Effects of Cellulase Enzymes and Bacterial Feed Additives on the Nutritional Value of Sorghum Grain for Finishing Pigs

Kim, I. H.; Hancock, J. D.; Hines, R. H.; Kim, C. S.

doi:1998.11.5.538

Article

Swine Nutrition and Feed Technology

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 1998;11(5): 538-544.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.1998.538 Published online October 1, 1998.

Effects of Cellulase Enzymes and Bacterial Feed Additives on the Nutritional Value of Sorghum Grain for Finishing Pigs

I. H. Kim, J. D. Hancock, R. H. Hines, C. S. Kim

Abstract

One hundred and twenty-eight finishing pigs (51.3 kg average initial body weight) were used to determine the effects of adding cellulase enzymes and lactobacillus acidophilus to sorghum-based diets on growth performance, carcass merit, and nutrient digestibility in finishing pigs. Treatments were : 1) corn-soybean meal-based positive control; 2) sorghum-soybean meal-based negative control; 3) Diet 2 with cellulolytic enzymes; and 4) Diet 2 with a bacterial feed additive (lactobacillus acidophilus). There was a trend for greater average daily gain (ADG) in pigs fed corn versus the sorghum treatments for day 0 to 28 (p < 0.09), but there was no effect of treatment (p > 0.15) on overall ADG (i.e., day 0 to 63). Feed consumption was not affected by treatment during the experiment (p > 0.19). Pigs fed the corn-soybean meal-based diet had 3.5% greater overall gain/feed than pigs fed the other diets (p < 0.009). Dressing percentage was not affected by treatment (p < 0.22), but there was a trend for backfat thickness at the last rib to be greater for pigs fed corn versus the sorghum treatments (p < 0.09). Pigs fed the sorghum treatments had 1% greater fat free lean index (p < 0.10) compared to pigs fed the corn-soybean meal-based positive control. Pigs fed corn had greater apparent digestibilities of DM, N, and GE than pigs fed the sorghum treatments (p < 0.03), and greater DE intake (p <0.07) suggesting that the increased carcass fatness for pigs fed the corn-based control diet resulted from greater energy status of those pigs. In conclusion, pigs fed the corn-soybean meal-based control diet had no improved growth performance but tended to be fatter than pigs fed sorghum. Adding cellulolytic enzymes or a bacterial feed additive to diets for finishing pigs did not affect growth performance, carcass merit, or nutrient utilization.

Keywords: Lactobacillus; Enzyme; Performance; Digestibility; Carcass; Pig