Depending on how facility allows pigs to drink water, considerable amounts of feeds can be wasted, which may affect digestibility of nutrients by pigs. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that different watering options affect the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) in a corn-soybean meal diet fed to growing pigs.

Experimental design

Six barrows (initial BW: 27.53 kg; SD = 0.70 kg) with a T-cannula installed in the distal ileum were used and fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet. There were 3 treatments: 1) dry feeder plus a water nipple located outside the feeder, 2) wet-dry feeder with the water nipple inside the feeder, and 3) combined system with a water nipple both inside the feeder and also an outside nipple. Pigs were allotted to 1 of the 3 treatments using a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 6 pigs and 3 periods. All pigs were fed an N-free diet for an additional period to determine basal endogenous losses of AA. Chromic oxide was added to all diets. Pigs were allowed ad libitum access to feed and water.

Each experimental period lasted 7 days. The initial 5 days of each period were considered an adaptation period. Ileal digesta were collected on day 6 and 7 for 8 hours using standard procedures. The diets and ileal digesta were analyzed for CP, AA, and Cr to calculate the apparent ileal digestibility of CP and AA in the diet. The apparent ileal digestibility values were then corrected using the basal endogenous losses of CP and AA to calculate the SID values.

Results

The apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter was not affected by different watering options (Table 1). Likewise, values for the SID of CP and all indispensable and dispensable AA were not affected by different watering options.

Key points

• In this experiment, pigs were allowed to drink water from 1) dry feeder plus a water nipple located outside the feeder, 2) wet-dry feeder with the water nipple inside the feeder, and 3) combined system with a water nipple both inside the feeder and also an outside nipple.
• Different watering options did not affect apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter.
• Different watering options did not affect standardized ileal digestibility of crude protein and all amino acids.

Table 1. Standardized ileal digestibility of CP and AA¹

¹Values for SID were calculated by correcting the values for apparent ileal digestibility for basal ileal endogenous losses. Basal ileal endogenous losses were determined (g/kg of DMI) as CP, 9.05; Arg, 0.27; His, 0.12; Ile, 0.25; Leu, 0.36; Lys, 0.35; Met, 0.07; Phe, 0.23; Thr, 0.40; Trp, 0.07; Val, 0.31; Ala, 2.42; Asp, 0.38; Cys, 0.51; Glu, 0.16; Gly, 0.65; Pro, 1.03; Ser, 1.23; and Tyr, 0.31.

²AID of DM = apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter.