• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.355-368
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• 2003

In Exp. 1, this study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary germanium biotite on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in nursery pigs. A total of sixty crossbred pigs (initial body weight 15.09$\pm$0.18kg) were used in this experiment. This study was carried out for 28 days. The five treatments were control (CON; basal diet), GB0.1 (basal diet + germanium biotite 0.1%), GB0.3 (basal diet + germanium biotite 0.3%), GB0.6 (basal diet + germanium biotite 0.6%) and GB1.0 (basal diet + germanium biotite 1.0%). For overall period, ADG and Gain/feed were not significantly different among the treatments. In Exp. 2, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of germanium biotite as a substitute for antibiotics in growing pigs. A total of fifty five crossbred pigs (initial body weight 32.47$\pm$0.9kg) were used in this experiment. The three treatments were negative control (NC: basal diet without antibiotic), positive control (PC: basal diet + 200ppm CTC) and GB0.3 (basal diet + germanium biotite 0.3%). Pigs fed PC (17%, 385 vs 451 g/d) and GB0.3 (14%, 385 vs 438 g/d) diets grew faster(P<0.05) than pigs fed NC diet. Pigs fed PC and GB0.3 diets resulted higher(P<0.05) ADFI than pigs fed CON diet. However, pigs fed GB0.3 diet had improved gain/feed compared to pigs fed NC diet(P<0.05). Apparent digestibility of DM and N by pigs fed PC and GB0.3 diets were greater(P<0.05) than those by pigs fed NC diet. In Exp. 3, a study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary germanium biotite on growth performance, plasma characteristics, backfat thickness and fecal ammonia gas concentration in finishing pigs. A total of seventy-two finishing pigs (initial body weight 78.56$\pm$1.32kg) were used in this experiment. The treatments included 1) Control (CON; basal diet) 2) GB1.0 (basal diet + germanium biotite 1.0%), 3) GB3.0 (basal diet + germanium biotite 3.0%). Pigs fed GB1.0 diet grew faster than pigs fed CON diet and GB0.3 diet (P<0.05). Also, pigs fed CON diet showed higher(p<0.05) ADFI than pigs fed GB3.0 diet. Pigs fed GB diets had improved gain/feed compared to pigs fed CON diet(P<0.05). Total?and VLDL concentrations in plasma of pigs fed GB diets treatments were significantly decreased compared to those in pig fed CON diet(P<0.05). However, HDL-cholesterol concentration in plasma of the pig was significantly increased compared to those in pigs fed CON diet (P<0.05). Pigs fed CON diet exerted higher(P<0.05) backfat thickness than pigs fed GB1.0 (5.4%, 27.19 vs 25.71mm) and GB3.0 (16.1%, 27.19 vs 22.81mm) diets. Feces from CON treatment were higher in fecal ammonia gas concentration than faces from pigs fed GB1.0 (64.1%, 17.00 vs 6.10mg/kg)and GB3.0 (61.8%, 17.00 vs 6.50mg/kg) treatments(P<0.05). In conclusion, the results suggest that the dietary addition of germanium biotite into diets for nursery pigs did not affect growth performance. The results also suggest the possibility of germanium biotite to replace antibiotic in diets for growing pigs. In finishing pigs, dietary supplementation of germanium biotite was an effective means for improving growth performance and for decreasing Total-and LDL+VLDL-plasma cholesterols, backfat and fecal ammonia gas concentration.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.696-704
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate various levels of milk by-product in weaning pig diet on growth performance, blood profiles, carcass characteristics and economic performance for weaning to finishing pigs. Methods: A total of 160 weaning pigs ([Yorkshire${\times}$Landrace]${\times}$Duroc), average $7.01{\pm}1.32kg$ body weight (BW), were allotted to four treatments by BW and sex in 10 replications with 4 pigs per pen in a randomized complete block design. Pigs were fed each treatment diet with various levels of milk by-product (Phase 1: 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%, Phase 2: 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%, respectively). During weaning period (0 to 5 week), weaning pigs were fed experimental diets and all pigs were fed the same commercial feed during growing-finishing period (6 to 14 week). Results: In the growth trial, BW, average daily gain (ADG), and average daily feed intake (ADFI) in the nursery period (5 weeks) increased as the milk by-product level in the diet increased (linear, p<0.05). Linear increases of pig BW with increasing the milk product levels were observed until late growing period (linear, p = 0.01). However, there