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Increased fermentable carbohydrates (e.g., β-glucan, amylose) may increase endogenous losses including for P, and thereby reduce apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of P. The present study assessed effects of barley cultivars varying in fermentable starch and fiber on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and ATTD of P, myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis (dihydrogen phosphate; InsP6) and Ca, and standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P and the presence of lower inositol phosphates (InsP) compared to wheat. In a 6 (period) × 5 (diet) Youden square, seven ileal-cannulated barrows (initial BW, 27.7 kg) were fed diets containing 80% of one of five cereal grains differing in amylose, β-glucan, and fiber content: 1) high-fermentable, high-β-glucan, hull-less barley (HFB); 2) high-fermentable, high-amylose, hull-less barley (HFA); 3) moderate-fermentable, hull-less barley (MFB); 4) low-fermentable, hulled barley (LFB); and 5) low-fermentable, Canadian Western Red Spring wheat (LFW). On dry matter (DM) basis, cereal grains contained between 0.32% to 0.53% total P and 0.24% to 0.50% InsP6-P. The InsP6-2-P was calculated as the sum of all detected InsP-P (InsP6-P to InsP2-P) in the sample. The P release of degraded InsP-P was calculated by using the following equation: sum InsP6-2-Pdiet (g/kg DM) × (AID or ATTD sum InsP6-2-P (%)/ 100). Data were analyzed using a mixed model with diet as fixed effect, and pig and period as random effects. On DM basis, diets contained 41.4% to 50.6% starch, 0.88% to 8.54% β-glucan, 0.81% to 0.89% total P, and 0.19% to 0.35% InsP6-P. The MFB, LFB, and LFW had greater (P0.05) diet AID of P than HFB and HFA, and MFB had greater (P0.05) diet ATTD and STTD of P than HFB. The ATTD of InsP6-P was greater (P0.05) for HFB than LFB and the ATTD of the sum InsP6-2-P was greater (P0.05) for HFB and HFA than LFB. Total tract P release was greater (P0.001) for HFB, HFA, and LFW than MFB and LFB. The LFW had greater (P0.05) ATTD of Ca than LFB. Diet β-glucan content was not correlated with STTD of P (R2 = 0.03) or ATTD of InsP6 (R2 = 0.05). In conclusion, cereal grains high in fermentable fiber, e.g., amylose and β-glucans included in specific hull-less barley cultivars, had lower diet AID, ATTD, and STTD of P, but greater ATTD of InsP6-P and sum InsP6-2-P. Carbohydrate fermentation, thus, results in greater total tract P release from InsP-P hydrolysis.Increased fermentable carbohydrates (e.g., β-glucan, amylose) may increase intestinal endogenous phosphorus (P) losses and thereby reduce P digestibility. The study assessed effects of cereal grains varying in fermentable carbohydrates on non-phytate-P and phytate-P. Phytate is the major binding form of P in plant seed and is incompletely degraded. Seven barrows cannulated at the terminal ileum were fed diets containing 80% of one of five cereal grains: 1) high-fermentable, high-β-glucan, hull-less barley; 2) high-fermentable, high-amylose, hull-less barley; 3) moderate-fermentable, hull-less barley; 4) low-fermentable, hulled barley; and 5) low-fermentable wheat. Diet ileal digestibility of P was greater for low- and moderate-fermentable grain than high-fermentable grain, and diet total tract digestibility of P was greater for moderate-fermentable barley than high β-glucan barley. Total tract digestibility of phytate-P was greater for high β-glucan than low-fermentable barley. Total tract P release was greater for high-fermentable barley, and wheat than moderate- and low-fermentable barley. In conclusion, cereal grains high in fermentable fiber had lower diet ileal and total tract digestibility of P resulting in greater excretion of P, but greater total tract digestibility of phytate-P. Carbohydrate fermentation, thus, increases total tract P release from phytate-P degradation.

To prioritize what cultivars to grow to feed pigs, five faba bean cultivars including three zero-tannin, high vicine and covicine cultivars (Snowbird, Snowdrop, Tabasco), and two medium-tannin, lower vicine and covicine cultivars (Fabelle and Malik) were fed to compare effects on diet nutrient digestibility and growth performance of weaned pigs. A total of 260 pigs (8 ± 1.2 kg), weaned at 20 ± 1 d of age housed 2 barrows and 2 gilts/pen were fed 1 of 5 dietary regimens starting 1-week post-weaning for 4 weeks in a randomized complete block design. Diets including each cultivar at 20% or 30% provided 10.2 and 10.1 MJ net energy (NE)/kg and 1.3 and 1.2 g standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine (Lys)/MJ NE in phases 1 and 2, respectively. Digestibility data were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX and growth performance data were analyzed using PROC MIXED with pen as experimental unit. Fabelle contained the most condensed tannins (CT; 0.53%) but the least vicine (0.04%) and covicine (0.01%). Zero-tannin cultivars contained little CT (

Feed represents the greatest variable cost of swine production, with feed energy as its largest component. In most swine production systems, cereal grains such as corn, wheat, or barley provide historically the most energy in feed. Cereal grains contain >50% starch and < 20% crude protein. Pulse grains such as field pea, faba bean, and chick pea are now widely grown on the Great Plains for human consumption and crop diversification. Pulse grains contain 30 to 40% starch and 20 to 30% crude protein. Apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of starch does not differ between cereal and pulse grain. However, apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of starch is lower for pulse grains; thus, apparent hindgut fermentation of starch is greater. Both AID and ATTD of total dietary fiber are greater for pulse than cereal grains. Calculated net energy (NE) value is greater for cereal than pulse grains. Standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of lysine is greater for pulse than cereal grains. Cereal and pulse grains are milled prior to diet mixing, and particle size reduction can increase ATTD of energy. Whereas steam pelleting may not increase nutrient digestibility of pulse grains, extrusion may increase digestibility of both energy and amino acids. Fiber-degrading enzymes can increase nutrient digestibility of grains by depolymerizing the fiber matrix. In phase-3 nursery diets that are formulated to equal NE value and SID lysine, barley grain can replace wheat grain without reducing growth. Similarly, pulse grains can replace part of cereal grain and soybean meal in phase-3 nursery diets without reducing growth. In conclusion, pulse grains are alternative energy sources to cereal grains but can also replace protein feedstuffs such as soybean meal in sustainable swine feeding programs and provide agronomic benefits like rhizobia N fixation and reduced carbon footprint.

In swine production, using feed antibiotics as antimicrobial growth promotants has been reduced; thus, feed alternatives to manage gut health are required. Dietary fiber, resistant starch, oligosaccharides, and exopolysaccharides are carbohydrate structures and are nutritional tools that may enhance gut health in pigs. Dietary carbohydrates may have a role to alleviate diarrheal diseases including in pigs post-weaning but also reduce constipation in sows. Antibiotics are hypothesized to influence gut health via modulation of intestinal microbial profiles; fermentation and intestinal inflammation are considered important mechanisms. Dietary fiber sources differ in 2 key properties: fermentability and solubility. Rapid fermentation of fiber and oligosaccharides is associated with changes in microbial profiles and increased metabolite production. Recently, microbial composition was hypothesized to be less important and combined output of metabolites should be the focus. Fiber properties may also manipulate retention time and physico-chemical properties of the undigested residue; hence, non-fermentable insoluble fiber may prevent constipation in sows. Starch is mostly digested and absorbed as glucose. However, resistant starch is not digested and acts as insoluble but fermentable fiber and has unique properties, because it specifically increases intestinal abundance of bifidobacteria, which are associated with improved gut health. Using crop breeding, feed processing, and feed additives, the structure of fiber and starch can be altered thereby changing its degradation kinetics and affecting its utilization as energy source and its prebiotic activity. Finally, exopolysaccharides from Limosilactobacillus reuteri and unique oligosaccharides may serve as receptor analogues for pathogenic bacteria, e.g., enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). These receptor analogues block lectin domains of bacterial adhesins and thus prevent adherence of pathogens to the gut wall, thereby avoiding initiation of post-weaning diarrhea. In conclusion, dietary carbohydrates are important energy sources but may also provide important solutions to maintain gut health in pigs.

Starch from cereal grains, pulse grains, and tubers is a major energy substrate in swine rations constituting up to 55% of the diet. In pigs, starch digestion is initiated by salivary and then pancreatic α-amylase, and has as final step the digestion of disaccharides by the brush-border enzymes in the small intestine that produce monosaccharides (glucose) for absorption. Resistant starch (RS) is the proportion of starch that escapes the enzymatic digestion and absorption in the small intestine. The undigested starch reaches the distal small intestine and hindgut for microbial fermentation, which produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) for absorption. SCFA in turn, influence microbial ecology and gut health of pigs. These fermentative metabolites exert their benefits on gut health through promoting growth and proliferation of enterocytes, maintenance of intestinal integrity and thus immunity, and modulation of the microbial community in part by suppressing the growth of pathogenic bacteria while selectively enhancing beneficial microbes. Thus, RS has the potential to confer prebiotic effects and may contribute to the improvement of intestinal health in pigs during the post-weaning period. Despite these benefits to the well-being of pigs, RS has a contradictory effect due to lower energetic efficiency of fermented vs. digested starch absorption products. The varying amount and type of RS interact differently with the digestion process along the gastrointestinal tract affecting its energy efficiency and host physiological responses including feed intake, energy metabolism, and feed efficiency. Results of research indicate that the use of RS as prebiotic may improve gut health and thereby, reduce the incidence of post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) and associated mortality. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the effects of RS on microbial ecology, gut health and growth performance in pigs.

The nutritive value of starch, the major source of dietary energy in pigs, varies depending on its susceptibility for digestion. The botanical origin of starch determines starch structure, and therefore, digestibility. To compare digestibility of starch, fiber, gross energy (GE), crude protein, and amino acid (AA), and to characterize undigested starch of grains in growing pigs, seven ileal-cannulated barrows (initial body weight, 30 kg) were fed six diets containing 96% of one of six test ingredients (three pulse grains: zero-tannin faba bean, green field pea, or mixed-cultivar chickpea; three cereal grains: hulled barley, hard red spring wheat, or hybrid yellow, dent corn), or a N-free diet in a 7 × 7 Latin square at 2.8 × maintenance digestible energy. Grain samples were ground with a hammer mill through a 2.78-mm screen. Amylose content ranged from 29% to 34% for pulse grains and from 22% to 25% for cereal grains. The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of starch was greater (P < 0.05) in cereal (94% to 97%) than pulse grains (85% to 90%) and was lowest (P < 0.05) in faba bean (85.3%) followed by field pea (87.2%) and chickpea (90.1%). However, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of starch of all tested grains was close to 100%. Apparent hindgut fermentability (AHF, as ATTD − AID) of starch was greater (P < 0.05) in pulse grains (9.9% to 15%) than cereal grains (3.3% to 4.8%). The AHF of total dietary fiber tended to be the greatest (P < 0.10) for corn (43.5%) and lowest for wheat (25.3%). The AHF of GE was greater (P < 0.05) in pulse grains (17% to 20%) than in cereal grains (9% to 11%) and resulted in greater (P < 0.05) digestible energy (DE) contribution from hindgut fermentation for pulse grains than cereal grains (0.9 vs. 0.5 Mcal/kg). Wheat had the greatest standardized ileal digestibility of total AA (90.2%; P < 0.05). Confocal laser scanning microscopy images revealed that 20% to 30% of starch granules of pulse grains were entrapped in protein matrixes. In scanning electron microscopy images, starch granules were larger in faba bean and field pea than cereal grains. Digesta samples revealed pin holes and surface cracks in starch granules of corn and wheat, respectively. In conclusion, hindgut fermentation of starch and fiber was greater in pulse grains than cereal grains resulting in a greater DE value despite lower ileal DE for pulse grain than cereal grains. Defining the digestible and fermentable fractions of starch may enhance the accuracy of equations to predict the net energy value of these feedstuffs.

Simple Summary Feed costs are the most important in swine production. Precise determination of nutritional values of pig diets can help reducing feed costs by reducing security margins for nutrients and therefore provide a more sustainable swine production. In commercial farms, pigs have free access to feed and eat with no limitation according to their natural behaviour. In contrast, during digestibility trials, pigs are restricted in their daily intake of feed, which is distributed in a limited number of meals. The number of meals per day and the amount of feed consumed daily can affect the digestibility of the nutrients, the transit time and the metabolism. To reduce feed costs, by-products are frequently added to diets. Most by-products are rich in dietary fibre, which are known to have negative effects on digestibility. Enzymes can be supplemented in the diet to counteract the negative aspects of dietary fibre, but their efficiency can vary depending on the number of meals per day and the amount of feed consumed daily. Abstract Nutritional values of ingredients have been and still are the subject of many studies to reduce security margins of nutrients when formulating diets to reduce feed cost. In most studies, pigs are fed a limited amount of feed in a limited number of meals that do not represent how pigs are fed in commercial farm conditions. With free access to feed, pigs follow their intrinsic feeding behaviour. Feed intake is regulated by satiety and satiation signals. Reducing the feed intake level or feeding frequency can affect digestibility and transit time and induce metabolic changes. To reduce feed costs, alternative ingredients that are frequently rich in dietary fibre are added to diets. Fibre acts on the digestion process and transit time by decreasing energy density and causing viscosity. Various analyses of fibre can be realised, and the measured fibre fraction can vary. Exogenous enzymes can be added to counteract the effect of fibre, but digestive tract conditions, influenced by meal size and frequency, can affect the efficiency of supplemented enzymes. In conclusion, the frequency and size of the meals can affect the digestibility of nutrients by modulating gastrointestinal tract conditions (pH and transit time), metabolites (glucose and short-chain fatty acids) and hormones (glucagon-like peptide 1 and peptide tyrosine tyrosine).

