Digestibility is the percentage of nutrients that an animal takes and utilizes from its feed. This value is like a mirror that reflects the health of the animal; It is also like a ruler to measure whether the feed meets the needs of the animal; Another example is a sign that shows the suitability of the environment and feed conditions. The level of digestibility not only affects the conversion efficiency of feed, but also affects the nerve of economic benefits. There are many factors that affect digestibility, such as feed composition, animal physiology, environmental conditions, etc.
1. Animal condition: health status is undoubtedly the key factor in determining the digestibility, once the animal is sick, its digestion and utilization rate will be greatly reduced. In addition, age is also a big factor affecting digestibility. The digestive organs of young animals are not yet fully developed, and their digestive function will gradually increase as they age. However, the opposite is true for older animals, whose digestive function begins to gradually decline, resulting in a decrease in feed digestibility. At the same time, different breeds of animals also have different digestibility. Finally, even animals of the same breed will have differences in digestibility of the same feed due to differences in growth and development, as well as differences in body condition.
2. In terms of nutritional composition, pig is a monogastric omnivore, and the utilization rate of crude fiber is relatively limited. When the crude fiber content in the feed is too high, its palatability will be greatly reduced, which will seriously affect the digestibility. Therefore, when formulating the feed, we must ensure that the content of minerals and vitamins meets the normal needs of the animals. If these nutrients are insufficient, it will not only lead to slower animal growth and lower feed conversion rates, but also may lead to various diseases.
In addition, different kinds of feed have different chemical compositions, and differences in these components can also affect the digestibility of the animals. At the same time, different feeds also contain various anti-nutritional factors, which also affect digestibility. Therefore, when choosing feed, we need to fully consider its composition and the possible presence of anti-nutritional factors to ensure the healthy growth of pigs.
3. In terms of feeding technology, the processing and modulation of feed and the level of feeding have an important impact on digestibility. If the grain particles are too large, it may cause them to be excreted by the animal before they are completely digested in the digestive tract, resulting in unnecessary waste. In order to improve digestibility, we can take appropriate processing and crushing measures, which can increase the contact area of the feed with digestive enzymes and make it easier to digest. In addition, the use of appropriate extrusion and cooking measures can also improve the palatability of the feed, thereby improving the digestibility and enabling the animals to obtain better nutrition.
4. Environmental factors play an important role in digestibility. Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity can have a significant impact on the digestibility of animals. In a high-temperature environment, the amount of activity of the animal will be reduced in order to reduce the heat dissipation. This physiological response leads to a decrease in the secretion of thyroid hormones. Due to the reduction in activity, the stay time of the feed in the intestine is extended, which improves the digestibility of the feed. Conversely, at low temperatures, the digestibility of the feed decreases. Therefore, it is of great significance to understand and grasp the influence of environmental factors on digestibility for the rational adjustment of animal feeding conditions.