were no significant differences in BW at the finishing periods, ADG, ADFI, and gain:feed ratio during the entire growing-finishing periods. The blood urea nitrogen concentration had no significant difference among dietary treatments. High inclusion level of milk by-product in weaner diet decreased crude protein (quadratic, p = 0.05) and crude ash (Linear, p = 0.05) of Longissimus muscle. In addition, cooking loss and water holding capacity increased with increasing milk product levels in the weaner diets (linear, p<0.01; p = 0.05). High milk by-product treatment had higher feed cost per weight gain compared to non-milk by-products treatment (linear, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Supplementation of 10% to 5% milk by-products in weaning pig diet had results equivalent to the 30% to 15% milk treatment and 0% milk by-product supplementation in the diet had no negative influence on growth performance of finishing pigs.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.119-131
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• 2023

Objective: This study was to assess the effects of different doses of an essential oil blend (EOB) on growth performance, diarrhea occurrence (DO), hematological and blood biochemical profile, intestinal morphometry, morphology and microbiology, relative weight and length of organs, digestive content pH, and liver antioxidant status in weaning piglets. Methods: A total of 135 barrows (7.09±0.29 kg body weight) were allotted randomly in a randomized complete block design based on body weight with nine replications and three animals per pen. Dietary treatments were a negative control (NC): basal diet; positive control (PC): NC plus 125 mg performance-enhancing antibiotic (enramycin 8%)/kg diet; NC plus 100 mg EOB/kg diet (EO100); NC plus 200 mg EOB/kg diet (EO200); and NC plus 400 mg EOB/kg diet (EO400). Diarrhea occurrence was monitored daily, and performance at the end of each phase. Results: Gain to feed ratio was greater (p<0.05) in starter II pigs fed EO400 and EO200 than in those fed EO100. Pigs fed EO400 had lower (p<0.05) DO than those fed NC and EO100 in the total period. Pre-starter II pigs fed NC had (p<0.05) lower serum total protein and plasma protein than pigs fed PC. Pigs fed EO100 showed smaller (p<0.05) mean corpuscular volume (MCV) than pigs fed EO400. Starter II pigs fed EO400 had (p<0.05) greater MCV and lower mean corpuscular hemoglobin and erythrocytes than those fed EO100. There was a greater concentration (p<0.05) of band cells for PC, similar to EO400 and EO200. Performance-enhancing antibiotic and EOB to diets increased (p<0.05) liver superoxide dismutase activity. Conclusion: Adding 200 and 400 mg EOB/kg diet decreased DO and was advantageous to hematological and blood biochemical profile and liver antioxidant status without being detrimental to growth performance and gastrointestinal health in nursery pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.706-716
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• 2014

A new strategy of co-inoculating Bacillus subtilis MA139 with Streptococcus thermophilus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used to produce fermented soybean meal (FSBM). Three experiments were conducted to determine the concentration of digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) (Exp. 1), apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) (Exp. 2), and feeding value (Exp. 3) of FSBM produced by this new strategy (NFSB) compared with soybean meal (SBM) and conventionally available FSBM (Suprotein). In Exp. 1, twenty-four barrows (initial body weight [BW] of $32.2{\pm}1.7kg$) were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 diets with 6 replicates per diet. A corn basal diet and 3 diets based on a mixture of corn and 1 of 3 soybean products listed above were formulated and the DE and ME contents were determined by the difference method. The results showed that there were no differences in DE and ME between SBM and either FSBM product (p>0.05). In Exp. 2, eight barrows (initial BW of $26.8{\pm}1.5kg$) were fitted with ileal T-cannulaes and used in a replicated $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Three corn-starch-based diets were formulated using each of the 3 soybean products as the sole source of AA. A nitrogen-free diet was also formulated to measure endogenous losses of AA. The results showed that the SID of all AA except arginine and histidine was similar for NFSB and SBM (p>0.05), but Suprotein had greater (p<0.05) SID of most AA except lysine, aspartate, glycine and proline than NFSB. In Exp. 3, a total of 