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Former foodstuff products (FFPs) are promising alternative ingredients for reducing the waste of natural resources and the environmental impact of food production. This study investigates the effects of salty and sugary FFPs on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility, and growing-finishing pigs' empty body and carcass composition.
Methods: Thirty-six Swiss Large White male castrated pigs were assigned to three growing and finishing diets: (1) standard diet, 0% FFPs; (2) 30% conventional ingredients replaced by sugary FFPs; and (3) 30% conventional ingredients replaced by salty FFPs. Faecal samples from 24 selected pigs were collected to assess the apparent total tract digestibility of gross energy, crude fibres, and crude protein. The body weight was measured weekly, while feed intake was determined daily. Average daily gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and apparent total tract digestibility were calculated for both the growing and finishing periods. Pigs' body composition was determined at ≥20 and ≥98 kg using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Results: In the growing but not finishing period, the feed conversion ratio was lower in standard diet compared to salty and sugary pigs. Considering the entire growing and finishing period, neither the inclusion level nor the type of FFPs influenced average daily gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, or body weight at slaughter. In both the growing and finishing periods, the gross energy apparent total tract digestibility was higher in the salty than in the standard diet group, with intermediate values in the sugary group. In the growing period, the crude protein apparent total tract digestibility was higher in the salty than in the sugary and standard diet groups. In the finishing period, the crude fibre apparent total tract digestibility was lower in the salty and sugary than in the standard diet group. Throughout the overall period, the average daily fat intake was higher in pigs fed a sugary diet, even though both categories of FFPs had no effects on the parameters related to the pigs' body composition. Finally, the carcasses of the sugary group had the thickest belly fat, even though the total fat content was similar among the groups.
Conclusion: This study confirms that including FFPs has no detrimental effects on growth performance or live body/carcass composition in growing and finishing pigs.
Mazzoleni S, Tretola M, Luciano A, Lin P, Pinotti L, Bee G. Sugary and salty former food products in pig diets affect energy and nutrient digestibility, feeding behaviour but not the growth performance and carcass composition. Animal. 2023;17(12): 101019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2023.101019