Performance and cost of pigs fed 50% rice bran diets with addition of phytase and/or cellulase

Abstract

Animal performance and feed costs were evaluated in pigs fed during growing and finishing phases diets containing 50% rice bran (RB) without enzymes (Treatment T1); or with addition of 1,000 units of phytase (T2); or with 250,000 units of carboxy-methylcellulase (T3); or with both enzymes per kilogram of diet (T4); in addition to a conventional maize and soy-based diet (T5). Eighty-five castrated males, 70 days old and varying in initial weight from 17.5 to 31.1 kg, were subjected to five treatments in six randomized blocks. Animals receiving the conventional diet consumed more feed and gained more weight. However, their feed conversion ratio was similar to that of animals fed the 50% RB diets, with or without enzymes, and feed costs were lower with the latter than with the maize and soy diet.