Effect of insoluble-low fermentable fiber from corn-ethanol distillation origin on energy, fiber, and amino acid digestibility, hindgut degradability of fiber, and growth performance of pigs

Extensive use of corn coproducts in swine diets increases the concentration of dietary fiber, raising concerns on energy and nutrient digestibility and, ultimately, pig performance. A digestion trial was conducted to determine the effect of increasing levels of insoluble-low fermentable fiber from corn in the diet, using corn bran with solubles (CBS) from the corn-ethanol distillation industry, on digestibility of energy, fiber, and AA, and hindgut fermentation of fiber in diets fed to growing pigs. Fifteen growing pigs (BW = 28.7 kg) arranged in a 3-period incomplete block design and fitted with a T-cannula in the distal ileum were provided 5 diets (n = 9) containing either a corn-casein basal or the basal diet with 10, 20, 30, or 40% CBS. Fecal and ileal digesta samples were collected. Two subsequent 28-d growth trials determined the effects of increasing dietary fiber from CBS in 2 sets of 7 diets formulated either with declining (growing phase:2,387 to 2,133 kcal NE/kg; finishing phase:2,499 to 2,209 kcal NE/kg) or constant dietary NE (growing phase approximate to 2,390 kcal NE/kg; finishing phase approximate to 2,500 kcal NE/kg) on growth performance and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of energy in 70 growing (BW = 48.9 kg; n = 10 per diet) and 70 finishing (BW = 102.0 kg; n = 10) pigs. Results indicated that increasing fiber from corn lowered (P < 0.01) the apparent ileal digestibility of all indispensable amino acids except Arg, GE, DM, and CP but not NDF or total dietary fiber (TDF). Increased fiber from corn also reduced ATTD of GE, DM, CP, NDF, and TDF (P < 0.01). Increasing fiber with declining diet NE lowered BW, ADG, and G:F (P < 0.05) in growing and in finishing pigs. When NE was held constant, as fiber increased, BW and ADG were unaffected in growing and finishing pigs, and G:F was unaffected in finishing pigs but improved in growing pigs (P < 0.05) with increasing dietary fiber. In both growing and finishing pigs, ADFI was unaffected by the increased fiber from corn, regardless of the NE content of diets. In conclusion, the dietary level of insoluble-low fermentable dietary fiber from corn origin decreased the digestibility of dietary AA, and the ability of the growing pig to ferment corn dietary fiber. In spite of the reduction in digestibility of energy and nutrients with insoluble-low fermentable fiber level from corn, growth performance was not impaired when the energy supply is adequately balanced in the diet using the NE system.