Effect of dietary inclusion of Spirulina on production performance, nutrient digestibility and meat quality traits in post‐weaning piglets

Abstract

The effect of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), individually or in combination with two commercial carbohydrases, in piglet diets was assessed on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and meat quality traits. Forty post‐weaned male piglets from Large White × Landrace sows crossed with Pietrain boars with an initial live weight of 12.0 ± 0.89 kg were used. Piglets were assigned to one of four dietary treatments (n = 10): cereal and soya bean meal base diet (control), base diet with 10% Spirulina (SP), SP diet supplemented with 0.005% Rovabio® Excel AP (SP + R) and SP diet supplemented with 0.01% lysozyme (SP + L). Animals were slaughtered after a 4‐week experimental period. Growth performance was negatively affected by the incorporation of Spirulina in the diets, with an average decrease of 9.1% on final weight, in comparison with control animals. Total tract apparent digestibility (TTAD) of crude protein was higher (p < .05) in the control group than in other groups. In addition, lysozyme increased TTAD of crude fat and acid detergent fibre, relative to the SP and control groups, respectively. In addition, the incorporation of Spirulina, individually and supplemented with enzymes, did not impair meat quality traits. Surprisingly, no protective effect against lipid oxidation was observed with the inclusion of Spirulina in pork after 7 days of storage. This study indicates that growth performance of post‐weaning piglets was impaired by the incorporation of 10% Spirulina in the diets, which is mediated by an increase in digesta viscosity and a lower protein digestibility, as a consequence of the resistance of microalga proteins to the action of endogenous peptidases. In addition, it also indicates that lysozyme, in contrast to Rovabio® Excel AP, is efficient in the degradation of Spirulina cell wall in piglet's intestine. However, the digestion of proteins liberated by Spirulina cell wall disruption is still a challenge.

Effects of Chlorella vulgaris as a Feed Ingredient on the Quality and Nutritional Value of Weaned Piglets’ Meat

“…Like other studies using microalgae as a dietary supplement, Yan et al [ 27 ] described that 0.1 and 0.2% dietary incorporation of fermented C. vulgaris in pigs’ diets (26.6 to 53.0 kg LW) promoted an increase in the ADG of 655 g/d relative to the reference diet. For the first time, Martins et al [ 8 ] used Spirulina as an ingredient (10% of dietary inclusion) and described that the growth performance of piglets was reduced, thus highlighting the need of feed enzymes to enhance the digestive utilization of this microalga. In our study, no significant effects on the growth performance of piglets were found, revealing that the dietary level of 5% C. vulgaris did not compromise the productive variables.…”

“…In our study, no significant effects on the growth performance of piglets were found, revealing that the dietary level of 5% C. vulgaris did not compromise the productive variables. The exogenous carbohydrases applied had no consequences to the point of a higher level of supplementation being necessary, as advanced by Martins et al [ 8 ].…”

“…Moreover, TBARS values for the four-CAZyme mixture diet-fed animals were lower than 0.9 mg malondialdehyde/kg of meat, proposed by Jayasingh and Cornforth [ 29 ] for ground and cooked pork. Martins et al [ 8 ] found that in comparison with the reference diet, the incorporation of 10% of Spirulina in piglets’ diet, without enzyme supplementation, increased TBARS at three days of storage under refrigeration. Likewise, data on the oxidative stability of meat did not match the antioxidant power of Spirulina, as in the present case of C. vulgaris .…”

“…Rovabio ® Excel AP is a commercially available CAZyme mixture containing mainly xylanases and β-glucanases for cereal-based diets. This CAZyme mixture has also been used for microalgae-containing diets [ 8 , 9 ]. Moreover, a four-CAZyme mixture, consisting of alginate lyase, exo-β-glucosaminidase, lysozyme, and peptidoglycan N -acetylmuramic acid deacetylase, has been shown to partially disrupt the C. vulgaris cell wall in vitro [ 10 ].…”

Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) By-Products Valorization: Novel Bio Ingredients for Functional Foods

“…Energy was calculated by the complete combustion of samples in an adiabatic calorimeter (Parr 1261; Parr Instrument Company, Moline, IL, USA) [ 50 ].…”