Aspergillus oryzae-based feed additives (AOF) have long been utilized in animal diets as biotechnological tools to improve nutrient digestibility, health, and growth performance. Previous research conducted in vitro showed that the inclusion of an AOF in the substrate reduced the proportion of methane (CH4) in the gas produced. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with an AOF on enteric CH4 emissions and nutrient digestibility in beef steers fed a backgrounding corn silage-based diet. Our hypothesis was that supplemental AOF may reduce enteric CH4 emissions while enhancing nutrient digestibility. Twenty-four Angus crossbred steers (10 ± 1 mo, 230.7 ± 22.8 kg of body weight) were used for the study. The treatments were: 1) Aspergillus oryzae-based feed additive inclusion at 0.032% of diet dry matter (DM; AO) and 2) No additive (CTL). The experiment was conducted as a switchback design, where each of the two periods consisted of a 21-d adaptation to treatments and facilities, followed by 5-d of enteric CH4 sampling using the sulfur hexafluoride tracer technique, and 5-d of apparent total tract digestibility determination using indigestible neutral detergent fiber as an internal marker. A 7-d washout interval was used between periods. Steers were housed in four pens, each equipped with two Vytelle feed bunks to measure individual dry matter intake (DMI). No effect of treatment was observed (P ≥ 0.10) for DMI or CH4 emissions when expressed as g/d or as g/kg of DM digested. The inclusion of AO increased (P ≤ 0.05) organic matter, neutral and acid detergent fiber, and crude protein digestibility. While the inclusion of AO in a corn silage-based diet increased nutrient digestibility, the effects on measured CH4 emissions were marginal. Further research is needed to evaluate whether supplementation of AO could reduce the emissions intensity of CH4 in g/kg of animal product.

Aspergillus oryzae fermentation product (AOFP; Amaferm-Biozyme Inc., St. Joseph, MO, USA) is a feed additive produced from a dried fermentation extract of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae NRRL458. Previous research on AOFP supplementation were done on total mixed rations and in vitro systems, with research on pasture-based systems lacking. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of AOFP on milk production, milk composition, rumen environment, fiber degradation, and dry matter intake (DMI) in Jersey cows grazing ryegrass pasture. Treatments in this study were as follows: Control-cows received 6 kg per cow per day (as-fed) of a pelleted dairy concentrate (159.6 g.kg-1 DM crude protein and 12.3 MJ metabolizable energy.kg-1 DM), and AOFP treatment-cows received 6 kg per cow per day (as-fed) of the same dairy concentrate with AOFP mixed in at 0.5 g.kg-1 (3 g.cow-1.d-1; as-fed). In the production study, 34 (n = 17) early-to-mid lactation cows were selected, blocked, and randomly allocated to treatments. From this group, 20 cows (n = 10) were randomly selected for the DMI study. For the rumen Study, 6 rumen-cannulated cows were used in a crossover design with 2 treatments and 2 periods. Data collected for the production study included daily milk production and milk composition. DMI was determined using the TiO2 method. During the study of the rumen, rumen pH was recorded for 3 continuous days. Rumen fluid was sampled and analyzed for volatile fatty acid (VFA) and ammonia nitrogen concentrations (NH3-N), and an in sacco dacron bag study was performed to determine dry matter (DMd) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) disappearance (NDFd). Milk production and composition did not differ between treatment groups (P ≥ 0.05). Milk fat content tended (P ≤ 0.10) to be 2.3 g.kg-1 greater in the AOFP treatment group. DMI was similar (P ≥ 0.05) between treatment groups. Average rumen pH was lower (P < 0.05) for cows on the AOFP treatment but remained within an optimal range for rumen microbial function. Rumen VFA and NH3-N concentrations did not differ (P ≥ 0.05). The in sacco dry matter and NDF disappearance were not affected (P ≥ 0.05) by AOFP supplementation. To conclude, supplementation of AOFP to cows grazing ryegrass did not affect milk production but tended to increase milk fat content. Rumen parameters and degradability of ryegrass were not affected by AOFP supplementation.

