-two DLY (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) male castrated growing-pigs were randomly assigned to four treatments, and fed with a basal diet (CON) or basal diet containing different doses of DAI (12.5, 37.5, and 62.5 mg/kg). Results showed that DAI supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the average daily gain (ADG). Moreover, DAI not only elevated the serum insulin-like growth factors-1 (IGF-1) and testosterone concentrations (P < 0.05), but also elevated the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). Interestingly, DAI supplementation at high dose (62.5 mg/kg) significantly increased the intramuscular fat (IMF) content but reduced the fat content in liver (P < 0.05). The drip loss and shear force were both decreased in pigs treated with 62.5 mg/kg DAI (P < 0.05). DAI supplementation elevated the expression level of MyHC I and decreased the expression level of MyHC IIb in longissimus thoracis (P < 0.05). Importantly, DAI altered the expression profiles of critical metabolic genes in the longissimus thoracis and liver. The phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) genes were downregulated in the longissimus thoracis (P < 0.05). However, the expression levels of fatty acid synthase (FASN) and acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) genes were upregulated by DAI (P < 0.05). In the liver, DAI elevated the expression level of glucokinase (GCK) but decreased the expression level of ACC1 (P < 0.05). These results not only indicate a beneficial effect of dietary DAI supplementation on growth performance but also offer potential mechanisms behind the DAI-regulated meat quality in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the optimal adaptation duration of growing pigs to high fiber diets for net energy (NE) determination and the effect of soluble and insoluble fiber on nutrient digestibility and energy metabolism using indirect calorimetry. Eighteen growing barrows (initial BW: 36.1 ± 3.1 kg) were allotted in a completely randomized design to 3 dietary treatments. The 3 experimental diets included a corn-soybean meal basal diet and 2 test diets formulated to contain either 220 g/kg sugar beet pulp or 200 g/kg soybean hulls at the expense of corn, soybean meal and amino acid (AA) in the basal diet. The experiment was conducted in 3 consecutive 28-d periods consisting of a 7-d preliminary period followed by a 21-d heat production (HP) measurement period, and the HP measurement period was artificially divided into 4 adaptation duration (collection periods) of 5 d (from d 8 to d 12, d 13 to d 17, d 18 to d 22, d 23 to d 27) in order to calculate DE, ME and NE values and digestibility coefficients of nutrients within each collection period and pig. Pigs required to be adapted to the three diets for these many days before they could finish the daily feed allowance. Indeed, pigs needed 7, 12 and 10 days finishing eating the basal, sugar beet pulp and soybean hulls diet, respectively. The coefficient of apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of dry matter (DM), total dietary fiber (TDF), neutral detergent fiber assayed with a heat stable amylase and expressed inclusive of residual ash (aNDF), ether extract (EE) and organic matter (OM) were not significantly changed with adaptation duration for respective diets. Nitrogen retention was increased (P < 0.05) in respective diets with adaptation duration. The total heat production (THP), retained energy as protein (RE P ) and retained energy as lipids (RE L ) were not changed with adaptation duration in their respective diets. Similarly, the digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME) and NE values of diets and ingredients were not changed with adaptation duration. Sugar beet pulp and soybean hulls had a negative effect (P < 0.01) on energy values and CATTD of gross energy (GE), DM, OM, crude protein (CP) and EE. However, the CATTD of fiber constituent were greater (P < 0.01) in pigs fed the sugar beet pulp diet than pigs fed other diets. In conclusion, considering the effect of high fiber diets on feed intake, a 12-d adaptation period will be necessary for NE determination of fiber-rich ingredients, even though the CATTD of most nutrients and energy values were not changed with adaptation duration. High fiber diets had a negative effect on nutrients digestibility and energy values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction equations for digestible energy (DE) of sorghum grains fed to pigs have been generated based on chemical composition in our study. However, an in vitro method mimicking gastrointestinal digestion of pigs is more applicable to predict DE of feed ingredients in practice. This study evaluated in vitro DE (IVDE) and digestibility of gross energy (GE) in 28 samples of sorghum grain with a wide range in nutrient profiles using a 3-step computer-controlled simulated digestion system (CCSDS) and generated prediction equations based on IVDE and in vitro GE disappearance (IVGED) for previously determined DE and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of GE. The IVDE (3305–4068 