183 Isoquinoline alkaloids increase apparent ileal digestibility of amino acids and crude protein and apparent total tract digestibility of crude protein by finishing pigs fed corn-soybean meal diets

Abstract

Abstract An experiment was conducted to determine if the inclusion of a preparation of isoquinoline alkaloids (IQ) in corn-soybean meal diets fed to finishing pigs increases the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of amino acids (AA) and crude protein (CP) and the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of CP and gross energy. Twelve ileal cannulated barrows (BW: 77.2 ± 6.23 kg) were allotted to a triplicated 4 x 3 incomplete Latin square design with 4 diets and 9 replicates per diet. Diets were supplemented with either 0, 40, 80, or 160 mg/kg IQ and with 0.40% titanium dioxide as an indigestible marker. Each collection period lasted 14 d with d 1 through 10 as an adaptation to the diets, fecal samples were taken using the grab sampling technique on d 11 and 12, and ileal digesta were collected for 8 h on d 13 and 14. Data were analyzed using the Proc MIXED procedure of SAS. Contrast statements were used to determine linear and quadratic effects of including IQ in the diets. Results were considered significant at P ≤ 0.05 and considered a trend at 0.05 < P ≤ 0.10. Inclusion of IQ resulted in a quadratic increase (P < 0.05) in the AID of CP and AA in corn-soybean meal diets fed to finishing pigs, with the greatest digestibility values generally observed in the 40 mg/kg IQ treatment. Additionally, IQ resulted in a quadratic increase (P = 0.009) in the ATTD of CP, with the greatest digestibility observed in the 80 mg/kg IQ treatment. Therefore, it was concluded that supplementing corn-soybean meal diets with 40 or 80 mg/kg IQ may increase the AID of CP and AA and ATTD of CP by finishing pigs.