Effect of beta-glucans contained in barley- and oat-based diets and exogenous enzyme supplementation on gastrointestinal fermentation of finisher pigs and subsequent manure odor and ammonia emissions

J Anim Sci. 2010 Apr;88(4):1411-20. doi: 10.2527/jas.2009-2115. Epub 2009 Dec 18.

Abstract

The objective of the current experiment was to evaluate the influence of dietary cereal sources of beta(1,3)(1,4)-d-glucan (beta-glucan) and enzyme supplementation on indices of environmental pollution from finisher pigs. An experiment with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was initiated to investigate the effect of dietary source of beta-glucan (barley vs. oats) and enzyme supplementation (no vs. yes) on nutrient digestibility, N utilization, intestinal fermentation, and manure odor and ammonia emissions from finisher boars (n = 4; BW = 73.9 kg; SD = 4.7). Sixteen boars were assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments (n = 4/treatment): 1) barley-based diet, 2) barley-based diet + exogenous enzyme, 3) oat-based diet, and 4) oat-based diet + enzyme. The enzyme supplement used contained endo-1,3(4)-beta-glucanase and endo-1,4-beta-xylanase. Experimental diets were formulated to contain similar concentrations of DE (13.5 MJ/kg) and digestible lysine (8.8 g/kg). Pigs offered oat-based diets had reduced digestibility of DM (0.795 vs. 0.849; SEM 0.007; P = 0.001), OM (0.808 vs. 0.865; SEM 0.007; P = 0.001), GE (0.806 vs. 0.845; SEM 0.006; P = 0.002), and NDF (0.233 vs. 0.423; SEM 0.033; P < 0.003) compared with those offered barley-based diets. Oat-based diets increased populations of Bifidobacterium spp. (7.26 vs. 6.38 log cfu/g of digesta; SEM 0.201; P = 0.005) and Lactobacillus spp. (6.99 vs. 6.18 log cfu/g of digesta; SEM 0.234; P = 0.022) in the proximal colon and decreased manure odor emissions [2,179.6 vs. 4,984.6 Ou(E)/m(3) (where Ou(E) refers to European odor units); SEM 653.7; P < 0.011] compared with barley-based diets. There was an interaction between cereal type and enzyme inclusion on manure ammonia emissions from 0 to 96 h (P = 0.050). Pigs offered barley-based diets containing an enzyme supplement had increased manure ammonia emissions compared with those offered unsupplemented barley-based diets. However, there was no effect of enzyme inclusion on oat-based diets. In conclusion, pigs offered oat-based diets harbored increased Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. populations in the proximal colon and had decreased manure odor emissions compared with those offered barley-based diets. Enzyme inclusion had no effect on manure ammonia emissions from pigs offered oat-based diets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ammonia
  • Animal Feed*
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Animals
  • Avena
  • Diet / veterinary*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Digestion / drug effects
  • Digestion / physiology
  • Endo-1,3(4)-beta-Glucanase / pharmacology
  • Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases / pharmacology
  • Fermentation / drug effects*
  • Fermentation / physiology
  • Hordeum
  • Male
  • Manure*
  • Odorants
  • Swine / physiology*
  • beta-Glucans / pharmacology

Substances

  • Manure
  • beta-Glucans
  • Ammonia
  • Endo-1,3(4)-beta-Glucanase
  • Endo-1,4-beta Xylanases