Citation of this paper

Effect of a 4% dietary concentration of rice distillers’ byproduct, or of brewers' grains, on growth rate and feed conversion during pregnancy and lactation of native Moo Lath gilts and their progeny

Bounlerth Sivilai, T R Preston¹, Du Thanh Hang² and Nguyen Quang Linh²

Department of Livestock and Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR
lerth_si@yahoo.com
¹ Centro para la Investigación en Sistemas Sostenibles de Producción Agropecuaria(CIPAV), Carrera 25 No 6-62 Cali, Colombia
² Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University

Abstract

Moo Lath gilts (n=12) with average live weight of 80.8 ± 3.9 kg were mated with a native Moo Lath boar and fed individually a basal diet of broken rice and ensiled banana pseudo stem/taro foliage ad libitum through pregnancy and lactation. The three dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 4 replications were: CTL: No supplement; RDB: rice distillers’ byproduct at 4% of diet DM; and BG: ensiled brewers’ grains at 4% of diet DM.

The gilts gained more body weight during gestation, and were heavier at the end of lactation, when their diet was supplemented with 4% BG or 4% RDB. Litters from dams supplemented with 4% RDB were heavier at birth, and at weaning, and grew faster than litters from un -supplemented gilts. Supplementation of the dams appeared to have no effect on piglet mortality at birth or during lactation, nor on live weights of piglets at birth or weaning, and did not affect overall feed DM intake. However, DM feed conversion, expressed as (total feed DM consumed during pregnancy and lactation/weight of piglets weaned), was improved by 60% when the Moo Lath gilts were supplemented with 4% rice distillers’ byproduct.

Key words: indigenous pig breeds, prebiotics, reproduction

Introduction

In a previous experiment (Silvai and Preston 2017) we showed that brewers’ grains and rice distillers’ byproduct, each at concentrations of 4% of diet DM, improved DM intake and digestibility of DM, crude protein and crude fiber in native Moo Lath pigs fed a basal diet of ensiled banana pseudo-stem, ensiled Taro foliage and broken rice. Nitrogen retention and the biological value of the protein was increased by the rice distillers’ byproduct but not by the brewers’ grains. It was postulated that the beneficial effects of these supplements on nutrient utilization were probably associated with the presence of β-glucan in the cell walls of the residual yeast in both supplements, acting as a source of prebiotics.

The objective of the research reported in this paper was to test if these supplements would bring about similar benefits during the course of pregnancy and lactation in native Moo Lath gilts.

Materials and methods

Location and climate

The experiment was carried out in the livestock farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. The mean air temperature during the experiment was 28˚C (range from 26 to 30 ˚C).

Treatments and experimental design

Moo Lath gilts (n=12) with average live weight of 80.8 ± 3.9 kg were individually housed and fed ad libitum a basal diet of broken rice and ensiled banana pseudo stem/taro foliage (EBT). The three dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 4 replications were: No supplement (CTL); rice distillers’ byproduct (RDB) at 4% of diet (DM basis); and ensiled brewers’ grains (BG) also fed at 4% of diet DM (Table 1).

Table 1. Composition of experimental diets (DM basis)
	CTL	BG	RDB

Banana pseudo-stem#	10	10	10
Taro foliage#	62	58	58
Broken rice	20	20	20
Soybean meal	2	2	2
Soybean oil	4.2	4.2	4.2
Brewers’ grain	0	4	0
Rice distillers’ byproduct	0	0	4
CaCO₃	0.8	0.8	0.8
CaHPO₄	0.5	0.5	0.5
NaCl	0.5	0.5	0.5
Proximate analysis, % DM except for DM which is on air-dry basis
DM	13.2	14.8	12.3
CP,	12.3	12.7	12.5
CF	16.5	16.9	15.4
Ash	15.5	16.4	14.9
OM	84.5	83.6	85.1
pH	3.8	4.1	3.9
# Ensiled

Management

The gilts were vaccinated against swine fever and dewormed with Ivomectin before being mated with a native Moo Lath boar. They were given the experimental diets ad libitum during pregnancy and lactation. Feeding times were 7.30 am and 4:30 pm. Water was always available through nipple tap drinkers in each pen.