kcal/kg), IVDE/GE (0.72–0.91), IVGED (0.72–0.90), and in vitro dry matter (DM) disappearance (0.73–0.89; IVDMD) were quite variable and had a high negative correlation with tannin content in sorghum grain (r ≤ −0.90, P  < 0.01). The IVDE or IVDE/GE was highly positively correlated with determined DE or DE/GE ( r  = 0.97 or 0.96, both P  < 0.01), and linear relationship between DE and IVDE (kcal/kg of DM) or between DE/GE and IVDE/GE was observed in 28 sorghum cultivars: DE = 0.62 × IVDE + 1462 ( R 2  = 0.93, RMSE  = 40.9 kcal/kg, P  < 0.001), or DE/GE = 0.626 × IVDE/GE + 0.331 ( R 2  = 0.92, RMSE = 0.01, P  < 0.001). Differences of less than 50 kcal/kg or 0.02 were observed in 23 or 24 of the 28 samples between determined and predicted DE or DE/GE. Similarly, the positive relationship between ATTD of GE or DM and IVGED or IVDMD was high ( r  = 0.95 and 0.93, respectively, both P  < 0.01), and the prediction equations based on in vitro values were 0.595 × IVGED + 0.351 ( R 2  = 0.90, RMSE = 0.01, P  < 0.001) for ATTD of GE and 0.644 × IVDMD + 0.327 ( R 2  = 0.87, RMSE = 0.01, P  < 0.001) for ATTD of DM. Differences between determined and predicted values were smaller than 0.02 in 25 or 24 out of the 28 samples for ATTD of GE or DM. In conclusion, tannin negatively affects the in vitro enzyme digestion of energy content in sorghum grain. The 3-step enzymatic method using CCSDS could be a promising in vitro digestibility technique to predict DE and digestibility of GE in sorghum gain for pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An equation for digestible energy (DE) of corn grain fed to pigs has been established based on chemical composition or near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy in our laboratory. And an in vitro digestibility technique to predict the DE value of feed ingredients is also applicable in practice. This study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro digestible energy (IVDE) and digestibility of gross energy (GE) in 13 selected samples of corn grain with a wide range in nutrient profiles using a computer-controlled simulated digestion system (CCSDS) and to generate prediction equations based on IVDE and IVDE/GE values for previously determined DE and digestibility of GE (DE/GE). Among the 13 samples, starch, DE and DE/GE content (dry matter basis) ranged from 603 to 662 g/kg, 3843 to 4068 kcal/kg, and 0.89 to 0.94, respectively. The IVDE (3440–3637 kcal/kg) or IVDE/GE (0.80–0.84) showed a similar variation tendency with the DE or DE/GE value in the corn grains. There were highly positive correlations between IVDE and determined DE (r = 0.99, P < 0.01) and between IVDE/GE and determined DE/GE (r = 0.98, P < 0.01). Linear relationships were observed in the 13 corn samples: DE = 1.14 × IVDE – 89.56 ( R 2 = 0.97, P < 0.01) and DE/GE = 1.12 × IVDE/GE – 0.18 ( R 2 = 0.97, P < 0.01). All samples showed the differences of less than 25 kcal/kg between observed and predicted DE and less than 0.005 between observed and predicted DE/GE. The slopes and R 2 for the linear relationship between observed and predicted values were both 1 and 0.97. Overall, CCSDS is a promising in vitro digestibility technique to predict DE and digestibility of GE in corn gain for pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the digestible (DE) and metabolisable energy (ME) content and the coefficient of apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of gross energy (GE) in 4 cereal grains (corn, wheat, barley and sorghum) fed to barrows and to quantify the effect of body weight (BW) on the digestibility of the 4 cereal grains. Twenty-four weanling barrows (13.3 ± 0.8 BW, stage 1), 24 growing barrows (31.6 ± 1.5 BW, stage 2), 24 finishing barrows (56.7 ± 1.8 BW, stage 3) and 24 fattening barrows (111 ± 3.8 BW, stage 4) were individually housed in metabolic crates and allotted to 1 of 4 diets with 6 pigs fed each diet at each BW in a completely randomized design. The 4 diets consisted of 973.4 g/kg of a cereal grain and 26.6 g/kg of vitamins and minerals. Faeces and urine samples were collected for 5 d following a 10 d adaptation period. The DE and ME content and the CATTD of GE in corn and wheat were greater ( P < 0.05) than in barley and sorghum for barrows weighing 13.3 and 31.6 kg. Wheat had higher ( P < 0.05) DE and ME values than barley and sorghum, but these were lower ( P < 0.05) than corn when fed to barrows weighing 56.7 and 111.4 kg. Pigs weighing 111.4 kg had the highest ( P < 0.05) DE and ME values and CATTD of GE when fed corn, wheat or barley. The DE and ME contents and CATTD of GE in sorghum were unaffected by increasing BW of pigs. There was a significant interaction in ME content and CATTD of OM between cereal grain and BW with ME content and CATTD of OM increasing with BW in the corn, wheat and barley and not changing with BW in sorghum ( P < 0.05). Overall, DE and ME values and CATTD of GE were greater for pigs fed corn and wheat than barley and sorghum and the digestive ability of pigs fed any of the cereal grains excluding sorghum was increased with increasing body weight. Therefore, differences in