There is evidence that some fermentation products from yeast and fungi have positive effects on animal performance. However, results from different sources are inconsistent due to variations in types of diets or other factors across experiments. Therefore, our main goal was to evaluate the effects of feeding a fermentation product derived from the fungus Aspergillus oryzae (AO) on dairy cows’ performance through a meta-analysis from published literature. A database from experiments involving AO supplementation to dairy cows was built. In vivo experiments reported in selected peer-review papers published from 1984 to 2019 and 1 unpublished record were included. A total of 26 studies comprising 76 treatment means were pooled in the database. Data were analyzed by the means procedure of SAS (SAS 9.0, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). When dairy cows received AO as a supplement, milk yield and fat corrected milk were significantly (P<0.0001) increased. Decreased milk fat and protein content was also found (P<0.0001), probably because of the increased milk yield. Nutrient digestion, except for crude protein, was enhanced by AO supplementation (P<0.0001). As the increase in dry matter intake from AO treatment does not fully explain the rise in milk production, it is likely that AO also influences nutrient bioavailability and partitioning for productive purposes. Our results indicate that AO shows a consistent response in milk production across feeding situations (season and feeding systems) and diets (forage type and level of concentrate), partly boosted by an increase in dry matter intake and by improvements in dry matter digestibility. Future work should focus on improving our understanding of the mode of action and, especially, how AO can affect the immune response in high-producing dairy cows.

Prebiotics that stimulate beneficial microbes have had varying success in improving animal health and enhancing production efficiency. Aspergillus oryzae prebiotics (AOP) are produced from a multi-step fermentation process of a selected strain that have been shown to have beneficial effects on rumen fermentation. However, their effect on the rumen microbiome has not been fully evaluated using up-to-date molecular techniques. The objectives of this study were to assess the effects AOP on rumen fermentation and on bacterial and fungal communities in hope of generating insight into the mechanisms whereby AOP modulates rumen metabolism. The experiment was conducted using an artificial rumen (Rusitec) for 19 d in a completely randomized experiment. Three treatments consisting of the basal diet as Control (C), basal diet supplemented with AOP at 6 mg (AOPl) or 10 mg/fermenter (AOPh) per day were assessed with 4 replicate fermenters per treatment. Total gas production, methane, ammonia, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and microbial protein production were measured. Specific rumen bacteria and methanogens were analyzed using real-time PCR and bacterial (16SrRNA) and fungal (ITS) microbiomes were determined using Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology. Fermentation data were subjected to analysis of variance using the MIXED procedure of SAS with treatment as the main effect, and differences (P < 0.05) among treatments were tested using the LSMEANS procedure of SAS with the PDIFF option. Supplementation of AOP at 6 and 10 mg/fermenter per day linearly increased total gas production (P=0.005), dry matter disappearance (P=0.023), neutral detergent fiber disappearance (P< 0.001), total VFA (P=0.009) and total microbial protein production (P=0.044) with most differences being observed between C and AOPh. However, starch disappearance, methane production and ratio of acetate and propionate were not affected by either AOPl or AOPh. PCR analysis revealed that AOP linearly increased total daily output of 16S rRNA gene copies of total cellulolytic bacteria (sum of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus and Ruminococcus flavefaciens; P=0.049) associated with feed particles, with this response being greatest for F. succinogenes (P=0.027). However, treatment had no effect on daily total outputs of the mcrA gene associated with methanogens or on 16S rRNA gene copies of Ruminobacter amylophilus and Selenomonas ruminantium. Microbiome analysis revealed that AOP did not affect diversity and abundances of either bacterial or fungi at the phylum level. However, AOP altered the composition of bacterial and fungal community at the genera level, with and noteworthy increase (P< 0.05) in cellulolytic bacterial and fungal microbiota. These results demonstrated that addition of AOP to an artificial rumen improved fermentation efficiency via positively altering the bacterial and fungal microbiomes involved in fiber digestion.

