Abstract
This study was conducted to determine the effects of low-protein diet prepared with different levels of defatted rice bran (DFRB) and weight stages on growth performance and nutrient digestibility of growing-finishing pigs. The animal experiment included three stages. A total of 240 growing pigs with an initial body weight of 28.06 ± 8.56 kg for stage 1 were allocated to five diets including one control group and four DFRB diets supplemented with 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% DFRB, respectively. The 192 crossbred pigs with initial body weights of 55.03 ± 7.31 kg and 74.55 ± 9.10 kg were selected for stage 2 and stage 3, respectively. Pigs were allocated to four diets including one control group and three DFRB diets supplemented with 10%, 15% and 20% DFRB, respectively. The results showed that with the increase in DFEB intake, the gain: feed was linearly increased (p < 0.05), and the average daily feed intake tended to linearly decrease (p = 0.06) in stage 1. Except for the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of acid detergent fiber (ADF) in stage 3, levels of DFRB had significant effects on the ATTD of gross energy (GE), dry matter (DM), ash, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and ADF in three weight stages. In stage 1, with the increase in levels of DFRB, the ATTD of NDF and hemicellulose were firstly increased and then decreased (p < 0.01). In stage 2, with the increasing levels of DFRB, the ATTD of DM, ash and cellulose were firstly increased and then decreased (p < 0.01). In stage 3, the ATTD of GE, DM, ash, NDF and hemicellulose decreased linearly with the increase in levels of DFRB (p < 0.01). Collectively, DFRB could be used as a replacement for corns and soybean meal, and weight stage is important to consider when adjusting the additive proportion.