PSIV-15 - Effects of dietary supplementation of carbohydrase on growth performance and health status of growing-finishing pigs

Abstract: The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of carbohydrase supplementation in finishing diets with 30-35% DDGS on growth performance and health status of growing-finishing pigs. A total of 432 DNA-sired growing pigs (initial BW: 68.4 ± 2.5 lb) were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. There were 16-20 pigs in each pen and 11-12 replicate pens per treatment. The 2 dietary treatments were 1) a standard finishing diet with phytase inclusion (CON); 2) CON + 90 g per ton of Endopower^® Green (ENZ). Body weight and feed disappearance were recorded by pen on d 0, 21, 42, 64, and 84 and used to calculate ADG, ADFI, and G:F. After d 84, an equal number of pigs from each pen were marketed, and marketed weight was recorded based on the 4 individual cuts. Morbidity, mortality, and medical injectable treatments were measured for the entire experimental period. Data were used to calculate all parameters and were analyzed using the GLM procedure in Minitab with Fisher’s t-test determining differences between treatments. There was a significant difference in the initial BW of pigs fed control and Endopower^® Green (dried aspergillus niger fermentation product as a source of xylanase, beta-glucanase, beta-mannanase and alpha-galactosidase) containing diets. Thus, the initial BW was included in the model as a covariate for adjusting growth performance data. Results indicate that final BW tended to be greater (P < 0.10) in pigs fed ENZ compared with pigs fed CON. Endopower treatment had greater (P < 0.05, respectively) ADG from d 0 to 21 and d 21 to 42 than control treatment and ADG tended to be greater (P < 0.10) in pigs fed ENZ compared with pigs fed CON from d 0 to MKT. While pigs fed ENZ had greater (P < 0.05) ADFI from d 0 to 21 than pigs fed CON, there was no difference in ADFI between the 2 treatments from the overall period. G:F tended to be greater (P < 0.10) from d 21 to 42 and G:F was greater (P < 0.05, respectively) in pigs fed ENZ compared with pigs fed CON from d 42 to 63 and the overall period. These results suggested providing Endopower^® Green in finishing diets can improve feed efficiency and therefore reduce feed cost per lb of gain and support environmental sustainability whilst utilizing higher levels of DDGS.