the DE and ME content of different cereal grains for pigs of different BW indicate that the effective energy values of various ingredients for pigs at different physiological stages should be considered in order to accurately and economically formulate diets based on these cereal grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to determine the digestible and metabolizable energy (DE and ME) content of lipid sources when fed to growing pigs and to establish prediction equations for determining the DE and ME content of the lipid sources based on their fatty acid composition. Eighty-four crossbred growing barrows (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, weighing 39.4 ± 3.5 kg) were randomly allotted to 1 of 14 diets with 6 pigs per diet involving 13 lipid sources and a basal diet composed of corn and soybean meal according to a randomized complete block design. The lipid sources were substituted into the basal diet at a level of 10% at the expense of corn and soybean meal. The barrows were housed in individual metabolism crates to facilitate separate collection of feces and urine, and were fed the assigned test diets at 4% of initial body weight per day. A 5-d total collection of feces and urine followed a 7-d diet adaptation period. The results showed that the DE and ME content of lipid sources were affected by the composition of their fatty acids. The DE and ME content of lipid sources containing more polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were usually greater. The DE and ME content of the most examined vegetable and animal lipid sources can be predicted by the content of PUFA, oleic acid (C18:1) and stearic acid (C18:0). The best prediction equation is: DE = 34.15 + 0.07 × PUFA + 0.21 × C18:0 − 0.04 × C18:1 ( R 2 = 0.84, P < 0.01); ME = 33.37 + 0.07 × PUFA + 0.20 × C18:0 − 0.04 × C18:1 ( R 2 = 0.85, P < 0.01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty samples of wheat milling by-products (wheat bran, wheat middlings, wheat shorts, wheat red dog, wheat feed flour), collected from 11 flour mills, were fed to growing pigs to determine their digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) content and to establish equations for predicting their DE and ME content based on chemical analysis. The basal diet was based on corn and soybean meal while the other 30 experimental diets contained 290.4 g/kg wheat milling by-products added at the expense of corn and soybean meal. The 31 diets were fed to 96 growing pigs (BW = 61.9 ± 3.2 kg) according to a completely randomized design during two successive periods. During each period, the 30 experimental diets were fed to three pigs and the basal diet was fed to six pigs, resulting in 6 replications per experimental diet and 12 replications for the basal diet over the two periods. The chemical composition of the 30 samples was variable, and starch and fiber content had a strong negative correlation ( r = −0.96 to −0.99 for CF and ADF, respectively). The DE content of wheat feed flour, wheat red dog, wheat shorts, wheat middlings and wheat bran averaged 17.4, 16.9, 15.2, 12.5 and 12.0 MJ/kg DM, respectively. From the stepwise regression analysis, a series of DE and ME prediction equations were generated. The best fit equations for wheat milling by-products were: DE (MJ/kg DM) = 19.2 − (0.016×aNDF) with R 2 = 0.94, RSD = 0.58 and P<0.01; and ME (MJ/kg DM) = 16.9 – (0.0136×aNDF) with R 2 = 0.94, RSD = 0.50 and P<0.01. Few additional variables came into the equation models because of the strongly correlated relationships among chemical components. The results indicate that DE and ME content varied substantially and various correlated single predictors (aNDF, ash, CF, starch, etc.) can be used to accurately predict the DE and ME content when fed to growing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A repeated 4×4 Latin square design was performed with eight ileal cannulated castrates to study the effect of source of starch and fibre on apparent ileal and faecal digestibility, and crude protein (CP) and fat balance. The experimental diets were based on cooked rice (C) and cooked rice with addition of raw potato starch (P), sugar beet pulp (S) and wheat bran (W). The inclusion of potato starch reduced (P<0.05) the ileal digestibility of organic matter (OM) and starch, and the total tract digestibility of CP. The ileal digestibility of potato starch was calculated to be 0.75. Inclusion of fibre sources (sugar beet pulp and wheat bran) in the basal diet resulted in a reduction (P<0.05) in the ileal and faecal digestibility of dietary components (except for starch) and energy. While there were no differences (P>0.05) in the ileal digestibility of dietary components and energy between fibre sources, the total tract digestibility of dietary components (except for CP and starch) and energy were lower (P<0.05) for the insoluble fibre source (wheat bran). With the exception of mannose and uronic acid the ileal digestibility of individual sugars were unaffected (P>0.05) by diet composition. The inclusion of wheat bran negatively influenced the faecal digestibility of individual sugars (except for xylose) and non-starch polysaccharides. Nitrogen retention was unaffected (P>0.05) by diet composition, while fat accretion tended (P<0.10) to be lower in diet C. The latter was due to a low feed and energy intake. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether partial or complete replacement of zinc oxide (ZnO) with the mannan-rich fraction (MRF) would maintain or further improve growth performance, and affect diarrhea incidence, nutrient digestibility, serum growth-related hormone level, and intestinal health in weaned pigs. A total of 192 weaned pigs (96 barrows and 96 gilts) with an initial body weight (BW) of 7.84 ± 0.75 kg were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized block design. The dietary treatments included a basal diet without antibiotics or zinc (Zn) supplementation (CON), ZnO diet (CON + 1600 mg Zn/kg from ZnO), MRF diet (CON + 800 mg MRF commercial product/kg) and MFLZ diet (CON + 800 mg MRF commercial product/kg and 800 mg Zn/kg from ZnO). Pigs fed the MFLZ diet showed greater (P < 0.05) average daily feed intake (ADFI) during day 14–28, while pigs fed MRF and MFLZ diets tended (P = 0.094) to have greater average daily gain (ADG) during the overall period (day 1–28) compared with pigs fed the CON diet. Diarrhea incidences in ZnO, MRF, and MFLZ groups were lower (P < 0.01) than those in the CON group throughout the experiment. Except for the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of crude protein (CP) in the MFLZ group, the ATTD of dry matter, organic matter, gross energy, and CP was greater (P < 0.05) in both MRF and MFLZ groups. Pigs fed MRF and MFLZ diets had greater serum IGF-I levels (P < 0.05) than pigs fed CON and ZnO diets on day 14. However, ZnO supplementation in diets did not affect nutrients digestibility and serum IGF-I level. Pigs fed ZnO, MRF and MFLZ diets had higher (P < 0.05) acetic acid concentrations in the cecum, while pigs fed the MFLZ diet had higher butyric acid concentrations in the colon compared with those fed the CON diet. Moreover, pigs in the MRF group showed higher (P < 0.05) microbial richness and diversity than pigs in the ZnO group. In conclusion, ZnO and MRF alone or combination positively impacted intestinal health, thereby alleviating diarrhea incidence and improving growth performance in weaned pigs, with higher nutrient digestibility as seen with MRF supplementation. • Combined use of dietary mannan-rich fraction (MRF) and ZnO improved growth performance and intestinal health of weaned pigs. • Partial or complete replacement of ZnO by MRF could improve nutrient digestibility and reduce fecal zinc excretion. • Dietary MRF addition benefits intestinal health by modifying short-chain fatty acids contents and gut microbiota community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Except for cysteine, extruded defatted rice bran had lower amino acid concentration than pelleted defatted rice bran. • The extruded defatted rice bran had higher energy content than pelleted, but it was opposite for fibrous compounds. • Defatted rice bran sources and processing vary in their ability to supply energy to an animal. The objective of this study was to evaluate the digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME) content, and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of gross energy (GE) in extruded defatted rice bran and pelleted defatted rice bran, and to determine apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acid (AA) in two types of defatted rice bran (DFRB) fed to growing pigs. Extruded DFRB is the rice bran co-product remaining after oil is removed by steam pressing and extracting whereas pelleted DFRB is produced by pelleting and extracting. In experiment (Exp) 1, 30 barrows [Duroc × (Large White × Landrace)] with an initial body weight (BW) of 37.6 ± 4.4 kg were allotted to one of five diets (n = 5) including a corn-soybean meal basal diet and four DFRB test diets containing 292 g/kg of two types of DFRB replacing corn or soybean meal in one basal diet. Pigs were placed in metabolism crates for 7 days of adaptation followed by a 5-day total collection period of feces and urine to detect DE, ME and ATTD of GE in DFRB. Experiment 2 was conducted to evaluate CP and AA digestibility of DFRB. Six growing pigs (24.7 ± 5.2 kg BW) were allocated to 1 of 3 treatments. Diets included one N-free diet and two test diets which contained 600 g/kg extruded DFRB or pelleted DFRB as the only source of CP and AA. On a dry matter (DM) basis, extruded DFRB contained less fibrous compounds than pelleted DFRB. Except for cysteine, the concentration of AA was less in extruded DFRB than in pelleted DFRB. On an as-fed basis, ME contents in extruded DFRB were greater (P < 0.05) than pelleted DFRB. Pelleted DFRB had greater (P < 0.05) AID of Trp and Gly than extruded DFRB, but for other AA, AID was not different. The SID of all AA was not different between the two sources of DFRB. In conclusion, compared with pelleted DFRB, extruded DFRB may be better for pigs considering its greater DE value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]