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementing a prebiotic-like action additive product derived from the fermentation of Aspergillus oryzae (AM; 2 g Amaferm/d) in combination with monensin throughout the entire feedlot period. The primary objective was to evaluate the impact of this dietary intervention on feedlot performance, focusing on parameters such as feed intake, feed-to-gain ratio, body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and carcass quality. Steers (n = 1,200), aged approximately 18 mo with an initial BW of 307.8 ± 17 kg, were randomly assigned to 8 pens (150 steers per pen) and each pen was randomly assigned to two treatments: a control diet with monensin (M; monensin supplemented at 33 mg/kg DM) and a treatment diet with the addition of AM (M+AM; monensin supplemented at 33 mg/kg DM and 2 g Amaferm/d). The feedlot period comprised three steps, with daily feed delivery adjustments using a feed bunk management system. A multilevel model using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS with pen as experimental unit, was employed to evaluate feed intake, feed to gain ratio, BW and ADG for each period, also including effects on carcass quality and growth measured by ultrasound (random sample of 45 animals per pen; 30% of each pen). No significant differences were observed in feed intake across the three diet steps (P > 0.10). During the adaptation period, steers fed AM had greater ADG (+0.168 kg/d; P = 0.003) and increased BW at d 20 (+5.5 kg; P < 0.001). Although ADG during the finishing phase was similar for both treatments, a trend was observed for greater BW at d 108 (+4.6 kg; P = 0.095) when supplemented with AM. The inclusion of AM showed no impact on feed-to-gain ratio for the entire period (P = 0.589). In the finishing period, a positive effect on ribeye area (REA) growth rate (+0.54 cm2/mo; P = 0.016) and a trend towards greater back fat deposition rate (+0.11 mm/mo; P = 0.069) were observed with AM supplementation. At the end of the finishing period, a trend towards greater REA (+1.39 cm2; P = 0.101) was noted with no differences in back fat. Overall, this study demonstrates that the addition of AM throughout the feedlot period positively influenced the productive response during the adaptation period, leading to improvements in carcass growth during the finishing period.

Abstract The inclusion of Aspergillus oryzae prebiotic (AOP; Amaferm, Biozyme Inc., St Joseph, MO) in ruminant diets has been proven to stimulate cellulolytic ruminal microorganisms, although, its positive effect on nutrient digestibility seems to be diet dependent. Our objective was to evaluate how AOP influences the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) at varying levels of intake, for diets with different forage sources and inclusion levels. Data were compiled from 3 experiments containing 4 diets for backgrounding cattle, assessing the use of AOP as a feed additive. The studies were Exp. 1): corn silage-based diet (CS; n = 24 steers), Exp. 2-A): sorghum silage-based diet (SS; n = 20 heifers), Exp. 2-B): citrus pulp and cotton gin byproducts-based diet (BP; n = 20 heifers), and Exp. 3): bermudagrass hay-based diet (BH; n = 24 steers). Separate ANCOVA analyses by diet were conducted using SAS, including in the model the effect of treatment (TRT; AOP vs. No AOP) and the interaction between TRT and level of intake (dry matter intake; DMI). Level of intake was calculated as percentage of body weight (DMI/BW). Least square mean differences between treatments were conducted at different levels of intake at which both treatments were represented. For apparent total tract digestibility of DM and NDF (NDFD), the TRT × DMI/BW interaction was significant (P ≤ 0.05) in the case of the CS and SS diets, but not in the BP and BH diets (P ≥ 0.10). For both silage diets, NDF and DM digestibility decreased as the level of intake increased. Consequently, the positive effect of AOP on NDFD was greater at increased levels of intake (3.3 and 3.5% of the BW for CS and SS, respectively), resulting in 9.8% improvement on NDFD for the CS diet (P = 0.04, 37.9 vs. 41.6% for No AOP vs. AOP, respectively) and 25% improvement in the SS diet (P = 0.01, 42.5 vs. 53.2% for No AOP vs. AOP, respectively). At a moderate intake (2.5% of the BW), AOP improved NDFD by 6.0 and 14.1% for the CS and SS diets, respectively (P ≤ 0.05). While at reduced intake (1.8 and 1.7% of BW, for CS and SS), NDFD did not differ (P ≥ 0.10) between treatments for either CS (47.9%) or SS (56.5%) diets. In conclusion, the inclusion of AOP in silage-based diets attenuates the decline on apparent total tract digestibility of NDF associated with increased feed intake, helping to maintain digestibility closer to its maximum potential. Whereas, at reduced levels of intake, it is more unlikely to observe a positive effect of AOP on fiber digestibility.