Canola meal (CM) can replace soybean meal (SBM) as dietary source of supplemental protein for pigs; however, varying nutritive quality of CM may cause inaccurate diet formulation and unexpected growth performance, but is rarely reported. In an 8 × 8 Latin square, the standardised ileal digestibility coefficient (CSID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA), apparent total tract digestibility coefficient (CATTD) of gross energy (GE), digestible energy (DE) value and the predicted net energy (NE) value were evaluated for 5 Brassica napus CM samples originating in a single crop year from 5 Western Canadian crushing plants and compared to SBM. Eight ileal-cannulated grower pigs (initial body weight [BW]: 32 ± 1.9 kg) were fed 8 diets (400 g SBM/kg, five 400 g CM/kg, wheat-based basal and N-free) at 2.8 × maintenance (0.46 MJ of DE per kg of BW0.75) for 8 periods of 9 days each. Standardised to 100 g moisture/kg, the SBM and 5 CM samples contained 461 and 357–413 g CP/kg, 23.9 and 10.6–35.8 g ether extract (EE), 69 and 218–251 g neutral detergent fibre (NDF)/kg and 17.6 and 17.9–18.1 MJ GE/kg, respectively. The CSID of essential AA such as lysine, threonine and methionine was greater (P

Fermentation characteristics and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production of purified starch sources differing in physico-chemical properties and in vitro digestion kinetics were investigated using an in vitro porcine model. Four starch sources (rapidly digestible, RD; moderately rapid digestible, MRD; moderately slow digestible, MSD; and slowly digestible, SD) were used. These starch sources were previously fed to growing pigs to determine their net portal appearance (NPA) of SCFA and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and fecal SCFA. Samples were incubated in a buffered mineral solution inoculated with pig feces. Gas production was measured for 72 h and fermentation kinetics were modeled. The fermented solution was analyzed for SCFA at the end of the fermentation. The SD had the greatest (P

OBJECTIVES: Starch with increasing ratio of amylose to amylopectin decreases ileal starch digestibility in pigs. Microbes in the large intestine ferment undigested starch and produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). The benefits of SCFA in modulating gut health stimulated interest in dietary strategies to increase microbial carbohydrate fermentation and digesta SCFA in pigs and humans. We studied effects of increasing dietary amylose on SCFA and the expression of transporters of glucose (sodium-glucose cotransporter 1, SGLT1) and SCFA (monocarboxylic acid transporter 1, MCT1; sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporter, SMCT), and sweet taste receptor type 1, member 3 (T1R3) along the intestine of weaned pigs. METHODS: Weaned pigs (n = 32; 8.4 kg) were allocated to 1 of 4 diets containing 67% purified starch with 0, 20, 35, or 70% amylose in randomized complete blocks. On day 21, 47-day-old pigs were euthanized to collect digesta for SCFA and intestinal tissue for molecular analyses. RESULTS: Ileal starch digestibility was 44% lower and hindgut starch fermentation was 14% greater in pigs fed 70% amylose (P

Fiber is one of the four macronutrients that yield dietary energy for pigs (others are starch, fat, and protein). To yield energy, fiber must be fermented (primarily in the hindgut) by microbes producing volatile fatty acids (VFA). Price increases for traditional feedstuffs such as cereal grains and protein meals have stimulated the pork industry to consider dietary inclusion of fibrous co-products that are produced when grain is processed into human food, fuel, and bio-industrial products. High fiber co-products include distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), oilseed meal, expeller, and cake, and co-products from flour milling. As omnivores, pigs are ideally suited to convert these non-human edible co-products into high quality food animal protein. Thereby, co-products can partially offset increases in feed cost provided their price is competitive per unit of net energy or digestible lysine, but also present risks and feeding challenges. Effects of feeding high fiber co-product may depend on diets being balanced for energy value or not. In weaned pigs, high fiber diets were thought to reduce feed intake, and thereby hinder energy intake during the energy-dependent phase of growth. However, such a relation is not solid across the spectrum of dietary fiber. Fiber characteristics play a role in gut health and early development. High fiber diets have lower energy digestibility and concurrent lower feed efficiency, but increased feed intake may maintain growth. In growing-finishing pigs, high fiber diets increase viscera mass, and thereby reduce dressing percentage. In restricted-few sows, fiber and produced VFA play a role in reaching satiety responses. In conclusion, depending on the price of high fiber co-products, high fiber diets may be part of a range of solutions to reduce the feed cost, and may thereby support economically-sustainable pork production.

Two experiments were conducted to (1) determine net energy (NE) values of soybean meal (SBM), Napus canola meal (NCM), Juncea canola meal (JCM), field pea, and wheat millrun (WM) using indirect calorimetry, and (2) compare the determined NE values with the calculated NE values of the same feedstuffs based on a prediction equation. In experiment 1, six ileal-cannulated barrows (31 kg) were fed five diets in 5 × 6 Youden square to give six replicates per diet. Diets were cornstarch-based diets containing SBM, NCM, JCM, field pea, or WM. The SBM was included as a reference. In experiment 2, six ileal-cannulated barrows (70 kg) were fed a N-free diet for determining energy digestibility and NE values of test feedstuffs fed in experiment 1 by difference method. The NE values of test feedstuffs were also calculated from the digestible energy (DE) values and analyzed macronutrient content of the test feedstuffs. On dry matter (DM) basis, SBM, NCM, JCM, field pea, and WM contained 51%, 41%, 42%, 28%, and 18% crude protein; 1.52%, 2.95%, 2.36%, 1.33%, and 3.12% ether extract; 2.93%, 0.14%, 1.44%, 36.7%, and 28.7% starch; and 5.30%, 21.0%, 13.4%, 9.49%, and 16.1% acid detergent fiber, respectively. The determined NE value for SBM (2.29 Mcal/kg) did not differ from that of NCM (1.72 Mcal/kg DM) or JCM (2.14 Mcal/kg DM). The NCM and JCM did not differ in NE value. Also, the determined NE value did not differ between field pea (2.00 Mcal/kg) and WM (2.55 Mcal/kg). The calculated NE values for SBM (2.18 Mcal/kg DM), NCM (1.73 Mcal/kg DM), and JCM (1.86 Mcal/kg DM) did not differ from the corresponding determined NE values of the same feedstuffs. However, the calculated NE value for field pea (2.51 Mcal/kg DM) was greater (P = 0.004) than the determined NE value of field pea, whereas the calculated NE value for WM (2.27 Mcal/kg DM) tended to be lower (P = 0.054) than the determined NE value of WM. In conclusion, the NE value for SBM and canola meals can be predicted based on the DE value and the macronutrient composition of the same feedstuffs. However, the NE value for field pea and WM may not be predicted precisely based on the DE value and the macronutrient composition of the same feedstuffs.

Fermentation of cereal grains may degrade myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis (dihydrogen phosphate) (InsP6) thereby increasing nutrient digestibility. Effects of chemical acidification or fermentation with Limosilactobacillus (L.) reuteri with or without phytase of high β-glucan hull-less barley grain on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients and gross energy (GE), standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AAs), and standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P were assessed in growing pigs. Pigs were fed four mash barley-based diets balanced for water content: 1) unfermented barley (Control); 2) chemically acidified barley (ACD) with lactic acid and acidic acid (0.019 L/kg barley grain at a ratio of 4:1 [vol/vol]); 3) barley fermented with L. reuteri TMW 1.656 (Fermented without phytase); and 4) barley fermented with L. reuteri TMW 1.656 and phytase (Fermented with phytase; 500 FYT/kg barley grain). The acidification and fermentation treatments occurred for 24 h at 37 °C in a water bath. The four diets were fed to eight ileal-cannulated barrows (initial body weight [BW], 17.4 kg) for four 11-d periods in a double 4 × 4 Latin square. Barley grain InsP6 content of Control, ACD, Fermented without phytase, or Fermented with phytase was 1.12%, 0.59%, 0.52% dry matter (DM), or not detectable, respectively. Diet ATTD of DM, CP, Ca, and GE, digestible energy (DE), predicted net energy (NE) value, and urinary excretion of P were greater (P < 0.05) for ACD than Control. Diet ATTD of DM, CP, Ca, GE, DE and predicted NE value, urinary excretion of P was greater (P < 0.05), and diet AID of Ca and ATTD and STTD of P tended to be greater (P < 0.10) for Fermented without phytase than Control. Diet ATTD of GE was lower (P < 0.05) and diet ATTD and STTD of P, AID and ATTD of Ca was greater (P < 0.05) for Fermented with phytase than Fermented without phytase. Acidification or fermentation with/without phytase did not affect diet SID of CP and AA. In conclusion, ACD or Fermented without phytase partially degraded InsP6 in barley grain and increased diet ATTD of DM, CP, and GE, but not SID of CP and most AA in growing pigs. Fermentation with phytase entirely degraded InsP6 in barley grain and maximized P and Ca digestibility, thereby reducing the need to provide inorganic dietary P to meet P requirements of growing pigs.

Canola meal (CM) contains less crude protein (CP) and more fiber and anti-nutritional factors such as glucosinolates than soybean meal (SBM) and consequently has a lower nutrient digestibility. Therefore, processing strategies that may increase the feeding value of CM warrant study. In two experiments, the effects of extrusion of Brassica napus CM on apparent (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA), apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of gross energy (GE) in growing pigs, and growth performance and diet digestibility in weaned pigs were assessed. Solvent-extracted CM was extruded using a single-screw extruder at three screw speeds: 250 (CM-250), 350 (CM-350), or 450 (CM-450) rpm. In exp. 1, in a double 4 × 4 Latin square, eight ileal-cannulated barrows (initial body weight [BW], 68.1 kg) were fed corn starch-based diets containing 50% CM or extruded CM. The CM sample contained 43.2% CP, 33.2% total dietary fiber (TDF), and 8.9 µmol of total glucosinolates/g on a dry matter (DM) basis. Extrusion increased (P < 0.05) the AID of CP, reduced (P < 0.05) apparent hindgut fermentation of CP, and decreased (P < 0.05) predicted net energy (NE) value of diets. Extrusion increased diet AID and CM SID of most indispensable AA by 3.1 to 5.3%-units. In exp. 2, 200 weaned pigs (initial BW, 8.3 kg) were fed diets containing 20% SBM, CM, or extruded CM starting 2 wk postweaning for 3 wk. The CM sample contained 42.7% CP, 28.3% TDF, and 5.3 µmol total glucosinolates/g DM. Wheat-based diets provided 2.3 Mcal NE/kg and 5.1 g SID Lys/Mcal NE. Dietary inclusion of extruded CM replacing SBM decreased (P < 0.05) diet ATTD of DM, GE and CP, and DE value. Average daily feed intake, average daily gain (ADG), and gain:feed (G:F) of pigs did not differ between extruded CM and SBM diets and were not affected by extrusion, but increasing extruder screw speed linearly increased (P < 0.05) ADG for day 1 to 7 and G:F for the entire trial. In conclusion, extrusion increased diet AID and CM SID of AA but not DE and predicted NE values of CM. However, increasing extruder speed did not further increase the SID of most of the AA of CM in growing pigs. Dietary inclusion of 20% CM or extruded CM did not affect the growth performance in weaned pigs.

Fermentation is used to create foods and beverages that are enjoyed by people around the world. Similarly, fermentation creates direct opportunities for feed application such as fermented liquid feed or fermented feedstuffs. Other opportunities exist: fermentation followed by extraction of a main product for human or biofuel application also creates co-products that require application in petfood or animal feeds for valorization. Indeed, cereal grains are fermented to produce beer, distilled spirits, or bioethanol and their associated co-products can be fed either wet or dry. For example, traditional beer production using fermentation of barley grain produces abundant brewer’s spent grains and also brewer’s spent hops and yeast as co-products. Brewer’s spent grains are mostly fed wet to ruminants due to its greater fiber content than barley grain and avoiding the cost of its drying required for compound feed application. Wet brewer’s yeast can be used as feedstuff in liquid feed systems for swine. Dried brewer’s yeast can be considered for pet food application due to included nutrients, nucleotides, mannan oligosaccharides, and β-glucans. Other cereal grains such as corn and rice are also used for beer production. Whiskey is produced using fermentation of an array of cereal grains, and distiller’s co-products have traditionally been fed wet or dry mostly to cattle. For the last two decades, large-scale production of ethanol as biofuel has created the co-product distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) as commodity feedstuff. Subsequently, DDGS has been used in livestock feed and petfood as protein source. With animal feed application, dietary inclusion of fermentation co-products provides opportunities for circular agriculture whereby nutrients excreted by livestock will be applied to soil to support grain production. Finally, depending on price and quality, fermentation co-products may be part of pet food and livestock feed formulations to achieve competitive cost and functionality.

Applying probiotics to improve gut health and growth performance of pigs is considered an effective approach to reduce use of antimicrobial growth promoters in swine production. Understanding the properties of these probiotics is a prerequisite for the selection of probiotic strains for pigs. Host-adapted probiotic strains were suggested to exert probiotic effects by different mechanisms when compared to free-living or nomadic probiotic strains. This study assessed the effect of probiotic intervention with Limosilactobacillus reuteri TMW1.656, a host-adapted species producing the antimicrobial compound reutericyclin, its isogenic and reutericyclin-negative L. reuteri TMW1.656ΔrtcN, and with Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Lacticaseibacillus casei, two species with a nomadic lifestyle. Probiotic strains were supplemented to the post weaning diet in piglets by fermented feed or as freeze-dried cultures. The composition of fecal microbiota was determined by high throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene sequence tags; Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens were quantified by qPCR targeting specific virulence factors. Inclusion of host-adapted L. reuteri effectively reduced ETEC abundance in swine intestine. In contrast, nomadic L. fermentum and L. casei did not show inhibitory effects on ETEC but reduced the abundance of Clostridium spp. In addition, the increasing abundance of Bacteriodetes after weaning was correlated to a reduction of ETEC abundance. Remarkably, the early colonization of piglets with ETEC was impacted by maternal-neonatal transmission; the pattern of virulence factors changed significantly over time after weaning. Probiotic intervention or the production of reutericyclin showed limited effect on the overall composition of commensal gut microbiota. In conclusion, the present study provided evidence that the lifestyle of lactobacilli is a relevant criterion for selection of probiotic cultures while the production of antimicrobial compounds has only minor effects.

Beneficial effects of SCFA in modulating gut health stimulated interest on dietary strategies to increase intestinal microbial activity and digesta SCFA. Amylose has lower apparent ileal digestibility (AID) than amylopectin. In the large intestine, undigested starch is fermented by microbes producing SCFA. The objective was to determine effects of increasing dietary amylose on starch flow and metabolite profile along the intestinal tract in weaned pigs. Weaned pigs (n=32; initial BW, 8.4 kg) were randomly allocated to 4 diets containing 67% starch with 0, 20, 35, or 70% amylose in a randomized complete block design. On day 21, pigs were euthanized to collect digesta and feces for evaluating starch digestion and metabolite profiles. Apparent hindgut fermentation (AHF) was calculated as apparent total tract digestibility minus AID. Feed intake was 12% lower (P < 0.05) and growth rate was 18% lower (P < 0.05) for pigs fed 70% amylose than pigs fed 0, 20, or 35% amylose. Feed efficiency was greatest (P < 0.05) for pigs fed with 35% amylose. The AID of starch was 44% lower (P < 0.05) in pigs fed 70% amylose. Starch was completely digested by the proximal colon in pigs fed 0, 20, or 35% amylose, but AHF of starch was 14% greater (P < 0.05) in pigs fed 70% amylose. Increasing dietary amylose did not alter digesta SCFA in the small intestine, but increased (P < 0.05) digesta SCFA in the cecum, specifically acetate and total SCFA, and increased (P < 0.05) propionate and valerate in all sections of the colon. In conclusion, increasing dietary amylose in weaned pigs stimulated hindgut fermentation of starch with a corresponding increase in digesta total SCFA in the cecum and colon. Optimizing dietary amylose may exert its effect as dietary prebiotic while promoting an optimal growth rate in young pigs.

Fermentable fiber may increase endogenous losses of P and AA, thereby reducing apparent nutrient digestibility. Acacia gum fiber with medium-to-high fermentability and low viscosity was used to investigate its effect on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, and standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P in grower pigs. A P-free basal diet (49% corn starch; 18% bovine plasma protein) was formulated to measure basal endogenous P losses (EPL). Three diets were formulated to include 2.5, 5.0, or 7.5% acacia gum fiber at the expense of corn starch in the P-free basal diet. Diets contained 16.1–17.4% CP and 0.31–0.33% total P (DM-basis). The 4 diets were fed to 8 ileal-cannulated barrows (initial BW, 54.6 kg) for four 9-d periods in a double 4 × 4 Latin square. Apparent hindgut fermentation (AHF) was ATTD minus AID. Increasing inclusion of acacia gum quadratically decreased (P < 0.01) AID of DM (∆ 11.1%), linearly decreased (P < 0.05) ATTD of DM (∆ 1.7%) CP (∆ 1.2%), and quadratically increased (P < 0.05) AHF of DM (∆ 9.4%). Basal EPL were 391 and 377 mg/kg DM intake (DMI) for ileum and total tract, respectively. Increasing inclusion of fiber linearly increased (P < 0.05) ileal EPL (∆ 184 mg/kg DMI), and tended to linearly increase (P < 0.10) EPL for total tract (∆ 243 mg/kg DMI). Dietary inclusion of acacia gum tended to linearly decrease (P < 0.10) AID of P, but did not affect (P > 0.10) ATTD, or STTD of P. In conclusion, increasing inclusion of fermentable, low viscous acacia gum fiber decreased diet digestibility of DM and ATTD of CP, but did not affect total tract P digestibility, indicating that increasing fermentable fiber did not increase specific endogenous losses of P in the total tract.

Soybean meal (SBM) contains anti-nutritional factors (ANF) that may limit kinetics and total extent of protein digestion in pigs. This study evaluated the effects of thermomechanical and enzyme-facilitated (TE) processing on in vitro kinetics of crude protein (CP) digestion and CP and amino acid (AA) digestibility in weaned pigs. Each batch of SBM (48% CP) was divided into two parts: non-processed SBM as control vs. thermomechanical and enzyme-facilitated processed soybean meal (TES) as the experimental group. For digestion kinetics, samples (three batches of non-processed SBM vs. TES) were incubated in triplicate sequentially with pepsin at pH 3.5 for 1.5 h (stomach phase) and subsequently with pancreatin and bile extract at pH 6.8 for 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, or 6 h (small intestine phase). Protein was classified into CPfast, CPslow, and CPresistant corresponding to CP digested within the first 0.5 h, from 0.5 to 4 h, and after 4 h plus undigested CP, respectively. Eight weaned barrows (Large White × Duroc, 9.43 ± 0.40 kg) were surgically fitted with a T-cannula at the terminal ileum. Pigs were randomly assigned to a Youden square with three diets over four periods. The three diets were an N-free diet and two diets using 40% SBM or TES as the sole source of AA with Cr2O3 as an indigestible marker. Each period included sequentially a 5-d adaptation, 2-d collection of feces, and 2-d collection of ileal digesta. The TE processing reduced ANF content in TES by 91% for lectin, 22% for trypsin inhibitor activity, 75% for β-conglycinin, and 62% for glycinin compared with SBM. In vitro, TE processing increased (P < 0.05) digested CP by 5.6% and enhanced the kinetics of CP digestion by tending to increase (P = 0.056) CPfast by 25% and reducing (P < 0.05) CPslow and CPresistant by 48% and 11%, respectively. In pigs, TE processing increased (P < 0.05) apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of CP in TES by 2.3% and 2.1%, respectively. The TE processing increased (P < 0.05) AID and SID of all AA up to 3.3%, except for AID of Pro and SID of Pro, Gly, and Cys. The TE processing did not change reactive Lys or Lys:CP but increased (P < 0.05) SID of Lys and reactive Lys by 3%. Combined, the greater in vitro digestion kinetics matched the greater in vivo AID and SID of CP in TES and lower ANF compared with SBM. Thus, TE processing created a protein source that is digested faster and to a greater extent than SBM, thereby lowering the chance of protein fermentation.

