PSVII-39 Impact of reducing dietary fermentable protein level on growth performance in nursery pigs

• Published in: Journal of animal science 2019-12, Vol.97 (Supplement_3), p.356-357
• Main Authors: Xue, Pengcheng, Ebarb, Sara, Williams, Sabrina, Jolliff, James, Zhao, Junmei, Li, Qingyun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: POSTER PRESENTATIONS
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.1093/jas/skz258.711

Inclusion of highly digestible proteins can reduce protein fermentation in the hindgut and ameliorate digestive stress after weaning. This study evaluated the impact of reduced fermentable protein (FP) level on growth performance in nursery pigs. A total of 1,760 pigs (~19 d of age; initial BW = 5.4 ± 0.1 kg) were used in a study with 5 dietary treatments, 16 pens/treatment, and 22 pigs/pen. The pigs were housed in two barns which were blocked separately by pen location and randomly allocated to treatments. Treatments were: 1) Corn, soybean meal diets with antibiotics and pharmacological levels of Cu (235 ppm) and Zn (3000 ppm) (PC); 2) Corn, soybean meal diets without antibiotics and nutritional levels of Cu and Zn and standard level of FP (NC); 3) NC + 7.5% of FP; 4) NC - 7.5% of FP; 5) NC - 15% of FP. The content of FP for each ingredient was calculated by subtracting the apparent ileal digestible CP from the apparent total tract digestible CP. Treatment diets were formulated to similar energy and nutrient levels that met or exceeded NRC (2012) requirements. Pen weights were obtained on d 0, 8, and 22.5 post-weaning and growth performance parameters were calculated. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS 9.3 (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). Constructed contrasts tested the effect of antibiotics, Cu, and Zn (PC vs. NC) and level of FP (+7.5, NC, -7.5, -15%; linear and quadratic). From d 0 to 22.5 post-weaning, the NC had reduced BW, ADG, ADFI, and G:F when compared to the PC (P < 0.05). As the level of FP decreased, there were linear increases in BW, ADG, ADFI, and G:F (P < 0.01). In summary, reducing fermentable protein in the diet by using high quality protein sources improved growth performance of nursery piglets.