Eighty-four Angus crossbred heifers (13 ± 1 mo of age, 329.5 ± 61.92 kg of body weight [BW]) were used in a generalized randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The factors evaluated were: 1) diet type (whole plant sorghum silage [SS] vs. byproducts-based [BP]), and 2) feed additive: Aspergillus oryzae prebiotic (AOP; 2 g/d) vs. Negative control (CTL; 0 g/d), resulting in four treatments: sorghum silage-control (SC), sorghum silage-AOP (SA), byproducts-control (BC), and byproducts-AOP (BA). Heifers were stratified by body weight (BW), randomly assigned to treatments (21 heifers per treatment) and housed in 12 pens equipped with two GrowSafe feed bunks each to measure individual dry matter intake (DMI). After a 14-d adaptation, BW was measured every 14 d for 56 d. Chewing activity was monitored through collar-mounted HR-Tags (heat-related tags). Following the performance period, apparent total tract digestibility was measured in 40 heifers, using indigestible neutral detergent fiber as a marker. Heifers fed with the BP diets had greater DMI (2.92% vs. 2.59% of BW, P < 0.01) and average daily gain (ADG; 1.16 vs. 0.68 kg, P ≤ 0.01) than heifers fed with SS diets. Compared with BP-fed animals, heifers consuming the SS diets had 23 more visits/d to the feed bunks (P ≤ 0.01), consumed 53% less dry matter on each visit (P ≤ 0.01), and spent 39% more min chewing/d and 63% more min chewing/kg of DMI (P ≤ 0.01). However, chewing measured in min/kg of neutral detergent fiber intake was not affected by treatment (average 111.3 min/kg of NDF intake). Feeding AOP improved gain:feed (GF) by 15% in BP-fed heifers (0.120 vs. 0.104 kg/kg; P < 0.05). Inclusion of AOP increased organic matter digestibility (OMD) in SS diets (55.88% vs. 49.83%; P < 0.01), whereas it decreased OMD in BP diets (61.67% vs. 65.77%; P < 0.05). In conclusion, ADG and GF of BP-fed heifers was greater than SS-fed heifers, and GF was greater with AOP supplementation in BP-fed heifers. Improvement in GF in BP-fed heifers was likely not related to differences in nutrient digestibility as AOP inclusion did not enhance digestibility in the BP diet. Additionally, the effects of the AOP inclusion appear to be diet-dependent, where the 15% improvement in GF by AOP occurred in heifers fed with the more fermentable diet. Therefore, further research should explore the mechanisms responsible for the observed improvements in growth performance when feeding AOP to BP-fed heifers.

Latin America is a relevant region in the global dairy industry, contributing more than 11% of worldwide milk production. Milk production in this region has grown by 42% in the last two decades, one of the fastest growing dairy produces. Milk in Latin America is produced in a diverse range of production systems which are shaped by a wide variety of climates and altitudes. Unstable economies and lack of infrastructure both on-farm and beyond the farm are limiting current and future growth. However, there is a clear potential for growth based on forage production and utilization and improvement in on-farm efficiency.

Evidence supports a causal link between anomalous intestinal function and impaired performance in dairy cows. Consequently, digesta pH values obtained from colon, cecum, and rectum are increasingly used to monitor intestinal function in dairy cows. We conducted a study to describe the daily dynamics of fecal pH in lactating dairy cows. The study lasted 4 d and individual records of dry matter intake, milk yield, and fecal pH were taken. Samples of feces were taken every 4 h during the 4-d study, and sampling time was adjusted ahead by 1 h daily so that a sample was obtained for each 1-h interval of the day. Data were analyzed using a mixed-effect model including time as fixed effect and cow as a random factor. We performed a cosinor analysis using pH data at different time points to determine whether fecal pH followed a biorhythmic pattern. On average, cows consumed 19.1 ± 1.55 kg/d of dry matter and produced 26.3 ± 4.16 kg/d of milk. The most relevant results confirmed a biorhythmic pattern for feces pH around feeding time: mesor (midline estimating statistic of rhythm) 6.20, amplitude 0.28, and acrophase 5.66. Additionally, we found a positive relationship between dry matter intake and amplitude, possibly because of an increase in the amount of fermentable carbohydrate reaching the hindgut in response to increasing intake. When using fecal pH as an indicator of intestinal function, it is critical to obtain samples at several time points to capture its daily rhythmicity and to report sampling time relative to feeding.

