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Dear Colleagues,

Solving the contradiction between the fast-growing pig industry and the increasingly scarce food resources is one of the most imperative challenges of modern agriculture. At present, alternative products for traditional corn–soybean meal feed such as wheat, brown rice, and yeast protein have been put on the agenda. However, a better understanding of how to eliminate the high fiber content and certain antinutritional factors in these products is critical to realize their feeding potential.

This Special Issue focuses on improving the nutritional utilization of alternative feed ingredients for swine, such as the development of methods to eliminate antinutritional factors in alternative products for swine feed and the use of certain additives to increase the digestion of nutrients. These articles mainly cover areas such as the effects of physical processed, chemically processed, and biologically fermented feed products in pigs. All types of articles, such as original research, opinions, and reviews, are welcome.

Dr. Shihai Zhang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

swine
alternative feed ingredients
anti-nutritional factors
digestion

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1132 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growth Performance, Carcass and Pork Quality Traits of Growing-Finishing Pigs with High and Low Breeding Values for Residual Feed Intake Fed Diets with Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata) Pulp as Alternative Raw Material

by Vinicius E. Moreira, Renata Veroneze, Alysson Saraiva, Marcio de S. Duarte, Simone E. F. Guimaraes, Marcos S. Lopes, John W. M. Bastiaansen, Gabryele A. Santos, Lorena D. Campos and Paulo H. R. F. Campos

Agriculture 2022, 12(11), 1860; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12111860 - 5 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2237

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of dietary macauba pulp on the growth performance, carcass, and pork traits of growing-finishing pigs; and whether differences in residual feed intake breeding values could influence the pigs’ growth responses to macauba pulp inclusion in the diet. A total of 282 (34.8 ± 4.40 kg) pigs (barrows and females), progeny of sires with high (HRFI) or low (LRFI) breeding value for residual feed intake, were pair-housed on the basis of sex, breeding value, and initial BW. Diets with (macauba) or without (control) of 50 g/kg of macauba pulp inclusion were randomly assigned to the experimental pens. There were eight treatment groups: HRFI barrows were fed the control diet; HRFI barrows were fed the macauba diet; LRFI barrows were fed the control diet; LRFI barrows were fed the macauba diet; HRFI female pigs were fed the control diet; HRFI female pigs were fed the macauba diet; LRFI female pigs were fed the control diet; and LRFI female pigs were fed the macauba diet. The trial lasted 90 days and was divided into four phases: growing phase 1 (G1) and 2 (G2); and finishing phases 1 (F1) and 2 (F2). There was no interaction between sex, breeding value, and diet for performance, carcass, and pork traits. Barrows had higher feed intake (ADFI), daily gain (ADG), feed conversion rate (FCR), and final body weight than female pigs. The breeding value had no effect on performance measurements. The inclusion of macauba pulp in the pigs’ diets did not affect any growth parameter during G1, G2 and F1 phases. However, reduced ADFI and improved FCR were observed in F2. Female pigs had lower backfat thickness (BF) and higher loin eye area (LEA) than barrows. HRFI pigs had higher hot carcass weight and LEA, and lower BF than LRFI pigs. There was no effect of macauba pulp inclusion on carcass traits. Pork from barrows presented lower Warner–Bratzler shear force and higher fat content than pork from the females. There was no effect of breeding value on pork traits. Pork from pigs fed the macauba diet showed lower moisture content and water-holding capacity. In conclusion, macauba pulp can partially replace corn without reducing the performance of pigs. Regardless of sex and breeding value for RFI, pigs responded similarly to macauba pulp inclusion in diets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improvement of Nutritional Utilization of Alternative Feed Ingredients in Pigs)

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Review

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12 pages, 576 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Rapeseed Meal and Its Application in Pig Diet: A Review

by Hao Cheng, Xiang Liu, Qingrui Xiao, Fan Zhang, Nian Liu, Lizi Tang, Jing Wang, Xiaokang Ma, Bie Tan, Jiashun Chen and Xianren Jiang

Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 849; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060849 - 12 Jun 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3679

Abstract

Rapeseed is the second largest plant protein resource in the world with an ideal profile of essential amino acids. Rapeseed meal (RSM) is one of the by-products of rapeseed oil extraction. Due to the anti-nutritional components (glucosinolates and fiber) and poor palatability, RSM is limited in livestock diets. Recently, how to decrease the anti-nutritional factors and improve the nutritional value of RSM has become a hot topic. Therefore, the major components of RSM have been reviewed with emphasis on the methods to improve the nutritional value of RSM as well as the application of RSM in pig diets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improvement of Nutritional Utilization of Alternative Feed Ingredients in Pigs)

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