Feeds

Taro foliage (leaves + petioles) were harvested from the banks of ponds in the local village where waste water was stored; the banana pseudo stems were the left-overs after harvesting the fruit and were obtained from farmers’ gardens in the outskirts of Vientiane capital. The rice distillers’ byproduct (Photo 1) was the residue derived from traditional alcohol (rice wine) produced by smallholder farmers in Vientiane capital. The brewers’ grains were purchased from feed shops that received their supplies from the brewery in Vientiane capital.

Ensiling foliage process

The inner part of the banana stem was chopped by hand into small pieces around 1-2 cm of length; taro foliage (leaves and petioles) was processed by machine into particles of 0.5 to 1.0cm. Both forages were wilted under black netting shade for 24h day to reduce the moisture content to about 80%, and then stored in closed plastic bags for 14 days, prior to mixing with the other dietary ingredients.


Photo 1. Rice distillers’ byproduct	Photo 2. Gilts and piglets during lactation

Data collection

Feed offered and refused was recorded every day during gestation, lactation and weaning until the next estrus cycle. Samples or feeds offered and refused were taken at intervals and stored at -20C until analysis.

The gilts were weighed immediately after mating, prior to and after parturition, and at weaning. The litter size and individual piglet weights were recorded at birth and at weaning at 8 weeks. Mortality of piglets was recorded as it occurred. The interval from weaning to onset of estrus was recorded.

Feed analysis

Dry matter (DM), crude protein (N*6.25), crude fiber (CF) and ash contents were determined following AOAC (1990) procedures.

Statistical analysis

The data were analyzed using the general linear model (GLM) of the ANOVA program in the Minitab (2016) software. Sources of variation were: treatments and error. The model was :

Y_ij =m +T_i + e_ij, where Y_ij: dependent variable; µ: overall mean; T_i: effect of treatment; e_ij: random error.

Results

Chemical composition of the experimental diets

The rice distillers’ byproduct and brewers’ grains had similar levels of crude protein but the former had less crude fibre and the pH was lower than in the brewers’ grains (Table 2).

Table 2. Proximate analysis of diet ingredients
	DM, %	% DM basis				pH
	DM, %	CP	CF	Ash	OM	pH

Banana pseudo-stem#	7.4	2.8	34.9	1.8	98.2	4.2
Taro foliage#	8.8	15.6	28.4	1.5	98.5	3.8
Broken rice	87.1	7.8	3.4	2.3	97.7	-
Soybean meal	86.4	47.6	6.8	7.2	92.8	-
Brewers’ grains	26.3	23.7	16.7	15.8	84.2	4.1
Rice distillers’ byproduct	7.9	22.5	3.6	13.5	86.5	3.4
Minerals	94.7	-	-	85.9	14.1	-
# After ensiling for 14 days

Body weight change during pregnancy and lactation

Moo Lath gilts gained more body weight during gestation, and were heavier at the end of lactation, when their diet was supplemented with 4% brewers’ grains (BG) or 4% rice distillers’ byproduct (RDB) (Tables 3 and 4; Figures 1 and 2).

