A growing-finishing diet formulated to reduce the soybean meal does not compromise the growth performance, health, behaviour and gut health of Italian heavy pigs

Soy contributes to the environmental impact of Italian pork production. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a reduced soybean meal (SBM) and crude protein (CP) finishing diet on growth performance, health, behaviour and gut health of Italian heavy pigs. 1920 pigs (35.6 kg body weight; (BW)) b...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Italian journal of animal science 2024-12, Vol.23 (1), p.1507-1523
Main Authors: Graziosi, Maria Vittoria, Luise, Diana, Amarie, Roxana Elena, Correa, Federico, Elmi, Alberto, Virdis, Sara, Negrini, Clara, Palumbo, Francesco, Biagi, Giacomo, Bacci, Maria Laura, Govoni, Nadia, Serra, Andrea, Trevisi, Paolo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acclimatization
Ammonia
Body weight
Dehydroepiandrosterone
Diet
dietary fibre
Environmental impact
fattening pigs
Feces
Hogs
pea meal
sunflower meal
sustainable feed
Volatile fatty acids
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Summary:Soy contributes to the environmental impact of Italian pork production. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a reduced soybean meal (SBM) and crude protein (CP) finishing diet on growth performance, health, behaviour and gut health of Italian heavy pigs. 1920 pigs (35.6 kg body weight; (BW)) balanced by sex and BW were assigned to the control diet (CO), or the treated diet (TRT) formulated by reducing SBM by 31%, 67% and 69% (replaced by pea and sunflower meal) in 3 feeding phases, respectively, and 1.2% CP in the third phase. 251 pigs were individually weighed at d11, d94 and d181. Feed intake (FI), behavioural indices and air gases at pen-level were monitored monthly. Faecal samples (20/pigs/group) for microbiota, ammonia and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and hair for stress biomarkers were collected. Diet did not affect final BW, faecal ammonia, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone. From d11–d94, the CO group had higher gain to feed (G:F) (p = .007), favourable faecal VFAs profile and a lower environmental ammonia (p 
ISSN:1828-051X
1594-4077
1828-051X
DOI:10.1080/1828051X.2024.2409349