Characterization of Manure from Conventional and Phytase Transgenic Pigs by Advanced Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy.

Non-point phosphorus (P) pollution from animal manure is becoming a serious global problem. The current solution for the swine industry is including the enzyme phytase as a component of the cereal grain diet. A very real possibility in the future is the production of transgenic pigs that express phytase in the salivary glands and secrete it in the saliva. This study provides a detailed chemical structure of manure from conventional pigs and transgenic pigs that express phytase using new solid-state NMR techniques. Spectral editing techniques and quantitative NMR techniques were used to identify and quantify specific functional groups. Two-dimentional ¹H-¹³C heteronuclear correlation NMR was used to detect their connectivity. Manure from conventional and transgenic pigs had similar peptide, carbohydrate, and fatty acid components, while those from transgenic pigs contained more carbohydrates and fewer nonpolar alkyls. There was no consistent effect from diet with or without supplemental phosphate or growth stage.