Effects of xylanase supplementation on growth performance, digestibility, fecal gas emission, and meat quality in growing–finishing pigs

A total of 144 crossbred pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] with an initial body weight (BW) of 25.7 ± 2.3 kg were used in a 16-wk study to evaluate the effects of xylanase supplementation in growing–finishing pigs. Treatments were as follows: control diet (CON); low-energy diet (LX) + 0.01% xylanase; and alternative diet (AX) + 0.01% xylanase. From weeks 0 to 6, pigs in the AX treatment had greater (P < 0.05) average daily feed intake (ADFI) than those in the CON treatment. On the sixth week, higher (P < 0.05) apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of energy was observed in the AX treatment compared with the CON treatment. Pigs fed the AX diet had the lowest (P < 0.05) ATTD of energy among all of the treatments on week 12. At the end of the experiment, the ATTD of dry matter (DM) of pigs in the LX treatment was higher (P < 0.05) than those in the AX and CON treatments. The redness values in the LX and AX treatments were higher (P < 0.05) than that in the CON treatment. In conclusion, our results in...