The effect of protease and alpha-galactosidase supplementation on the nutritive value of peas for growing and finishing pigs

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the addition o f alpha-galactosidase and neutral protease to pea (Pisum sativum) based die ts fed to growing finishing pigs. The design was a 2 X 2 factorial plus a c ontrol diet based on barley, wheat and soyabean meal. In experiment 1, the effects of enzyme supplementation on total tract apparent digestibility coe fficients of organic matter (OM), nitrogen (N), energy, ash and neutral det ergent fibre (NDF) were determined when peas were included at 400 g/kg of t he ration. In experiment 2, performance was measured with individually fed pigs (12/diet) offered the following diets ad libitum: (1) control (barley, wheat, soyabean meal, tallow and molasses), (2) 400 g peas per kg of ratio n, (3) 400 g peas per kg of ration plus ol-galactosidase, (4) 400 g peas pe r kg of ration plus neutral protease, and (5) 400 g peas per kg of ration p lus both alpha-galactosidase and protease. All diets were formulated, using standard values for ingredients, to have similar concentrations of digesti ble energy (13.7 MJ/kg) and lysine (11 g/kg). In experiment 1, the addition of alpha-galactosidase, protease or both had no effect on nutrient digesti bility or digestible energy content of the diets. In experiment 2, the addi tion of a-galactosidase reduced (P < 0.05) feed intake and growth rate duri ng the grower stage (39 kg to 60 kg). Gains (kg/day) of 0.934, 0.862, 0.860 , 0.887 and 0.843 (s.e. 0.030; P < 0.05) and food conversion ratios (FCR) o f 2.43, 2.62, 2.55, 2.50 and 2.55 (s.e. 0.048; P < 0.05) were recorded for Treatments 1 to 5, respectively, from 39 kg to finish. In conclusion, the a ddition of alpha-galactosidase had no effect on the nutritive value of diet s containing peas while the addition of neutral protease alone improved FCR in the growing pig.