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Cottonseed meal with enzyme complex for finishing pigs
Jone Rodrigues da Silva1, Rauana Vieira de Andrade2, Anderson Corassa2
1Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. jonerodrigues.zootecnia@hotmail.com.
Tropical Animal Health and Production
|May 6, 2021
Summary
This study found that including cottonseed meal (CM) with an enzyme complex in pig diets reduced nutrient digestibility but did not impact overall performance. Economic viability was not improved, suggesting limited financial benefit in this scenario.
Area of Science:
- Animal Nutrition
- Swine Production
- Feed Science
Background:
- Cottonseed meal (CM) is a potential protein source for animal feed.
- Enzymatic complexes can improve nutrient utilization in animal diets.
- Optimizing finishing pig diets is crucial for performance and economic returns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the digestibility, performance, and economic viability of finishing pigs fed diets with increasing levels of cottonseed meal (CM) and an enzymatic complex.
- To determine the effects of CM inclusion with enzyme supplementation on nutrient digestibility coefficients.
- To assess the impact on pig growth performance and net income.
Main Methods:
- Digestibility trials with 35 barrows and performance/economic trials with 30 pigs.
- Five experimental diets were formulated: control (0), control + enzyme (0E), 5% CM + enzyme (5E), 10% CM + enzyme (10E), and 15% CM + enzyme (15E).
- Evaluated digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE); monitored feed conversion (FC) and net income.
Main Results:
- Digestibility coefficients for DM, OM, and CP decreased with increasing CM inclusion.
- Ether extract digestibility improved with higher CM levels.
- No significant differences in overall pig performance were observed, though FC showed a negative linear effect in period 2 with enzyme-containing diets. Net income was higher in diets with CM and enzyme compared to control in one period.
- The inclusion of CM and enzyme complex did not negatively impact performance but also did not prove financially viable in the studied scenario.
Conclusions:
- While cottonseed meal with an enzyme complex can be included in finishing pig diets, it reduces nutrient digestibility.
- The inclusion did not translate to improved overall pig performance or enhanced economic viability under the evaluated conditions.
- Further research may be needed to optimize CM utilization and enzyme synergy in swine nutrition for improved financial outcomes.
