Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Gut Microbiome of Finishing Stage Pigs Fed Formulated Protein-Energy Nutrients Balanced Diet with Banana Agro-Waste Silage

This study evaluated the effects of fermented banana agro-waste silage (BAWS) in finishing diets for KHAPS pigs (Duroc × MeiShan hybrid). BAWS was produced via 30 days of anaerobic fermentation of disqualified banana fruit, pseudostem, and wheat bran, doubling crude protein content and generating sh...

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Main Authors: Lan-Szu Chou, Chih-Yu Lo, Chien-Jui Huang, Hsien-Juang Huang, Shen-Chang Chang, Brian Bor-Chun Weng, Chia-Wen Hsieh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Life
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/7/1033
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author Lan-Szu Chou
Chih-Yu Lo
Chien-Jui Huang
Hsien-Juang Huang
Shen-Chang Chang
Brian Bor-Chun Weng
Chia-Wen Hsieh
author_facet Lan-Szu Chou
Chih-Yu Lo
Chien-Jui Huang
Hsien-Juang Huang
Shen-Chang Chang
Brian Bor-Chun Weng
Chia-Wen Hsieh
author_sort Lan-Szu Chou
collection DOAJ
description This study evaluated the effects of fermented banana agro-waste silage (BAWS) in finishing diets for KHAPS pigs (Duroc × MeiShan hybrid). BAWS was produced via 30 days of anaerobic fermentation of disqualified banana fruit, pseudostem, and wheat bran, doubling crude protein content and generating short-chain fatty acids, as indicated by a satisfactory Flieg’s score. Thirty-six pigs were assigned to control (0%), 5%, or 10% BAWS diets formulated to meet NRC nutritional guidelines. Over a 70-day period, BAWS inclusion caused no detrimental effects on growth performance, carcass traits, or meat quality; a transient decline in early-stage weight gain and feed efficiency occurred in the 10% group, while BAWS-fed pigs demonstrated reduced backfat thickness and increased lean area. Fore gut microbiome analysis revealed reduced <i>Lactobacillus</i> and elevated <i>Clostridium sensu stricto 1</i>, <i>Terrisporobacter</i>, <i>Streptococcus</i>, and <i>Prevotella</i>, suggesting enhanced fiber and carbohydrate fermentation capacity. Predictive COG (clusters of orthologous groups)-based functional profiling showed increased abundance of proteins associated with carbohydrate transport (COG2814, COG0561, COG0765) and stress-response regulation (COG2207). These results support BAWS as a sustainable feed ingredient that maintains production performance and promotes fore gut microbial adaptation, with implications for microbiota-informed nutrition and stress resilience in swine.
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spelling doaj-art-ce3402acefa0401db1d0024432eb1b852025-08-20T03:08:01ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292025-06-01157103310.3390/life15071033Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Gut Microbiome of Finishing Stage Pigs Fed Formulated Protein-Energy Nutrients Balanced Diet with Banana Agro-Waste SilageLan-Szu Chou0Chih-Yu Lo1Chien-Jui Huang2Hsien-Juang Huang3Shen-Chang Chang4Brian Bor-Chun Weng5Chia-Wen Hsieh6Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, TaiwanDepartment of Food Sciences, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, TaiwanDepartment of Plant Medicine, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, TaiwanSouthern Region, Taiwan Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Pingtung 912, TaiwanSouthern Region, Taiwan Livestock Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Pingtung 912, TaiwanDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, TaiwanDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, TaiwanThis study evaluated the effects of fermented banana agro-waste silage (BAWS) in finishing diets for KHAPS pigs (Duroc × MeiShan hybrid). BAWS was produced via 30 days of anaerobic fermentation of disqualified banana fruit, pseudostem, and wheat bran, doubling crude protein content and generating short-chain fatty acids, as indicated by a satisfactory Flieg’s score. Thirty-six pigs were assigned to control (0%), 5%, or 10% BAWS diets formulated to meet NRC nutritional guidelines. Over a 70-day period, BAWS inclusion caused no detrimental effects on growth performance, carcass traits, or meat quality; a transient decline in early-stage weight gain and feed efficiency occurred in the 10% group, while BAWS-fed pigs demonstrated reduced backfat thickness and increased lean area. Fore gut microbiome analysis revealed reduced <i>Lactobacillus</i> and elevated <i>Clostridium sensu stricto 1</i>, <i>Terrisporobacter</i>, <i>Streptococcus</i>, and <i>Prevotella</i>, suggesting enhanced fiber and carbohydrate fermentation capacity. Predictive COG (clusters of orthologous groups)-based functional profiling showed increased abundance of proteins associated with carbohydrate transport (COG2814, COG0561, COG0765) and stress-response regulation (COG2207). These results support BAWS as a sustainable feed ingredient that maintains production performance and promotes fore gut microbial adaptation, with implications for microbiota-informed nutrition and stress resilience in swine.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/7/1033banana agro-wastesilagepigsgrowth performancecarcass qualitygut microbiota
spellingShingle Lan-Szu Chou
Chih-Yu Lo
Chien-Jui Huang
Hsien-Juang Huang
Shen-Chang Chang
Brian Bor-Chun Weng
Chia-Wen Hsieh
Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Gut Microbiome of Finishing Stage Pigs Fed Formulated Protein-Energy Nutrients Balanced Diet with Banana Agro-Waste Silage
Life
banana agro-waste
silage
pigs
growth performance
carcass quality
gut microbiota
title Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Gut Microbiome of Finishing Stage Pigs Fed Formulated Protein-Energy Nutrients Balanced Diet with Banana Agro-Waste Silage
title_full Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Gut Microbiome of Finishing Stage Pigs Fed Formulated Protein-Energy Nutrients Balanced Diet with Banana Agro-Waste Silage
title_fullStr Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Gut Microbiome of Finishing Stage Pigs Fed Formulated Protein-Energy Nutrients Balanced Diet with Banana Agro-Waste Silage
title_full_unstemmed Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Gut Microbiome of Finishing Stage Pigs Fed Formulated Protein-Energy Nutrients Balanced Diet with Banana Agro-Waste Silage
title_short Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Gut Microbiome of Finishing Stage Pigs Fed Formulated Protein-Energy Nutrients Balanced Diet with Banana Agro-Waste Silage
title_sort growth performance carcass quality and gut microbiome of finishing stage pigs fed formulated protein energy nutrients balanced diet with banana agro waste silage
topic banana agro-waste
silage
pigs
growth performance
carcass quality
gut microbiota
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/7/1033
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