The effect of adding xylanase or β-glucanase to diets with corn distillers dried grains with solubles (CDDGS) on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in nursery pigs

A total of 135 pigs (initial weight=7.2±0.2kg) were used to evaluate the effect of xylanase (XYL) and β-glucanase (BGL) alone or in combination (XB) on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in nursery pigs fed diets with corn/SBM and 30% corn distillers dried grains with solubles (CDDGS). Pens (n=30, 4–5 pigs per pen) were randomly assigned to one of five treatments: positive control (PC, Corn/SBM+0% CDDGS), negative control (NC, 30% CDDGS replacing a portion of the corn and SBM with no enzyme addition), negative control+4000 unit/kg xylanase (XYL), negative control +450 unit/kg β-glucanase (BGL), and negative control+4000 unit/kg xylanase+450 unit/kg β-glucanase (XB). All pigs were fed a common phase 1 diet for one week post-weaning, and were switched to experimental diets in phase 2 (d7-21) and phase 3 (d21-35). Pigs fed the NC diet had reduced growth rate (P<0.001) compared to PC. Pigs fed BGL diet had increased ADG by 7.7%, and those fed the XB diet had increased ADG (9.3%) over NC diet during d21-35 (P<0.001). Overall, XB diet improved ADG by 6.6%, compared to NC diet (P<0.001). Digestibility of DM, improved by 1.6% and 1.4% in pigs fed XYL and XB (P<0.001), respectively. Overall, energy digestibility improved by 5.5% in pigs fed diets supplemented with enzymes (P<0.001). Similarly, CP digestibility was 5.9% greater in pigs fed diets supplemented with enzymes as compared to the NC (P<0.001). Addition of XYL, BGL, and XB increased average NDF, ADF, and hemicellulose digestibility by 33%, 30%, and 34%, respectively, when compared to NC diet (P<0.02). Supplementation of XYL, BGL, or both enzymes improved P digestibility (46%) when compared to NC diet (P<0.01). The results indicate that ADG was improved by the XB combination, with most of the response accounted for by BGL. There was no effect of enzyme on ADFI or G:F. In contrast, XYL, BGL and XB improved nutrient digestibility. Enzyme supplementation at least partially reduced the negative impact of CDDGS on nutrient digestibility and growth.