Table 3. Mean values for live weight (kg) of Moo Lath gilts at conception and before and after parturition when supplemented during pregnancy with 4% of rice distillers’ byproduct (RBD) or 4% brewers’ grains (BG)
	CTL	BG	RDB	SEM	p

Conception	85.3	77.8	79.4	5.34	0.6
*Parturition*
Before	97.8^a	109^b	110^b	2.44	0.015
After	91.7^a	102^b	102^b	2.31	0.028
Weaning	68.5^a	78.7^b	79.6^b	2.39	0.023
^ab Means without common superscript differ at p<0.05

Figure 1. Effect on live weights of Moo Lath gilts at conception, parturition
and weaning of supplementation with 4 % RDB or 4% BG

Table 4. Mean values for changes in weight of Moo Lath gilts supplemented during pregnancy with 4% of rice distillers’ byproduct or 4% brewers’ grains
	CTL	BG	RDB	SEM	p

*Changes in live weight, kg*
Conception to: Pre-parturition	17.2^a	28.3^b	29.2^b	2.18	0.014
Post-parturition	10.9^a	20.9^b	20.8^b	2.05	0.021
Parturition to weaning	-25.5	-20.8	-21.3	4.52	0.76
Weaning to estrus. days	16.8	13.3	13.5	2.40	0.55
^ab Means without common superscript differ at p<0 . 05


Figure 2. Mean values for changes in weight of Moo Lath gilts supplemented during pregnancy with 4% of rice distillers’ byproduct or 4% brewers’ grains	Figure 3. Loss of weight of Moo Lath gilts during lactation when supplemented in pregnancy and lactation with 4% of rice distillers’ byproduct (RDB) or 4% brewers’ grains (BG)

Piglet production

Litters from Moo Lath gilts supplemented with 4% RDB were heavier at birth and at weaning, and tended to grow faster (p=0.061), than litters from un-supplemented gilts (Table 5; Figures 4 -7).

Table 5. Mean values for weight of litters from Moo Lath gilts supplemented during pregnancy with 4% of rice distillers’ byproduct or 4% brewers’ grains
	CTL	BG	RDB	SEM	p

Birth, kg	5.14^a	6.39^ab	7.65^b	0.599	0.047
28d, kg	23.9^a	29.5^ab	39.1^b	3.01	0.036
ADG, g/d	683^a	855^ab	1072^b	130	0.061
^ab Means without common superscript differ at p<0.05


Figure 4. Effect of supplementation of Moo Lath gilts during pregnancy with 4% brewers’ gains or 4% rice distillers’ byproduct on litter weight at birth	Figure 5. Effect on litter weight at weaning of supplementation of Moo Lath gilts during pregnancy/lactation with 4% brewers’ gains or 4% rice distillers’ byproduct	Figure 6. Effect on weight gain of their litters, from birth to weaning, of supplementing Moo Lath gilts during pregnancy/lactation with 4% brewers’ gains or 4% rice distillers’ byproduct

Health and mortality

Supplementing the Moo Lath gilts during pregnancy and lactation with BG or RDB had no effect on: piglet mortality at birth or during lactation (Table 6); nor on piglet live weights at birth and 21-day weanng (Table 7).

Table 6. Numbers of piglets born and surviving to weaning from Moo Lath gilts supplemented during pregnancy with 4% of rice distillers’ byproduct or 4% brewers’ grains
	CTL	BG	RDB

*Number born*
Total	8.25	8.5	9.25
Dead	0.5	0	0
Alive	7.75	8.5	9.25
*Number weaned*
Alive	6.5	7.25	8.25
Died	1.25	1.25	1
*Mortality, %*
Total	18.1	17.1	10.2
Lactation	18.1	11.6	10.2

Table 7. Mean weights (g) of piglets at birth and 21-day weaning according to supplementation of the diet of their dams with brewers’ grains (BG), rice distillers’ byproduct (RDB) or nothing (CTL)
	CTL	BG	RDB	SEM	p

Birth	690	786	784	109	0.77
Weaning	3215	3651	3740	594	0.88

Feed conversion

Supplementing the Moo Lath gilts with BG or RDB during pregnancy and lactation did not affect feed DM intake (Table 8). However, DM feed conversion, expressed as total feed DM consumed during pregnancy and lactation of the dams/litter weight of piglets weaned, was improved by 60%, when the Moo Lath gilts were supplemented with 4% rice distillers’ byproduct (Table 9; Figure 8)

