Standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids in cottonseed meal fed to pregnant and non-pregnant sows

This study determined the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standard ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) of six cottonseed meal (CSM) samples in pregnant and non-pregnant sows. Two CSM samples were processed by expelling with a CP level of 40.67% (ECSM41) and 44.64% (ECSM45), and four samples were processed by solvent-extracted which contained graded CP levels of 45% (SECSM45), 51.16% (SECSM51), 56.44% (SECSM56), and 59.63% (SECSM60). Landrace xYorkshire third parity sows, 7 at gestation and 14 non-pregnant, were fitted with T-cannula in the distal ileum. Pregnant sows were allotted to a 7 x 6 Latin square design with a cornstarch-based nitrogen-free (NF) diet and the six CSM diets, and non-pregnant sows were allotted to a replicated 7 x 3 Latin square design with seven diets and three periods, respectively, resulting in a total of six replicates per treatment. All experimental sows were fed 3.0 kg/d of the experimental diets. The AID of CP in ECSM41 (75.58%) was lower than in SECSM51 (80.42%), SECSM56 (80.50%), and SECSM60 (82.44%) diets for pregnant sows (P < 0.05). The AID of CP in ECSM41 (77.88%) was significantly lower than in SECSM60 (81.87%) diets for non-pregnant sows (P < 0.05). The physiological phase did not affect the AID of CP (P > 0.05). The SID of CP was affected by diets for both pregnant (P < 0.01) and non-pregnant sows (P = 0.06). The physiological phase also affected the SID of CP (P < 0.01). The AID of histidine, leucine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan significantly differed between different CSM samples in both pregnant (P < 0.05) and non-pregnant sows (P < 0.05). The AID of dispensable AA aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, serine, and tyrosine differed between different CSM samples of both pregnant (P < 0.05) and non-pregnant sows (P < 0.05). For pregnant sows, the indispensable AA cysteine, glycine, proline, and tyrosine had significantly different SID between different groups (P < 0.05). For non-pregnant sows, the SID of arginine, lysine, methionine, threonine, aspartic acid, cysteine, and serine had different values among different diets (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the current study presented that the ileal AA digestibility of CSM fed to pregnant and non-pregnant sows increased with the decreased of fiber content, and the current findings can contribute to a precise formulation of diets for sows using CSM. With a deeper understanding of the standard ileal digestibility of cottonseed meal, sow feed formulation may be designed with greater accuracy, resulting in lower feeding costs and higher production efficiency. Lay Summary As a protein-rich cottonseed byproduct, cottonseed meal (CSM) is considered a vegetable protein source that can substitute soybean meal in the feed of livestock animals. However, the presence of free gossypol and high fiber levels in CSM have been limiting factors for its use in growing and finishing pigs, yet its nutritive value is still uncertain for sows. There is a lack of standard ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) for plant proteins because fitting a T-cannula in the distal ileum is difficult. Therefore, this study evaluated the apparent ileal digestibility and SID of 18 AA of CSM in sows at two physiological stages (gestation and non-pregnancy). We found that CSM with different chemical compositions impacted the SID of AA when fed to pregnant and non-pregnant sows. Additionally, the physiological stage of the sow has a substantial impact on the SID of some AA. The current findings of this study provided a basis for the precise formulation of sow diets with CSM.

Automated summary

This study determined the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standard ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) of cottonseed meal (CSM) in pregnant and non-pregnant sows. The results showed that different chemical compositions of CSM affected the SID of AA in sows, and the physiological stage of the sow also had a significant impact on the SID of some AA.