ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE June 2025 47 In addition, the digestive enzyme capacity of piglets is still developing during early life and is often insufficient at the time of weaning (as illustrated in Figure 2), meaning that piglets are not well equipped to digest a plant-based, carbohydrate-rich diet. All of these factors together mean that diet formulation during early life is critical to future production outcomes. Weaning diets need to be carefully formulated to ensure they contain highly digestible, low-antigen ingredients, with antinutrients effectively minimized or controlled. COMMON ANTINUTRIENTS IN PIGLET FEED The main antinutrients of concern in piglet feed are: • Allergens from feed materials • Mycotoxins • Peptidoglycans • Undigested nutrients – crude protein, phytate and viscous fibre 1. Allergens from feed materials – e.g. Soybean The major allergenic proteins in soybean are glycinin and β-conglycinin. As storage proteins, these are partially resistant to heat treatment and other processing technologies. In piglets, whose immune systems are not yet sufficiently developed to recognize them as harmless proteins, they cause hypersensitivity (inflammatory) reactions. This results in impaired gut homeostasis and functionality, and reduced nutrient absorption. To reduce these effects, piglet diets are formulated with Immune system compromised → more opportunities for non-beneficial bacteria to proliferate Environmental stress, lower feed intake and reduced growth rate Resulting problems → diarrhea and digestive disorders Transition from highly digestible diet (milk) to more complex and less digestible solid feed → digestive stress Figure 1. Illustration of the challenges imposed by weaning abruptly in modern commercial pig production Week of Age 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Relative Enzyme Activity Phase 1Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Dietary Phases Lipase Protease Amylase Maltese Sucrase Lactase Digestive Development Figure 2. Digestive enzyme development of pigs by age (Phase 2 = weaning). Adapted from Efird et al., 19821 Source: dsm-firmenich Source: dsm-firmenich
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