Table 8. DM feed intake from conception to weaning of Moo Lath gilts supplemented with 4% brewers’ gains or 4% rice distillers’ byproduct
	CTL	BG	RDB	SEM	p

*DM intake, kg*
Pregnancy	149	150	155	14.1	0.95
Lactation	47.6	51.5	52.1	3.11	0.83
Total	197	201	207	12.8	0.88

Table 9. Effect of supplementing Moo Lath gilts with 4% brewers’ gains or 4% rice distillers’ byproduct on DM feed conversion expressed as (#) weight of piglets weaned/total feed DM consumed by dams and offspring to weaning (kg/kg)
	CTL	BG	RDB	SEM	p

Piglets weaned, kg	23.8^a	29.5^ab	39.1^b	3.01	0.030
Feed conversion (#)	8.71^a	6.85^ab	5.21^b	0.61	0.019
^ab Means without common superscript differ at p<0 . 05


Figure 7. Effect on litter weight of piglets weaned of supplementing Moo Lath gilts in pregnancy/lactation with 4% brewers’ gains or 4% rice distillers’ byproduct	Figure 8. Effect on DM feed conversion of the production cycle (feed DM consumed/piglets weaned) of supplementing Moo Lath gilts in pregnancy/ lactation with 4% brewers’ gains or 4% rice distillers’ byproduct

Discussion

The beneficial effects on accumulation of body mass of Moo Lath gilts during pregnancy and on the weight of their litters at weaning, as a result of supplementing their diet during pregnancy and lactation, with small quantities of rice distillers’ byproduct, confirm our earlier findings of increased diet digestibility and N retention in growing Moo Lath pigs feeds fed the same basal diet and RDB supplement (Sivilai and Preston 2017). The apparent superiority of rice distillers’ byproduct over brewers’ grains was a common finding in both studies. These positive effects on growth rate and feed conversion are similar to what has been reported for rice distillers’ byproduct in diets of cattle (Sangkhom et al 2008; Sengsouly et al 2016) and for brewers’ grains in diets of cattle (Phuong et al 2017) and goats (Vor Sina et al 2017).

It is relevant to reflect on the mechanism by which rice distillers’ byproduct, and to a lesser extent, brewers’ grains, contribute to the observed improvements in performance of both ruminant and monogastric animals.

We previously suggested (Sivilai and Preston 2017) that the benefits of both brewers’ grains and rice distillers’ byproduct, in supporting improved feed intake, digestibility and N retention in growing pigs, could be explained by the presence in both the supplements of β-glucan, a carbohydrate component of the cell wall of cereal grains and yeasts. The beneficial effect of β-glucan on growth rate and health in weaning pigs was recently reported by Nguyen Thi Thuy (2017). The immune-modulating effects of β-glucans, with beneficial health effects in humans and animals are well known (see Novak and Vetvicka 2008; Waszkiewicz-Robak 2013).

The question is: what is the mechanism that leads to rice distillers’ by-product and brewers’ grains being an active source of β-glucan? It is well understood that the carbohydrate complexes in the cell wall of cereal grains and yeast need to be modified in order to make available the beta-glucan and related compounds. Alkaline followed by acid hydrolysis appear to be the key steps in this process (Yanelys Garcia, Personal communication). In the production of rice “wine” the procedure is first the steaming of the rice, followed by facultative anaerobic fermentation with yeast, and lastly the boiling of the fermented rice to release the alcohol. Similar procedures are followed in the production of beer and the resultant byproduct - brewers’ grains. The first stage of “steaming” (rice wine) and “mashing” (beer) and the initial steps in the fermentation may facilitate the first requirement for alkaline hydrolysis; the last stage of distillation in which the fermented substrate is “acid” would appear to simulate the process of “acid hydrolysis”.

The challenge is to simulate these actions using more readily available and lower cost carbohydrate substrates such as cassava root and cassava root pulp.

