Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Kagawa, 761-0795, Japan.
University Farm, Kagawa University, Kagawa, 769-2304, Japan.
Sci Rep. 2021 Jan 14;11(1):1297. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-80368-0.
Fishmeal substitutes (such as insect-based feeds) in pig diets can promote sustainable pork production. Insect powders contain chitin, a nitrogen-containing indigestible material, and pigs must have the capacity to secrete chitin-degrading enzymes to benefit from these diets. The chitin-degrading enzyme (acidic mammalian chitinase; AMCase) and its gene expression have been detected in the stomach tissue of approximately 6-month-old fattening pigs; however, it remains unclear from which stage chitin-degrading enzymes are secreted. In the present study, the stomach tissue of piglets was collected from the suckling stage (14 d old) to 56 d to evaluate chitin-degrading enzymes and associated gene expression. AMCase mRNA and protein expression was detected in the stomach tissue of all piglets from days 14 to 56. AMCase secretion might increase with the increase in stomach tissue weight as piglets grow. Insect powders can therefore be used in the diets of pre-weaning piglets. The gastric AMCase level was approximately 30% that of fattening pigs. The appropriate inclusion of insect meals in the diets of pigs at different growth stages still needs to be determined.
鱼粉替代品（如昆虫饲料）可用于猪饲料中，促进可持续的猪肉生产。昆虫粉含有甲壳素，一种含氮的不可消化物质，猪必须有分泌甲壳素降解酶的能力才能从这些饲料中受益。在大约 6 月龄育肥猪的胃组织中已经检测到甲壳素降解酶（酸性哺乳动物甲壳素酶；AMCase）及其基因表达，但从哪个阶段开始分泌甲壳素降解酶尚不清楚。本研究从哺乳阶段（14 日龄）到 56 日龄采集仔猪胃组织，以评估甲壳素降解酶及其相关基因表达。在 14 至 56 日龄的所有仔猪胃组织中均检测到 AMCase mRNA 和蛋白表达。随着仔猪体重的增加，AMCase 的分泌可能会增加。因此，昆虫粉可以用于仔猪的日粮中。仔猪的胃 AMCase 水平约为育肥猪的 30%。在不同生长阶段的猪饲料中适当添加昆虫饲料仍需进一步确定。
