Feed particle size and amylase supplementation in diets for nursery piglets: Digestibility and growth performance

• Published in: Livestock science Vol. 271; p. 105211
• Main Authors: Dzierva, Letícia, Conceição dos Santos, Marley, de Almeida, Leopoldo Malcorra, da Rocha, Chayane, Bassi, Lucas Schmidt, Muramatsu, Keysuke, Maiorka, Alex
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-05-2023
• Subjects: Amylase; Nursery; Particle size; Pig nutrition; Particle size; Amylase; Nursery; Pig nutrition
• ISSN: 1871-1413; 1878-0490
• DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2023.105211

•Fine grinding increased feed conversion ratio of pre-starter pigs (28 to 42 d; 339 µm) but reduced feed intake and weight gain in starter pigs (42 to 63 d; 588 µm).•Use of a coarser diet (920 µm) after 42 d of age 920 µm increased feed intake and weight gain.•Amylase supplementation reduced feed conversion ratio in the total period (42 to 63 d) and increased nutrient digestibility and digestible energy.•Supplementation of 80 kg-novo units/kg of amylase is recommended for nursery pigs regardless of diet particle size.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of diet particle size, amylase supplementation, and their possible interaction on nutrient digestibility and performance of nursery pigs. A total of 352 whole male piglets (28-d-old) were distributed in a completely randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial scheme: 2 feed particle sizes; with or without inclusion of 80 kg-novo units (KNU) of amylase/kg. Initial weight was the blocking factor. The diets were pelleted, based on corn and soybean meal, and divided into pre-starter (28 to 42 d) and starter (43 to 63 d). The tested particle sizes were 339/588 µm and 696/920 µm for pre-starter and starter phases, respectively, and were obtained through grinding of the corn. Diets were fed ad libitum. Average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily weight gain (ADWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were evaluated. Apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE), as well as digestible energy (DE) were additionally evaluated in the starter phase. No interaction between factors was observed throughout the experiment. In the pre-starter phase, piglets fed finer diets (339 µm) had lower FCR (P < 0.05), although ADFI and ADWG were not affected. In the starter phase, the use of a coarser diet (920 µm) led to greater ADFI and ADWG (P < 0.05), but with no effect on FCR, similarly to what was observed in the total period (28 to 63 days). Reducing the particle size increased EE digestibility (P < 0.05) but had no influence on DM and CP digestibility nor DE. Amylase supplementation increased ADFI and ADWG and reduced FCR in the pre-starter phase and total period (P < 0.05), and led to greater digestibility of DM, CP, and EE, as well as DE (P < 0.05). As a conclusion, fine grinding of diets can be applied to reduce FCR and increase fat digestibility in younger nursery pigs (up to 42-d-old), but coarser diets should be used at an older age (post-42-d) to prevent losses in ADFI and ADWG. Supplementation of 80 KNU/kg of exogenous amylase is recommended through the nursery phase (28 to 63 d) to improve growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and DE, regardless of diet particle size.