Variability in Fishmeal Nutritional Value in Weaned Pigs and Development of Predictive Equations

Area of Science:

• Animal Nutrition
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Fishmeal (FM) is a key protein source in animal feed.
• Variability in FM quality can impact animal performance and health.
• Accurate nutritional evaluation of FM is crucial for precision feeding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AAs) in FM.
• To determine the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) of FM.
• To develop predictive equations for FM nutritional value.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments using cannulated weaned pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire).
• Latin-square designs to assess AID, SID, DE, ME, and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD).
• Stepwise regression analysis to establish predictive equations based on chemical composition.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in AID and SID of AAs among FM samples.
• Positive correlation between SID of AAs and antioxidant/immune markers; negative correlation with oxidative stress markers.
• Significant variations in DE, ME, and ATTD of dry matter across FM samples.

Conclusions:

• The nutritional value of FM in pig diets is often underestimated.
• This study provides precise data and predictive tools for FM quality assessment.
• Findings support the application of precision nutrition strategies for FM utilization.