144 piglets (initial BW of $8.8{\pm}1.2$ kg) were blocked by weight and fed 1 of 4 diets including a control diet with 24% SBM as well as diets containing 6% and 12% NFSB or 12% Suprotein added at the expense of SBM. During d 15 to 28, replacing SBM with 6% NFSB significantly improved average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) (p<0.05) for nursery piglets. During the overall experiment, ADG of piglets fed diets containing 6% NFSB was significantly greater (p<0.05) than that of piglets fed SBM. In conclusion, fermentation with the new strategy did not affect the energy content or the AID and the SID of AA in SBM. However, inclusion of 6% NFSB in diets fed to nursery piglets improved performance after weaning likely as a result of better nutritional status and reduced immunological challenge.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1725-1733
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• 2019

Objective: Evaluate the partial replacement of soybean meal with different protein sources in piglet feed during the nursery phase in terms of digestibility of feed, nitrogen balance, growth performance and blood parameters. Methods: Experiment I involved 24 crossbred entire male pigs with an initial body weight (BW) of $18.28{\pm}0.7kg$ and used a randomized complete block design consisting of 3 treatments (fish meal, FM; soybean protein concentrate, SPC; and soybean meal, SBM) and 8 replicates, with 1 pig per experimental unit. Experiment II involved 1,843 crossbred male and female pigs with an initial BW of $6.79{\pm}0.90kg$ and was based on a completely randomized design with a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement (2 sexes and 3 protein sources) and 13 replicates. Results: The results of Exp. I indicate effects (p<0.05) of dietary protein sources on digestible protein (FM, 17.84%; SPC, 16.72%, and SBM, 18.13%) and on total nitrogen excretion (TNE, $g/kg\;BW^{0.75}/d$) in which pigs fed with SBM-based feed had TNE values that were 5.36% and 3.72% greater than SPC and FM, respectively. In the Exp. II, there was difference (p<0.01) between sexes in the pre-starter I and starter phases, and total period in average daily feed intake (ADFI), which were greater in females, and between the protein sources, ADFI, final weight and daily weight gain. For urea in the pre-starter II and starter phases and glucose in the pre-starter II phase, there was a difference (p<0.05) between protein sources and between sexes, in starter phase in urea concentrations (females: 57.11 mg/dL and males: 50.60 mg/dL). Conclusion: The use of SBM as only protein source influences larger TNE ($g/kg\;BW^{0.75}/d$), reduces the growth performance of piglets and increases plasma urea concentrations in prestarter II phase.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1874-1879
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• 2007

A total of one hundred and forty four weaned pigs with an average BW of $8.09{\pm}0.05$ kg were used in a 28 day study to investigate the effects of fermented soy protein on growth performance, blood urea nitrogen and total protein concentrations in serum and nutrient digestibility in weaner pigs. Pigs were blocked by initial body weight and randomly allocated to one of four dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design. There were six replications per treatment. Dietary treatments included: SBM (corn-soybean meal basal diet), F 5, 10 and 15 (fermented soy product was used at 5, 10 and 15% to replace soybean meal in basal diet, respectively). ADG (average daily gain) and ADFI (average daily feed intake) were not affected (p>0.05) by dietary treatments during the entire 4-wk study period. There were linear increments in feed efficiency (p<0.01) as the dietary FSP level increased during the entire feeding period. No significant differences were observed for dry matter and nitrogen digestibility during the experimental period (p>0.05). Digestibilities of histidine, lysine and methionine were increased as the FSP level increased (linear effect, p<0.05, p<0.01). Among non-essential amino acids, alanine, glutamic acid, serine, tyrosine and total non essential amino acid digestibilities were increased linearly (p<0.05, p<0.01). There were quadratic effects in protein digestibility (p<0.05). Total amino acid digestibility of the F15 diet was improved compared with the F5 diet (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in fecal consistency score among the treatments (p>0.05). At the end of experiment, BUN (blood urea nitrogen) concentration was increased as the FSP level increased (linear effect, p<0.01) and total protein concentration was lowest (p<0.05) for pigs fed the SBM diet among treatments. In conclusion, the feeding of 10 or 15% FSP to nursery pigs improved feed efficiency, amino acid digestibility and blood urea nitrogen and total protein concentrations in blood.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.1314-1327
