Effect of liquid-fermented potato hash, with or without exogenous enzymes, on carcass characteristics of growing pigs

Abstract

The objective of the current study was to determine the effect of the dietary inclusion of liquid- fermented potato hash with or without exogenous enzyme on fermentation characteristics and carcass characteristics of pigs. Forty-two crossbred, male pigs (Large White × Landrace) aged 55 d with an average body weight of 25.5 ± 3 kg (mean ± standard deviation) were selected. Six pigs were randomly allocated to seven experimental dietary treatments. The dietary treatments included dry standard feed; liquid-fermented standard feed; liquid-fermented potato hash, 200 g/kg (as fed), with and without exogenous enzymes; and liquid-fermented potato hash, 400 g/kg (as fed), with and without exogenous enzymes. The back-slopping fermentation approach was followed to prepare experimental diets. Diets were formulated to provide 14 MJ/kg digestible energy (DE), 180 g crude protein (CP)/kg and 11.6 g lysine /kg. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Enterobacteriaceae, yeast, moulds, and Escherichia coli in the liquid-fermented diet with or without potato hash were influenced by the addition of enzymes. An effect of diet and enzymes was observed on lactic acid and water-soluble carbohydrates. The low and high liquid-fermented potato hash diets without enzymes had a higher pH than the low and high liquid-fermented potato hash diets with enzymes after 8 and 24 hr. Fermented potato hash with or without enzymes led to high drip loss and lean percentage. Carcass traits improved in pigs fed less liquid-fermented potato hash with or without enzymes.