Comparative efficacy of deoxynivalenol (DON) detoxifying feed additives (FA) was evaluated in growth performance (Exp. 1) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) (Exp. 2) nursery pig studies. Six corn-soybean-meal based diets were used: 1) positive control (PC, formulated with <1.5 ppm DON corn), negative control (NC, formulated with 5.5 ppm DON corn), NC+FA1 (clay plus yeast cell wall extract), NC+FA2 (aluminosilicate), NC+FA3 (aluminosilicate plus fungal extract), and NC+FA4 (Sodium metabisulfite, SMB). In Exp. 1, 144 pigs [(Body weight (BW), 10.2±0.1kg)] were housed (4 pigs/pen), allocated to diets (n=6) based on BW, and fed for 4-wk. The BW and feed intake were monitored weekly. On d 7, one pig/pen was bled for plasma and euthanized for organ weight and tissue samples. Assayed DON concentration in PC, NC, NC+FA4 was 0.29, 2.86 and 1.21 ppm, respectively. In wk-1, the ADG of pigs fed NC+FA4 was not different (P>0.05) to that of pigs fed PC diet but greater (P=0.01) than for pigs fed NC without or with other FA. Pigs fed NC and NC+FA2 had lower (P=0.026) ADFI than pigs fed PC and NC+FA3. Pigs fed NC+FA4 had greater (P=0.003) G:F than pigs fed the other diets. Diets had no effect (P>0.05) on ADG, ADFI, and G: F after first week, plasma concentration of urea and creatinine or liver and spleen weight. Pigs fed NC diets had greater (P=0.01) jejunal mRNA expression of superoxide dismutase 1 relative to pigs fed PC or NC plus FA. Jejunal histomorphology and mRNA expression of nutrient transporters, inflammatory cytokines and tight junction proteins and ceca digesta concentration of short chain fatty acids were not affected (P>0.05) by the diet. In Exp. 2, 24 barrows (BW 10.2 ± 0.3 kg) were individually placed in metabolism crates and allocated to four diets: PC, NC, NC+FA3 and NC+FA4 (n=6) containing TiO2 as digestibility marker. Pigs were adjusted to diets for 5 d, followed by a 2-d grab fecal sample collection. Pigs fed PC and NC+FA4 diets had higher ATTD of dry matter, gross energy, and crude protein than NC fed pigs. The FA3 was intermediate in digestibility response. In conclusion, feed additives containing sequestering component plus fungal extract or SMB in DON-contaminated feed resulted in commensurate nursery pig performance to PC. The tested feed additives mitigated intestinal oxidative stress through decreased expression of genes for superoxide dismutase.

Four commercial feed additives (CFA) were evaluated for efficacy in detoxifying deoxynivalenol (DON) in diets fed to 144 nursery pigs (BW 9.80+/- 0.5kg; 2 gilts, and 2 barrows/pen). Six test corn-soybean-meal based diets were: 1) positive control (PC), formulated with clean corn (NC), 2) formulated with contaminated corn (5.5 ppm DON), 3) NC with enzyme+binder1 (NCB1), 4) NC with clay (NCC), 5) NC with enzyme+binder2 (NCB2) and 6) NC with sodium metabisulfite (NCP). Diets were allocated to pens (n = 6) based on BW and fed ad-libitum for 4-wk; BW and feed intake were monitored weekly. At the end of wk-1, one pig/pen was euthanized for tissue collection. Assayed DON concentration for PC, NC, NCB1, NCC, NCB2 and NCP were 0.38, 2.3, 2.3, 2.3, 2.4, and 1.9 ppm, respectively. Diet effects were only observed for ADG and G:F in wk-1; pigs fed NCP had higher (P = 0.01) ADG compared to pigs fed NC and NCC, whilst pigs fed other diets had intermediate and similar ADG (P > 0.05) to pigs fed NC or NCC. Pigs fed NCP showed higher (P = 0.02) G:F relative to pigs fed other diets. The final BW was 31.3, 30.8, 30.4, 30.8, 31.1 and 32.2kg for PC, NC, NCB1, NCC, NCB2 and NCP-fed pigs, respectively. There were no (P > 0.05) diet effects on ADFI throughout the study. There was no (P > 0.05) diet effects on liver and spleen weight, jejunum morphology and concentration of plasma creatinine and urea. Ceca digesta concentration of citric acid was higher (P = 0.03) in pigs fed NCP than pigs fed NCB2. In conclusion, the lack of differences between PC and NC suggested pigs were tolerant to higher DON levels than the regulated dietary maximum of 1 ppm. Improved ADG and G:F due to NCP vs. NC was transient and was not linked to physiological responses.