Conclusions

Indigenous Moo Lath gilts gained more body weight during gestation, and were heavier at the end of lactation, when their diet was supplemented with 4% brewers’ grains (BG) or 4% rice distillers’ byproduct (RDB).
The litters from the gilts supplemented with rice distillers’ byproduct were heavier at birth, and at weaning, and grew faster than litters from un -supplemented gilts.
Mortality of piglets at birth or during lactation was not affected by supplementation.
Weights of individual piglets at birth and 21-day weaning, and feed DM intake over the pregnancy lactation cycle, were not affected by supplementation but
DM feed conversion, expressed as (total feed DM consumed during pregnancy and lactation/weight of piglets) weaned, was improved by 60%, when the diet of Moo Lath gilts was supplemented with 4% rice distillers’ byproduct.

Acknowledgements

This research was done by the senior author as part of the requirements for the PhD degree in Animal Science of Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Vietnam. The authors acknowledge support for this research from the MEKARN II project (Improving Livelihood and Food Security of the people in Lower Mekong Basin through Climate Change Mitigation) financed by Sida. Special thanks are given to animal science students (Bundid Khamsoukthavong, Syhom Vungkivang, Eoungeing Phoondavane and Yengxiong Yianeng) for their assistance in field work and the laboratory during the experiment. The Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos is acknowledged for providing the facilities to carry out this research.

References

AOAC 1990 Official Methods of Analysis: Association of Official Analytical Chemists. 15^thEdition. Washington, DC. UAD Arlington pp 1230

Binh P L T, Preston T R, Duong K N and Leng R A 2017 A low concentration (4% in diet dry matter) of brewers’ grains improves the growth rate and reduces thiocyanate excretion of cattle fed cassava pulp-urea and “bitter” cassava foliage. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 29, Article #104. http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd29/5/phuo29104.html

Inthapanya S, Preston T R and Leng R A 2016 Ensiled brewers’ grains increased feed intake, digestibility and N retention in cattle fed ensiled cassava root, urea and rice straw with fresh cassava foliage or water spinach as main source of protein. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 28, Article #20. http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd28/2/sang28020.htm

Minitab 2016 Minitab reference Manual release 16 version. User’s guide to statistics. Minitab Inc. USA

Novak M and Vetvicka V 2008 Beta-glucans, history and the present: Immunomodulatory aspects and mechanisms of action. Journal of Immunotoxicology; 5: 47-57

Sengsouly P and Preston T R 2016 Effect of rice-wine distillers’ byproduct and biochar on growth performance and methane emissions in local “Yellow” cattle fed ensiled cassava root, urea, cassava foliage and rice straw. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 28, Article #178. http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd28/10/seng28178.html

Sivilai B and Preston T R 2017 A low concentration of rice distillers’ byproduct, or of brewers’ grains, increased diet digestibility and nitrogen retention in native Moo Lath pigs fed ensiled banana pseudo-stem (Musa spp) and ensiled taro foliage ( Colocasia esculenta). Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 29, Article #123. http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd29/6/lert29123.html

Sina V, Preston T R and Tham T H 2017 Brewers’ grains have a synergistic effect on growth rate of goats fed fresh cassava foliage (Manihot esculenta Crantz) as basal diet. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 29, Article #137. http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd29/7/sina29137.html

Thuy N T 2017 Effects of ß-glucan, organic acids and probiotic in the diet on growth performance and health status of weanling pigs. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 29, Article #124. http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd29/6/nthi29124.html

Waszkiewicz Robak B 2013 Spent brewer’s yeast and beta-glucans isolated from them as diet components modifying blood lipid metabolism disturbed by an atherogenic diet (Chapter 11). In: Lipid Metabolism. Editor: Rodrigo Valenzuela Baez, Publisher: InTech, January 23, 2013 under CC BY 3 0 License. DOI: 10.5772/2928

Received 31 October 2017; Accepted 19 December 2017; Published 1 January 2018

Go to top