Abstract
Simple SummaryFeathers contain around 90% of keratin which compose of unbalanced amino acids with low digestibility and limiting the usage in monogastric animal diets. To improve the nutrient value of feather through fermentation using keratinase-producing microbes pose a high economic potential. This study investigates the effects of two-stage fermented feather-soybean meal product (TSFP) on growth performance, blood characteristics, and immunity of finishing pigs. In growth performance, 2.5–5% TSFP promotes the average daily feed intake and feed conversion rate with a best performance of 5%. In blood characteristics, 5% TSFP increased HDL-C, and decreased LDL-C and blood urea nitrogen content. In immunity, 5% TSFP increased lymphoblastogenesis stimulated by lipopolysaccharide and concanavalin A, and promoting IFN-γ, IgA productions, and phagocytic cells oxygen burst capacity. It appears that TSFP improves the growth performance and immunity of finishing pigs.This study investigates the effects of two-stage fermented feather meal-soybean meal product (TSFP) on growth performance, blood characteristics, and immunity of finishing pigs. Firstly, feather meal-soybean meal is subjected to aerobic fermentation with Bacillus subtilis var. natto N21, B. subtilis Da2 and Da15, B. amyloliquefaciens Da6, Da16 for two days, and anaerobic fermentation with B. coagulans L12 for three days. Then, the fermented product is air-dried into an end product—TSFP. Eighty hybrid pigs (Duroc x KHAPS) with equal numbers of both sexes are randomly assigned into 3% fish meal, 0%, 2.5%, or 5.0% TSFP groups with five replicates per group. Our results show that the average daily feed intake and feed conversion rate of TSFP groups are significantly better than the other groups at 0–3 weeks (p < 0.05). The 5% TSFP group significantly increased HDL-C in the blood (p < 0.05), and decreased LDL-C and blood urea nitrogen content (p < 0.05). The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and concanavalin A (ConA) in 5% TSFP group and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) content in 2.5% and 5% TSFP groups are significantly higher than the other groups (p < 0.05). The phagocytic oxygen burst capacity and serum IgA content of the 5% TSFP group are significantly higher than those of the fishmeal group (p < 0.05). The CD3, CD4, and CD4 + CD8 + T cells subsets in 2.5% and 5% TSFP groups are significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, TSFP has a positive effect on the growth performance and immunity of finishing pigs with the best performance on 5% TSFP.
Highlights
Feathers contain up to 85% of crude protein (CP) with primarily keratin which enriched disulfide bond and hydrophobic properties with unbalanced amino acid composition impacted on digestibility [1,2,3,4,5,6]; limiting usage of feathers in monogastric animal diets
Process feather meal using microbial fermentation promotes the nutritional value of matrix by decreasing anti-nutritional factors and degrading complex proteins and carbohydrates [8,9,10], and improves feed palatability and preservation period; it has been widely adopted in animal feed for many years [11,12,13]
Some of our previous studies reported that using keratinase-producing microbes can improve the value of feather meal to be similar to soybean meal [15,16,17]
Summary
Feathers contain up to 85% of crude protein (CP) with primarily (around 90%) keratin which enriched disulfide bond and hydrophobic properties with unbalanced amino acid composition impacted on digestibility [1,2,3,4,5,6]; limiting usage of feathers in monogastric animal diets. The process has often resulted in denature and loss of available amino acids and further impact its nutritional value for monogastric animals [5,6]. It has been recommended to limit the use of feather meal to a maximum of 5% in growing pig diets [7]. Process feather meal using microbial fermentation promotes the nutritional value of matrix by decreasing anti-nutritional factors and degrading complex proteins and carbohydrates [8,9,10], and improves feed palatability and preservation period; it has been widely adopted in animal feed for many years [11,12,13]. Some of our previous studies reported that using keratinase-producing microbes can improve the value of feather meal to be similar to soybean meal [15,16,17]
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