As bioethanol production grows, corn distillers dried grains with solubles (cDDGS) have become a popular, cost-effective feed ingredient for pigs, replacing corn and soybean meal. However, cDDGS are high in fiber, which can reduce nutrient digestibility in pigs. Supplementation of exogenous enzymes like xylanase and cellulase to cDDGS diets can improve nutrient absorption and feed efficiency by breaking down these fibers and altering the gut environment. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of these enzymes in enhancing nutrient and fiber digestion in pigs fed a cDDGS-based diet. Twelve ileal-cannulated pigs were used for this digestibility study to evaluate the apparent total tract digestibility and apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients and fibers in pigs fed 30% cDDGS diets without or with carbohydrase enzyme. Supplementation of carbohydrase enzyme in 30% cDDGS diet improved apparent ileal digestibility of crude protein, gross energy, neutral detergent fiber, insoluble dietary fiber, total dietary fiber, and cellulose. In addition, carbohydrase enzyme supplementation improved the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, calcium, gross energy, acid detergent fiber, and total non-starch polysaccharides. Therefore, supplementing carbohydrase enzyme to a corn–soybean–cDDGS diet improved nutrient, energy, and fiber digestibility in pigs.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.