Two studies were conduced to test the hypothesis that dietary supplements of alpha-1-6-galactosidase and beta-1,4-mannanase improves nutrient utilization of soybean meal in nursery pigs. In the first experiment, weaned pigs were fed diets containing either 0, 0.025 or 0.050% of the carbohydrase for a five week period, in six replicates with six pigs per pen. The performance of the pigs fed diets containing enzyme was eleven percent better than the control. In the second experiment ten female pigs were cannulated to measure the effect of adding 0.25% enzyme supplement on apparent ideal digestibility of energy and amino acids. Supplementing with enzymes significantly improved (P<0.05)

digestibilities of gross energy, lysine, threonine and tryoptohan. The researchers concluded that a carbohydrase composed of alpha-1,6-galactosidase and beta 1,4-mannanase can increase growth performance in nursery pigs by improving the digestibility of energy and amino acids in corn-soybean meal-based diets.

Kim, S.W., I. Mavromchalis and R.A. Easter. 2001. Supplementation of alpha-1,6-galactosidase and beta-1,4-mannanaseto improve soybean meal utilization by nursery pig. J. Animal Sci. 79:Suppl. 1 (abstract 440).