Supplementation of dairy ewes under grazing systems can improve milk production but different responses can be obtained when using starch or high degradable fiber as energy sources. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two contrasting sources of dietary energy on animal production, milk composition and fatty acid (FA) profile of dairy ewes fed fresh ryegrass. Ten Pampinta ewes (28 +/- 2.3 DIM; 65.8 +/- 8.67 kg BW) were assigned to one of two dietary treatments in a complete randomized design with repeated measures: SH (soybean hulls) and CG (corn grain). Daily ration consisted of fresh ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) plus concentrate in a 50:50 ratio (4% of BW). The experiment lasted 5 weeks, with 3 weeks for data collection. Individual milk samples were analyzed for milk composition and milk FA profile. Data were analyzed in a complete randomized design where supplement was considered a fix effect and ewe the random effect. Dry matter and forage intake were higher in SH (P < 0.05). Milk yield, milk protein and milk fat were similar between treatments. Compared to CG, total polyunsaturated FA (6.77 vs. 4.49 g/100g FA), total n-3 FA (0.89 vs. 0.58 g/100g FA) and total n-6 FA (3.43 vs. 1.94 g/100g FA) were higher in milk from SH (P < 0.05). Results suggest that replacing starch with fibrous supplements in early-lactation dairy ewes constitutes a promising alternative to obtain a more health-promoting FA profile in milk, without compromising milk yield and composition.

Heat stress is detrimental to food-producing animals and animal productivity remains suboptimal despite the use of heat abatement strategies during summer. Global warming and the increase of frequency and intensity of heatwaves are likely to continue and, thus, exacerbate the problem of heat stress. Heat stress leads to the impairment of physiological and cellular functions of ectothermic and endothermic animals. Therefore, it is critical to conceive ways of protecting animals against the pathological effects of heat stress. In experiments with endothermic animals highly sensitive to heat (Bos taurus), we have previously reported that heat-induced systemic inflammation can be ameliorated in part by nutritional interventions. The experiments conducted in this report described molecular and physiological adaptations to heat stress using Drosophila melanogaster and dairy cow models. In this report, we expand previous work by first demonstrating that the addition of a postbiotic from Aspergillus oryzae (AO) into the culture medium of ectothermic animals (Drosophila melanogaster) improved survival to heat stress from 30 to 58%. This response was associated with downregulation of genes involved in the modulation of oxidative stress and immunity, most notably metallothionein B, C, and D. In line with these results, we subsequently showed that the supplementation with the AO postbiotic to lactating dairy cows experiencing heat stress decreased plasma concentrations of serum amyloid A and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, and the expression of interleukin-6 in white blood cells. These alterations were paralleled by increased synthesis of energy-corrected milk and milk components, suggesting enhanced nutrient partitioning to lactogenesis and increased metabolic efficiency. In summary, this work provides evidence that a postbiotic from AO enhances thermal tolerance likely through a mechanism that entails reduced inflammation.