Starch and fibre composition of feed grain may alter site of digestion and fermentation of energy-yielding nutrients within the swine gut. Especially dietary amylose and β-glucan increase fermentation; however, their effect on growth performance has not been well defined. Starting 1 week post-weaning (BW, 7.3 kg), 240 pigs were fed 5 diets that contained 630–706 g cereal grain/kg differing in fermentable carbohydrates: high-fermentable β-glucan hull-less barley (HFB), high-fermentable amylose hull-less barley (HFA), moderate-fermentable hull-less barley (MFB); low-fermentable hulled barley (LFB) or low-fermentable hard red spring wheat (LFW). Diets were formulated to provide 9.7 and 9.4 MJ net energy (NE)/kg and 1.32 and 1.22 g standardised ileal digestible lysine/MJ NE for Phase 1 (day 1–14) and Phase 2 (day 15–35), respectively. The coefficient of apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of gross energy (GE) was greatest (P 0.05) among diets. Average daily feed intake (ADFI) was greater (P

A major energy substrate for monogastric species such as humans and swine is starch from cereal grains, pulses and tubers. The rate, site and extent of starch digestion in the gastro-intestinal tract are dependent on the intrinsic factors of starch origin and the extrinsic factors such as applied processing methods. In monogastric species, starch escaping small intestinal digestion becomes readily available for microbial fermentation in the hindgut and has been coined resistant starch (RS) accordingly. Host physiological and metabolic responses differ according to the site and rate of starch digestion; however, the quantity of energy derived to the host from fermented vs. digested starch remains debated. A detailed understanding of the underlying mechanisms that cause nutrient flow and substrate availability in the hindgut to alter host energy metabolism and growth potential is lacking. Dietary RS may in fact have nearly equal energetic efficiency as digested starch due adequate provision of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and decreased energy loss due to decreased activity. Thus, proper characterization of the energetic efficiency of purified and whole grain starch sources is required for accurate diet formulation. This review will focus on how various methodologies can be used to quantify site, extent and kinetics of starch digestion, illustrating the differences in energetic efficiency between RS vs. digested starch.

Fermentation characteristics of purified fiber differing in physico-chemical properties were investigated using an in vitro model. Fermentation characteristics and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) profile differed (P

This study tested the potential of portable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to predict fatty acids (FA) composition and iodine value (IV) of pig subcutaneous fat. Following carcass splitting, the inner layer of subcutaneous fat at the shoulder from the left carcass side was scanned using a hand-held NIRS probe (350–2500 nm) and analysed for FA composition using gas chromatography. The NIRS successfully predicted the total polysaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and n-3 FA proportions, polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids (PUFA/SFA) ratio, and IV (R2 = 0.90–0.95; root-mean-square error of prediction, RMSEP = 0.019%–1.03% total FA). This portable technology also met the requirements for a quick screening of the proportions of total SFA, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and n-6 FA, n-6/n-3 ratio, and some individual FA such as C18:2n-6 and C18:3n-3 (R2 = 0.80–0.89; RMSEP = 0.37%–1.11% total FA). However, unreliable predictions were found for other individual FA with low variability (coefficient of variation = 4%–8%) such as C16:0, C18:0, and C18:1 (R2 = 0.60–0.77; RMSEP = 0.76%–1.00% total FA). These results show portable NIRS as a suitable technology to predict pig fat quality. In addition, this study has been successful in implementing this portable NIRS technology in a research abattoir to collect spectra directly on the carcass, which would enable carcass sorting based on fat composition or hardness for marketing purposes.

Heat processing may enhance nutrient digestibility of diets based on pulse grains. The objective of this study was to determine nutrient and energy digestibility of extruded lentil-based diets containing either supplemental plant or animal protein source in growing pigs. Two diets were formulated to provide 2.4 Mcal NE/kg and 4.35 g standardized ileal digestible Lys/Mcal NE: 1) soybean meal diet (SBM), containing 50% lentil, 31% wheat, and 12.8% soybean meal; and 2) fish meal diet (FM), containing 40% lentil, 45% wheat, and 10% fish meal. Following mixing, each diet was divided into 2 parts: one part remained mash while the other part was extruded using a single-screw extruder (105°C, 400 rpm, 5 kg water/h). The 2 extruded and 2 non-extruded diets were tested in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Eight ileal-cannulated barrows (32.3 kg) were fed the 4 diets at 2.8 times maintenance DE (110 kcal per kg of BW0.75) for four 9-d periods in a double 4 × 4 Latin square. The FM diets had greater (P < 0.05) AID of DM, GE, and most AA, and ATTD of CP, but lower apparent hindgut fermentation of DM and GE than the SBM diets. The AID of CP and AA were 3.2 and 4.7%-units greater (P < 0.05), respectively, and the ATTD of GE and DE values were 2.1 and 3.1%-units greater (P < 0.05), respectively, for the extruded diets than the non-extruded diets. Interactions between protein source and extrusion were not observed. In conclusion, FM diets had greater ileal digestibility of DM, energy, and AA than SBM diets. Extrusion increased the AID of CP and most AA, and DE value of both plant- and animal-protein diets based on lentil grain, indicating that extrusion can increase the energy and protein value of pulse-grain based diets fed to growing pigs.

