Evaluation of effect of supplementation of extruded rice as a substitute for dried whey in the diet of weanling pigs

A total of 120 weanling pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc], 21 days of age with an average initial body weight (BW) of 6.52 ± 0.22 (SE) kg were selected to investigate the effects of extruded rice product as a replacement for dried whey on growth performance, coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CATTD), blood profiles, faecal shedding of Lactobacillus and Escherichia coli (the microbial counts of digesta were expressed as log10 colony forming units per gram), and faecal scores of weanling pigs. Pigs were randomly allocated to one of four dietary treatments, with six replicates per treatment and five pigs per pen. Pigs in the control group were fed a diet based on corn, soybean, and 20% dried whey. Experimental groups received the same diet as the control group, but dried whey was replaced by 3%, 6%, and 9% extruded rice. Throughout the experimental period (six weeks), no differences were observed in the average daily gain, average daily feed intake, and gain/feed ratio. Pigs fed 6% and 9% extruded rice had a lower (P < 0.05) CATTD than pigs fed the control diet on Day 14. The blood creatinine concentration of pigs fed 9% extruded rice was higher (P < 0.05) than that of pigs in the control group on Day 14. Pigs fed the diets containing 6% and 9% extruded rice had decreased (P < 0.05) faecal E. coli counts on Day 14 compared with pigs fed the control diet. The current results indicate that feeding extruded rice can decrease faecal E. coli counts without negative effects on growth performance in weanling pigs.