By Farms.com
In commercial swine production, improving the nutritional value of gestating sow diets is crucial for boosting economic efficiency.
This effort to improve has led to the innovative use of multienzyme complexes, which are now known for their ability to significantly increase the energy content and nutrient digestibility of high-fiber diets.
Gestating sows, consuming about 20% of the total feed in swine production systems, can benefit greatly from diets that make dietary fibers more digestible.
This is where multienzyme complexes come into role, blending enzymes like xylanase, glucanase, cellulase, amylase, protease, invertase, and pectinase to break down fibrous components effectively.
Research trials have provided concrete evidence of the benefits. For instance, when gestating sows were fed corn-soybean meal diets enriched with soybean hulls and corn DDGS, the inclusion of a multienzyme complex at 0.1% could boost metabolizable energy by an average of 195 kcal/kg and net energy by 142 kcal/kg.
The degree of improvement was found to depend on the dietary fiber content, demonstrating a more pronounced effect in low-fiber diets.
Further studies revealed that while the overall digestibility of nutrients and energy was significantly enhanced by enzyme supplementation, the effect on the digestibility of crude protein and amino acids was minimal, highlighting the complex's specific role in fiber digestion.
The impact of multienzyme complexes also varies with the feedstuff type, showing more pronounced effects on protein feedstuffs compared to cereal grains.
This variability underscores the importance of tailoring enzyme supplementation strategies to the specific ingredients of a diet, especially in regions with diverse agronomic conditions and feedstuff availability.
The practical implications of these findings are vast. By increasing the digestibility of high-fiber ingredients, multienzyme complexes allow for more efficient use of available feedstuffs, potentially lowering diet costs and improving the sustainability of swine production operations.
This advancement in gestating sow nutrition promises not only economic benefits but also a step forward in the quest for sustainable livestock management.