Abstract
Using alternative feedstuffs can be a feasible measure to reduce swine production cost. GuarPro F-71 (GP71), a newly developed guar meal product, is considered as a potential protein source for pigs. This preliminary study was conducted to evaluate the effects of GP71 inclusion in feed on growth performance and nutrient metabolism of growing pigs. Sixty crossbred barrows (31.9±1.84 kg body weight (BW)) were allotted to one of five dietary treatments in a completely randomised experiment design, with four pens/treatment and three pigs/pen. Diet 1 was a maize- and soybean-based basal control diet formulated to meet NRC recommendations. GP71 was used to replace 25, 50, 75, and 100% soybean meal in diet 1 (on an equivalent crude protein (CP) basis) to generate diets 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Crystalline amino acids were used to balance the essential amino acid concentrations across the five diets. Inclusion of GP71 quadratically reduced average daily feed intake (ADFI) (P=0.01) with no observed clinical signs of unhealthiness of pigs. The blood plasma concentrations of six metabolites, including urea nitrogen, total protein, albumin, glucose, total cholesterol and total triglycerides, were not affected (P>0.30), indicating that the pigs’ metabolic utilisation of nutrients was not compromised. The cubic effect (P<0.05) of dietary GP71 inclusion on G:F ratio suggested that the level of soybean meal replacement (up to 75% soybean meal) did not negatively affect feed efficiency in pigs. In short, the feed intake reduction due to the dietary GP71 inclusion was, if not solely, responsible for the average daily gain (ADG) and final BW reduction. This study suggested that using GP71 to replace soybean meal up to 75% (on an equivalent CP basis) can negatively affect ADFI and ADG, but not feed efficiency, in growing pigs. The reasons for the ADFI and ADG reduction need to be understood in future research.
Highlights
Feed cost represents roughly 60 to 70% of the total commercial pork production expenses, and high feed cost has become a major concern for the swine industry (Patience et al, 2015; Velayudhan et al, 2015)
The initial body weight (BW) of the pigs fed diet 1 was greater (P
The average daily feed intake (ADFI) of the pigs was decreased by the dietary inclusion of GuarPro F-71 (GP71), showing a significant quadratic (P=0.014) relationship (Table 2)
Summary
Feed cost represents roughly 60 to 70% of the total commercial pork production expenses, and high feed cost has become a major concern for the swine industry (Patience et al, 2015; Velayudhan et al, 2015). The swine producers and nutritionists have been searching for alternative feedstuffs that can be used in swine diets to reduce feed cost. Unconventional feed ingredients (e.g. distiller dried grain with solubles), if production and nutrient availability are sufficient, can be included in swine diets to reduce feed costs without affecting growth performance (Kim et al, 2017; Schmit et al, 2009). Guar meal meets the criteria defined by Kim et al (2017) to be considered as an alternative feedstuff; it has not yet been adopted in the NRC (2012) database for swine. It has been hypothesised that the commercial source GuarPro F-71 (GP71) can totally or partially replace soybean meal as a dietary protein source for swine, without compromising growth performance
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