Aims: To assess the change in body condition score (BCS) during the early and late dry periods and its association with postpartum diseases and milk yield in grazing dairy cows from central Argentina. Methods: BCS assessments during the dry period, and cow health and milk production records up to 90 days in milk (DIM), were collated for cows from 28 farms at monthly visits between 2007 and 2008. Cows were categorised into four groups; those in Group 1 (n=7,067) maintained or gained BCS during the early and late dry periods; Group 2 (n=2,615) maintained or gained BCS during the early dry period and lost BCS during the late dry period; Group 3 (n=1,989) lost BCS during the early dry period and maintained or gained BCS during the late dry period; and Group 4 (n=5,144) lost BCS during the early and late dry periods. Results: Cows in Group 1 had reduced odds of having retained fetal membranes (RFM), metritis, and clinical mastitis up to 90 DIM than cows in Group 2 (p<0.001), but the odds of disease were similar to cows in Group 3. The odds of having RFM or clinical mastitis tended to be lower in cows in Group 1 than cows in Group 4 (p=0.08). The odds of cows being culled or dying during the first 90 DIM were lower for cows in Group 1 than for those in Groups 2, 3, and 4 (p <= 0.05). Mean accumulated milk yield up to 90 DIM was higher in cows in Group 1 than Group 2 and Group 4 (p<0.001), but was similar to that of cows in Group 3 (p=0.28). Conclusions and clinical relevance: Cows that lost BCS during the late dry period had increased odds of being diagnosed with several postpartum diseases and had decreased milk yield compared to cows that maintained or gained BCS during the entire dry period. Loss of BCS during any stage of the dry period was also associated with increased incidence of culling or death during the first 90 DIM. These results should raise awareness among dairy cattle producers of the importance of properly managing cow body condition during the dry period, especially during the late dry period.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a sensory additive, incorporated into a starch-based concentrate, on milk production and composition and grazing behavior in pasture- fed dairy cows. Forty-five Holstein cows were used in 15 incomplete 3 × 2 Latin squares conducted concurrently with 3 treatments and 2 periods of 28 d At the beginning of the study, cows averaged 60 ± 17.1 d in milk, 2.2 ± 1.51 parity, 27.5 ± 4.52 kg/d of milk, and 504 kg ± 61.9 of BW (mean ± SD). Cows were assigned to the 15 squares by parity, milk yield, d in milk, and BW and within squares randomly assigned to 3 concentrate treatments that were 1 kg/d of a mineral concentrate (MC), 7 kg/d of a starch-based concentrate (CC), and 7 kg/d of CC supplemented with 30 g/d of a sensory additive (PEC; ProEfficient, Lucta SA, Barcelona, Spain). Cows grazed a perennial ryegrass pasture (Lolium perenne L.) offered at a daily allowance of 30 kg of DM per cow. Supplementation with the starch-based concentrate increased (P < 0.05) milk yield 4.4 kg/d compared with MC (24.3 .vs. 28.7 kg/d), whereas cows supplemented with PEC produced more (P < 0.05) milk and energy-corrected milk than CC cows (0.6 and 1.6 kg/d, respectively). As a result, milk response to concentrate supplementation (kg milk/kg concentrate) was improved by PEC. Additionally, PEC increased (P < 0.05) milk protein percentage (3.74 vs. 3.43%) and yield (1.08 vs. 0.98 kg/d) compared with CC. Concentrate supplementation increased (P < 0.05) total DMI, but reduced (P < 0.05) total daily grazing time (GT) and biting rate (BR) in the evening. Compared with CC, PEC did not affect (P > 0.05) total and pasture DMI but increased (P < 0.05) GT during the first 2 h after the a.m. milking as well as BR and ruminating time during the diurnal hours. The plasma concentration of active ghrelin was similarly reduced (P < 0.05) by CC and PEC after 2 h of grazing. In summary, supplementation of a starch-based concentrate with a sensory additive improved milk and protein responses of dairy cows grazing a ryegrass pasture.

Umami in pigs is a taste that helps the animal to identify protein sources through the stimulation of the pT1R1/pT1R3 receptor present in oral tissues and along the gastrointestinal tract, where it acts as a nutrient sensor. Performance benefits have been previously described with the use of a high-intensity umami additive (HIU) based on Maillard reaction products. Interestingly, these benefits were not necessarily linked to an increased feed intake, while an improvement in feed efficiency was reported. To further investigate possible mechanisms explaining these results, a study was performed aiming to investigate the effect of a HIU (LUCTA, SA, Spain) added to pig feeds on nutrient digestibility. Twelve pigs ((LW x LD) x Pietrain, initial BW= 22 ± 0.3 kg) were individually fitted with a T-shaped cannula in the distal ileum. After surgery recovery (two weeks), pigs were fed for 14 days with a mash starter diet (18.6% CP, 1.30% Lys, 12.7MJ/kg ME) with HIU (HIU group, 1000 mg/kg, n=6) or without HIU (CONTROL group, n=6) added. Chromic oxide (0.5%) was included in both diets as an inert marker. Animals were placed in individual metabolic cages during the collection period. Ileal contents were collected during 8-h per day throughout the last 3 days, homogenized, freeze-dried and analyzed for the determination of dry matter (DM), gross energy, nitrogen (N), chromic oxide and amino acid content (except for Trp, Met and Cys). The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) was calculated and data were analyzed as a one-way ANOVA with diet as a fixed effect using Tukey-adjustments (SAS, v.9.4). Results showed improved AID values (P < 0.05) in the HIU group for DM (72 vs. 77%, SEM=1.1), energy (74 vs. 79%, SEM=1.0), N (80 vs. 85%, SEM=0.9), and some indispensable amino acids (shown in table 1). Therefore, it is concluded that the addition of a HIU based additive may improve nutrient digestibility in pig diets. Table 1. Apparent ileal digestibility of indispensable amino acids in pigs fed a diet with a high intensity umami (HIU group, n=6) or without HIU (CONTROL group, n=6) added Table 1. Apparent ileal digestibility of indispensable amino acids in pigs fed a diet with a high intensity umami (HIU group, n=6) or without HIU (CONTROL group, n=6) added