In 2 studies, ileal digestibility of amino acids (AA), energy value of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and effects of increasing dietary inclusion of chickpea on diet nutrient digestibility and growth performance were evaluated. In Exp. 1, 6 ileal-cannulated barrows (89.9 kg BW) were fed diets containing 965 or 812.5 g chickpea (Kabuli type; mix of cultivars CDC Frontier, CDC Orion, CDC Luna and CDC Leader)/kg in a crossover design. Chickpea contained 213 g crude protein (CP), 328 g starch, 88 g crude fat, 125 g total dietary fibre, 12.9 g chemically available lysine, 5.2 g trypsin inhibitory activity and 4 g tannin per kg (as-is basis). For chickpea, coefficients of standardised ileal digestibility were 0.660 for CP and 0.717 for lysine, the coefficient of apparent ileal digestibility (CAID) of gross energy (GE) was 0.623, the apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of GE was 0.886, the digestible energy (DE) value was 15.8 MJ/kg (as fed) and the predicted net energy (NE) value was 11.3 MJ/kg. In Exp. 2, 320 pigs (initial BW: 9.6 kg), weaned at 20 ± 1 days of age, were fed diets containing 0, 75, 150, 225 or 300 g chickpea/kg in substitution for up to 200 g soybean meal and 100 g wheat grain/kg for 3 weeks starting 2 weeks post-weaning. Steam-pelleted diets were formulated to provide 9.8 MJ NE/kg and 1.2 g standardised ileal digestible lysine/MJ NE. Increasing chickpea inclusion quadratically increased (P

Background: Changes in whole-grain chemical composition can affect the site of nutrient digestion, which may alter substrate availability and gut microbiota composition.Objective: This study elucidated the function of whole-grain fermentable fiber composition on ileal substrate flow, hindgut substrate availability, and subsequent gut microbial profiles in pigs.Methods: Five whole grains-1) high-fermentability, high-β-glucan hull-less barley (HFB); 2) high-fermentability, high-amylose hull-less barley (HFA); 3) moderate-fermentability hull-less barley (MFB); 4) low-fermentability hulled barley (LFB); or 5) low-fermentability hard red spring wheat (LFW)-were included at 800 g/kg into diets fed to ileal-cannulated growing pigs for 9 d in a 6 (periods) × 5 (diets) Youden square. Digesta were analyzed for nutrient flow and microbial composition via 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing.Results: The consumption of fermentable whole grains, HFB, and HFA increased (P < 0.05) ileal starch flow by 69% and dry matter flow by 37% compared with LFB and LFW intakes. The consumption of HFB and HFA increased (P < 0.05) fecal Firmicutes phylum abundance by 26% and 21% compared with LFB intake and increased (P < 0.05) fecal Dialister genus abundance, on average, by 98% compared with LFB and LFW intakes. Fecal Sharpea and Ruminococcus genera abundances increased (P < 0.05) with HFB intake compared with LFB and LFW intakes. In contrast, the consumption of LFB increased (P < 0.05) fecal Bacteroidetes phylum abundance by 43% compared with MFB intake. Ileal starch flow and fecal Firmicutes abundance were positively correlated and determined by using principal components analysis.Conclusions: Increasing dietary fermentable fiber from whole grains can increase ileal substrate flow and hindgut substrate availability, shifting the fecal microbiota toward Firmicutes phylum members. Thus, digesta substrate flow is important to shape gut microbial profiles in pigs, which indicates that the manipulation of substrate flow should be considered as a tool to modulate gut microbiota composition.

Digestibility of remaining oil in canola press-cake (CPC) may be lower than that of extracted, liquid canola oil (CO) because oil may be partly entrapped in the CPC matrix. To determine true digestibility of fat in ingredients, endogenous fat losses should be estimated. Dietary fat may interact with digestion of other dietary components. To test these hypotheses, 10 ileal-cannulated pigs (initial BW, 25.4 kg) were fed 10 diets for 8 periods in a 10 × 8 Youden square. A basal diet was formulated based on wheat, barley, and canola meal. The 4 CPC and 4 CO test diets were prepared by replacing identical portion of basal diet with 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40% CPC, or 1.5%, 3.0%, 4.5%, or 6.0% CO, respectively, to match the fat content of CPC diet with CO diet at each fat level. An N-free diet based on corn starch was prepared to measure basal endogenous losses of AA. Apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of acid-hydrolyzed ether extract (AEE) were calculated for each diet. True ileal digestibility (TID) and true total tract (TTTD) digestibility of AEE in CPC and CO, and total endogenous losses of AEE were estimated by regressing apparent digestible AEE (g/kg of DMI) against dietary AEE intake (g/kg of DM) at the total tract and distal ileum, respectively. The mean AID and ATTD of AEE in CPC diets were 78.9% and 61.5%, which were lower ( 0.05) total tract or ileal endogenous losses of AEE. The TID and TTTD of AEE in CPC were 92.3% and 94.5%, respectively, lower ( < 0.01) than 96.5% and 100% in CO. Increasing dietary inclusion of CO linearly increased ( < 0.001) standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of CP, Lys, Met, Thr, and Trp, and quadratically increased ( < 0.001) the AID and ATTD of energy in the basal part of the test diets. In conclusion, CPC had lower TID and TTTD of AEE than CO. Dietary fat source did not affect endogenous losses of AEE. The lower digestibility of AEE in CPC than in CO indicates that fat digestibility of CPC should be considered to predict its nutritional value accurately. Dietary inclusion of CO may increase digestibility of CP and energy originating from the balance of the diet.

Solvent extraction of soybean creates soybean meal (SBM), but an array of other soybean products can be created using further processing of SBM or soybean. For accurate inclusion of these products in pig feed, characterization of digestible AA profile and energy value is required. Soybean products from processes such as extrusion (EX) of soybean and thermo-mechanical (TM) treatment, bioconversion using fermentation or enzymes (BC), and ethanol-water extraction (EW) of soybean meal were collected together with SBM. These 9 soybean products were tested in cornstarch-based diets together with an N-free diet for a total of 10 diets. Ten ileal-cannulated barrows (30.4 ± 0.7 kg initial BW) were fed 10 diets at 2.8 times maintenance DE for six 9-d periods with a 6 (periods) × 10 (pigs) Youden square. The control SBM contained 47.0% CP, 1.4% ether extract, and ADF 6.0%. The 9 soybean products contained 35.6% to 66.4% CP, 0.9% to 21.6% ether extract, and 4.4% to 8.0% ADF. The EW soybean products were high in CP (>61%), whereas the 2 EX soybean products were low in CP ( 0.05) among soybean products for most AA, except for lower SID of Arg, Ile, Leu, Lys, Phe, and Tyr (P < 0.05) for EX2 and BC1 than other soybean products. The DE and predicted NE value did not differ (P > 0.05) among soybean products. The greater SID AA content (P < 0.05) in EW, BC, and TM1 soybean products than SBM was mainly a result of greater total AA content due to removal of other macronutrients. In conclusion, extrusion of soybean creates soybean products with a greater energy value but lower ATTD of energy and lower SID AA content than SBM. Further processing of SBM creates soybean products with greater CP and SID AA content but similar SID of AA than SBM. Thus, new technologies to process SBM or soybean create high-value ingredients to be included in pig diets, especially for young pigs with high nutritional requirements.

Isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMOs) may promote health by modulating intestinal microbiota. We hypothesized that the proportion of α–(1 → 6) linkages in IMOs determines their digestibility. Ileal-cannulated pigs were fed diets containing IMO, IMO-DP3 with a greater DP and more α-(1 → 4) linkages, and digestible or resistant maltodextrins. Oligosaccharides were analysed by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography. Compared to IMO, IMO-DP3 contained more panose (18.6 vs. 10.3%) but less isomaltose (7.5 vs. 22.3%) and isomaltotriose (6.1 vs. 12.6%). The apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter were 3% greater for IMO-DP3 and digestible maltodextrin than resistant maltodextrin; the digestibility of IMO was not different from other oligosaccharides. Ileal propionate, isovalerate, and total SCFA was greater for IMO-DP3 and digestible maltodextrin than IMO. In conclusion, IMO was less digestible than IMO-DP3. Structural properties of IMOs are important determinants of their functional properties within the porcine digestive tract.

Increased fermentable carbohydrates in cereal grains due to more amylose in starch or β-glucan in fiber may increase endogenous losses including for P, and thereby reduce apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of P. This study assessed effects of barley cultivars varying in chemical composition on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and ATTD of P and Ca, and standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P compared with wheat. In a 6 (period) × 5 (diet) Youden square, 7 ileal-cannulated barrows (27.7 kg initial BW) were fed diets containing 80% of 1 of 5 grains differing in amylose, β-glucan, and fiber: 1) high-fermentable, high-β-glucan, hull-less barley (HFB); 2) high-fermentable, high-amylose, hull-less barley (HFA); 3) moderate-fermentable, hull-less barley (MFB); 4) low-fermentable, hulled barley (LFB); and 5) low-fermentable, hard red spring wheat (LFW). Diet STTD of P was calculated by correcting ATTD for the basal endogenous P loss using a constant value of 190 mg P/kg DM intake. Whole grains contained between 8.5 to 16.3 µmol/g DM phytate (any salt of myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis (dihydrogen phosphate); InsP6) and 1.6 to 3.0 g/kg DM InsP6-P. Data were analyzed using a mixed model with diet as fixed effect, and pig and period as random effects. On DM basis (g/kg), diets contained 131 to 286 g neutral detergent fiber, 8.8 to 85.4 g β-glucan, and 8.1 to 8.9 g total P. The MFB, LFB, and LFW had greater (P < 0.001) AID of P than HFB and HFA, and MFB had greater (P < 0.05) ATTD or STTD of P than HFB. The LFW had greater (P < 0.05) ATTD of Ca than LFB, whereas diet did not affect (P > 0.05) AID of Ca. In conclusion, whole grains high in fermentable fiber, e.g. β-glucans, in specific hull-less and hulled barley cultivars decreased diet digestibility of P and Ca.

Feed enzymes may ameliorate reduced nutrient and energy digestibility in nursery pigs. The objective was to test effects of super-dosing phytase and fiber-degrading enzymes on digestibility of DM, GE, CP, AA, and Ca. We tested supplementing a super dose (added 1,500 FYT/kg) of phytase (Ronozyme Hi-Phos) with or without carbohydrase cocktail that contained 85 FXU β-xylanase/kg, 587 U/g endo-1,4-β-glucanase, 513 U/g endo-1,3(4)-β-glucanase, 15,000 U/g hemicellulases, and 3,000 U/g pectinases in corn-soybean meal diets in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Diets included 68% corn, 17% SBM, and a basal level of 500 FTU/kg of phytase, and were formulated to contain 2.50 Mcal/kg NE and 5.10 gSID Lys/Mcal NE. Eight ileal-cannulated nursery pigs (initial BW 10 kg) were fed 4 diets at 3.0 × maintenance DE (110 kcal per kg of BW0.75) for four 9-day periods in a double 4 × 4 Latin square. Apparent hindgut fermentation (AHF) was calculated as apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) minus apparent ileal digestibility (AID). Interactions between super-dosing phytase and carbohydrase cocktail were observed. Supplementing either carbohydrase cocktail or super dose phytase, but not their combination, increased (P < 0.05) diet AID of DM, GE, CP, and most AA by 4–5%-units. Supplementing super dose phytase increased (P < 0.05) AID of P by 16%-units and ATTD of P by 10%-units. Supplementing super dose phytase or carbohydrase cocktail did not affect AID of Ca and ATTD of GE, CP, and Ca, and diet DE value. Supplementing carbohydrase cocktail without super dose phytase decreased (P < 0.05) diet AHF of DM, GE, and CP. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of super dose phytase or carbohydrase cocktail increased ileal digestibility of nutrients in nursery pigs, and thereby reduced protein entering the large intestine. Additive or synergistic effects of carbohydrase cocktail and super dose phytase were not detected.

Lentil is an alternative feedstuff providing both starch and protein with a lower energy and amino acid (AA) digestibility in pigs than conventional feedstuffs. However, heat processing may increase the digestibility of energy and AA and thereby increase the nutritive value of lentil. Therefore, a study was conducted to test effects of steam-pelleting and extrusion of lentil on digestible energy (DE) and calculated net energy (NE) values and AA digestibility in growing pigs. Three diets containing 956 g/kg of either raw, steam-pelleted (80–85 °C) or extruded (115 °C) lentil were fed to 9 ileal-cannulated growing pigs (initial body weight = 69.0 ± 6.7 kg) at 2.8 × maintenance DE in a triplicate 3 × 3 Latin square with 3 periods. An N-free diet was fed to all pigs to measure basal endogenous losses of AA at the start of the trial. Each 9-day period comprised sequentially of a 5-day adaptation, 2-day faecal collection and 2-day ileal digesta collection. Steam-pelleting and extrusion increased (P

Phytic acid (PA) is the primary phosphorus reserve in cereals and legumes which serves the biosynthesis needs of growing tissues during germination. It is generally considered to be an anti-nutritional factor found in grains because it can bind to minerals, proteins, and starch, limiting their bioavailability. However, this same mineral binding property can also confer a number of health benefits such as reducing the risk of certain cancers, supporting heart health, and managing renal stones. In addition, the ability of PA to bind minerals allows it to be used in certain food quality applications such as stabilizing the green color of vegetables, preventing lipid peroxidation, and reducing enzymatic browning in fruits/vegetables. These beneficial properties create a potential for added-value applications in the utilization of PA in many new areas. Many possible processing techniques for the preparation of raw materials in the food industry can be used to reduce the concentration of PA in foods to mitigate its anti-nutritional effects. In turn, the recovered PA by-products could be available for novel uses. In this review, a general overview of the beneficial and anti-nutritional effects of PA will be discussed and then dephytinization methods will be explained.