Effects of a carbohydrase cocktail supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles and meat quality in finishing pigs fed palm kernel meal

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a carbohydrase cocktail supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles and meat quality in finishing pigs fed palm kernel meal. A total of 96 [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] pigs (average initial BW of 50.49 ± 1.89 kg) were randomly allotted to one of the following four dietary treatments: control and the diet containing 5% palm kernel meal supplemented with 0, 0.1 or 0.2% carbohydrase cocktail. The experiment lasted 10 weeks and there were six replication pens per treatment with four pigs per pen. During the entire experiment, the final body weight, ADG and G:F decreased (p < 0.05) in pigs fed the unsupplemented palm kernel meal diet, while no difference was observed in ADG, ADFI and G:F between the control and palm kernel meal diet with 0.1 or 0.2% carbohydrase. Dry matter, N and energy digestibilities were reduced (p < 0.05) in the unsupplemented palm kernel meal diet. However, there were no differences in dry matter, N and energy digestibilities between the control and palm kernel meal diet with 0.1 or 0.2% carbohydrase at the end of the trial. Blood profiles did not differ among all the treatments. Dietary treatment had no effects on meat quality with the exception that marbling score in the unsupplemented palm kernel meal diet was lower than the other treatments (p < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of the diet containing 5% palm kernel meal with carbohydrase cocktail can improve the growth performance and energy and nutrient digestibilities in finishing pigs, thus increasing the nutritional value of palm kernel meal.