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• 2021

Bacillus is characterized by the formation of spores in harsh environments, which makes it suitable for use as a probiotic for feed because of thermostability and high survival rate, even under long-term storage. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Bacillus-based probiotics on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, immune response, and intestinal microbiota of weaned pigs. A total of 40 weaned pigs (7.01 ± 0.86 kg body weight [BW]; 28 d old) were randomly assigned to two treatments (4 pigs/pen; 5 replicates/treatment) in a randomized complete block design (block = BW and sex). The dietary treatment was either a typical nursery diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON) or CON supplemented with 0.01% probiotics containing a mixture of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis (PRO). Fecal samples were collected daily by rectal palpation for the last 3 days after a 4-day adaptation. Blood, ileal digesta, and intestinal tissue samples were collected from one pig in each pen at the respective time points. The PRO group did not affect the feed efficiency, but the average daily gain was significantly improved (p < 0.05). The PRO group showed a trend of improved crude protein digestibility (p < 0.10). The serum transforming growth factor-β1 level tended to be higher (p < 0.10) in the PRO group on days 7 and 14. There was no difference in phylum level of the intestinal microbiota, but there were differences in genus composition and proportions. However, β-diversity analysis showed no statistical differences between the CON and the PRO groups. Taken together, Bacillus-based probiotics had beneficial effects on the growth performance, immune system, and intestinal microbiota of weaned pigs, suggesting that Bacillus can be utilized as a functional probiotic for weaned pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.965-973
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• 2014

Three studies were conducted to investigate whether a chelated Cu can replace $CuSO_4$ as a growth promoter in pigs. In Exp. 1, a total of 240 piglets (Large White${\times}$Landrace, $7.36{\pm}0.10kg$) were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatments with 8 replicates and 10 piglets per pen. Treatments included a NRC control ($CuSO_4$, 6 mg/kg), two Cu supplementations from either $CuSO_4$ or $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ at 170 mg/kg. Pigs fed $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ were 6.0% heavier than pigs fed either the NRC control or 170 mg/kg $CuSO_4$ (p = 0.03) at the end of the experiment. During the 42 days of experimental period, pigs fed $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ gained 9.0% more (p = 0.01), tended to eat more feed (p = 0.09), and had better feed efficiency (p = 0.06) than those fed $CuSO_4$. Compared with the 6 mg/kg $CuSO_4$ NRC control, liver Cu was increased 2.7 times with 170 mg/kg $CuSO_4$ supplementation, and was further increased with $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ (4.5 times, p<0.05). In Exp. 2, a total of 616 crossbred piglets (PIC, $5.01{\pm}0.25kg$) were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 treatments with 7 replicates and 22 piglets per pen. Treatments included a NRC control (from $CuSO_4$), and three pharmaceutical levels of Cu (150 mg/kg) supplemented either from C$CuSO_4$, tri-basic copper chloride ($Cu_2[OH]_3C1$), or $Cu(HMTBa)_2$. Pigs fed $CuSO_4$ or $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ had better feed efficiency (p = 0.01) and tended to gain more (p = 0.08) compared with those fed the NRC control. Pigs fed $Cu_2[OH]_2C1$ were intermediate. Pigs fed $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ had the highest liver Cu, which was significantly higher than those fed ($Cu_2[OH]_3C1$) or the negative control (p = 0.01). In Exp. 3, a total of 1,048 pigs (PIC, $32.36{\pm}0.29kg$) were allotted to 6 treatments with 8 replicates per treatment and 20 to 22 pigs per pen. The treatments included a NRC control with 4 mg/kg Cu from $CuSO_4$, a positive control with 160 mg/kg Cu from $CuSO_4$, and incremental levels of $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ at 20, 