Effect of b-Glucanase Supplementation to Hulless Barley- or Wheat-Soybean Meal Diets on the Digestibilities of Energy, Protein, b-Glucans, and Amino Acids in Young Pigs 1

Studies were carried out to determine the effect of b-glucanase supplementation to hulless barley-soybean meal (HB+SBM) or wheat-soybean meal (W+SBM) diets on the digestibilities of GE, CP, b-glucans, and amino acids. Twelve barrows, average BW 7.3 kg, were fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum, approximately 5 cm from the ileo-cecal sphincter. After a 7-d recuperation period, six pigs were allotted to each dietary treatment according to a two-period crossover design. Both diets were formu- lated to contain 20% CP without and with supplemen- tation of .2% b-glucanase. b-glucanase refers to a mixture of enzymes with endo- and exo-b-glucanase and b-glucosidase activities. Chromic oxide was in- cluded as a digestibility marker. The pigs were fed three times daily at 0800, 1600, and 2400 and the daily allowance was offered at a rate of 5% of BW. Each experimental period lasted 9 d. Feces were collected for 48 h on d 6 and 7 and ileal digesta for a total of 24 h on d 8 and 9. b-glucanase supplementa- tion to the HB+SBM diet increased ( P < .05 or P < .01) the ileal digestibilities of GE, CP, b-glucans, and the majority of the amino acids and the fecal digestibilities of GE, CP, and all amino acids meas- ured; the fecal digestibility of b-glucans in the HB+SBM diet was not affected by b-glucanase sup- plementation. There was no effect ( P > .05) of b- glucanase supplementation to the W+SBM diet on the ileal digestibilities of any criteria measured except for b-glucans ( P < .05). The supplementation of b- glucanase to the W+SBM diet increased ( P < .05) the fecal digestibility of energy but not ( P > .05) the other criteria measured.