Effects of Keratinase on Performance, Nutrient Utilization, Intestinal Morphology, Intestinal Ecology and Inflammatory Response of Weaned Piglets Fed Diets with Different Levels of Crude Protein

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the in vitro ability of keratinase to hydrolyze soybean glycinin and -conglycinin and to evaluate the in vivo effects of keratinase when included in corn-soybean diets with different levels of crude protein and fed to nursery pigs. In experiment 1, a saturated keratinase solution (1 ml) was added to two blank controls of either glycinin or -conglycinin resulting in the hydrolysis of 94.74% glycinin and 88.89% -conglycinin. In experiment 2, 190 pigs (8.30.63 kg BW) were allotted to one of four treatments in a 22 factorial arrangement on the basis of body weight, and sex was balanced among the pens. The effects of crude protein (19 vs. 22%) and keratinase (0 vs. 0.05%) were studied. Each treatment was applied to six pens with seven (two pens) or eight pigs per pen. Pigs were fed the experimental diets for 21 d. Weight gain and feed conversion ratio were improved (p