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg. During the overall experimental period of 100 days, no benefit from 160 mg/kg $CuSO_4$ was observed. Pigs fed $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ had increased ADG (linear and quadratic, $p{\leq}0.05$) and feed efficiency (linear and quadratic, $p{\leq}0.05$) up to 80 mg/kg and no further improvement was observed at 160 mg/kg for the whole experimental period. Pigs fed 80 mg/kg $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ weighed 1.8 kg more (p = 0.07) and were 2.3 kg heavier in carcass (p<0.01) compared with pigs fed 160 mg/kg $CuSO_4$. In addition, loin depth was increased with increased $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ supplementation with pigs fed 80 mg/kg $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ had the greatest loin depth (p<0.05). In summary, $Cu(HMTBa)_2$ can be used to replace high $CuSO_4$ as a growth promoter in nursery and grower-finisher pigs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.130-133
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• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of lecithin, mono-glyceride and mono-diglyceride on apparent total tract and ileal nutrient digestibilities in nursery pigs. Twenty [(Landrace$\times$Yorkshire)$\times$ Duroc] barrows were surgically fitted with simple T-cannulas. Dietary treatments included 1) CON (basal diet: soy oil), 2) LO (lecithin 0.5%), 3) MO (mono-glyceride 0.5%), 4) MG (mono-glyceride 1.0%) and 5) MDG (mono-diglyceride 1.0%). In apparent total tract nutrient digestibility, dry matter (DM) and gross energy (GE) digestibilities of MDG treatments were higher than LO and MG treatments (p<0.05). In nitrogen (N) digestibility, LO treatment showed the lowest compared to others (p<0.05). The digestibility of crude fat was higher in MDG treatment than CON and LO treatments (p<0.05). In apparent ileal nutrient digestibility, DM digestibility was higher in MDG treatment than LO and MG treatments (p<0.05). GE digestibility was higher in MDG treatment than LO, MO and MG treatments (p<0.05). N digestibility of MDG treatment was greater than LO treatment (p<0.05). Also, the digestibility of crude fat was higher in MDG treatment than CON and LO treatments (p<0.05). In conclusion, mono-diglyceride can increase apparent total tract nutrient and apparent ileal nutrient digestibilities of DM, GE, N and crude fat.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.305-314
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• 2002

For the Exp. 1, a total of seventy two pigs (10.53${\pm}$0.02kg average initial body weight) were used in a 38-d growth assay to determine the effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) supplementation on growth performance and fecal microbial populations. Dietary treatments included 1) CON (corn-dried whey-SBM based diet), 2) SC0.2 (CON diet+0.2% SC) and 3) SC0.4 (CON diet+0.4% SC). Through the entire experimental period, ADG, ADFI and gain/feed were not significantly different among the treatments. At d 7 and 14 after the onset of the experiment, fecal Lactobacilli sp. count increased as the concentration of SC in the diets was increased (linear effect, P$<$0.01). At d 7 after the onset of the experiment, fecal Escherichia coli count decreased as the concentration of SC in the diets was increased (linear effect, P$<$0.02, quadratic effect, P$<$0.03). For the Exp. 2, forty five pigs (49.71${\pm}$0.45kg average initial body weight) were used in a 28-d growth assay to determine the effects of complex probiotics (CPB, Phichia anomala ST, Galactomyces geotrichum SR59, Thiobacillus sp.) supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and fecal $NH_3$-N and volatile fatty acid concentrations. Dietary treatments included 1) CON (corn-SBM based diet), 2) CPB0.2 (CON diet+0.2% CPB) and 3) CPB0.3 (CON diet+0.3% CPB). Through the entire experimental period, pigs fed CPB0.3 diet significantly increased their ADG compared to pigs fed CON and CPB0.2 diets (P$<$0.05). Also, apparent digestibility of DM and N in pigs fed CPB0.3 diet was greater than for pigs fed CON diet (P$<$0.05). Fecal $NH_3$-N decreased (P$<$0.05) in the pigs fed CPB diet compared to pigs fed CON diets. Also, pigs fed CPB0.3 diet significantly decreased their fecal propionic acid compared to pigs fed CON diets (P$<$0.05). In conclusion, the results obtained from these feeding trials suggest that the dietary SC for nursery pigs affects fecal microbial population. In finishing pigs, supplemental CPB was effective to improve ADG and nutrient digestibility but to decrease fecal noxious gas emission.