Enzymes are specific proteins located in each cell of an animal organism. They purposefully affect biochemical reactions, changing their speed, thereby regulating metabolism processes. As biological catalysts, enzymes are much more efficient than inorganic catalysts. The main distinctive feature of enzymes as catalysts is that they are able not only to speed up the chemical reactions dozens of times, but also to catalyze selectively only certain substrates.

Enzymes are biologically active substances that do not accumulate in an organism, do not pollute the environment, positively influence the transformation of energy and nutrient substances of the fodder into animals products.

Besides, enzymes reduce the action of anti-nutrient factors of fodder. Domestic fodder for pigs contains about 15-65 % of barley, it has increased amount of anti-nutrient factors.

Pectin is one of the anti-nutrient factors. Pectin in its turn prevents digestive enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract to hydrolyze proteins, lipids and carbohydrates concentrated in the fodders. Thus, transformation of the nutrient substances of the fodder into animals products is decreased.

An effective method to reduce the action of anti-nutrient factors of the grain crops, including pectin, is addition of the microbial origin enzymes with pectolytic (macerating) action to the content of fodders. These enzymes complement enzymes of the gastrointestinal tract, as enzymes that are able to hydrolyze pectin compounds that are absent in  saliva, gastric and intestinal juices.

A feed additive with pectolytic action "Matseraza-BTU" is produced in Ukraine by the company BTU Center in the town of Ladyzhyn, Vinnytsya region.

The application efficiency of different doses of "Matseraza-BTU" enzyme preparation was studied on four peer groups of piglets of large white swine breed at the breeding farm of the state experimental company Artemida in Kalynivka district, Vinnytsya region.

There were 15 young pigs in each group with the initial live weight of 55 kg.

After the 15-day levelling period the animals in the first study group received the enzyme feed additive "Matseraza-BTU" in the amount of 0.1 kg per 1 ton of grain mixture, in the second study group – 0.2 kg/t, in the third study group – 0.3 kg/t.

The main period lasted 90 days; the feed additive was added to the mixed pig feed. The control group received mixed pig feed without enzyme feed additive. The feed was concentrated in all the groups.

Studies have shown that feeding young pigs with the enzyme preparation "Matseraza-BTU" in different doses gave positive results. Thus, in case of the preparation dose in the amount of 0.1 kg per one ton of mixed pig feed, the average daily weight gain is increased by 19.7 grams or 2.3 %; with the doses of 0.2 and 0.3 kg per one ton, this rate rises to 60.6 g and
62.0 g, or 7.0 % and 7.2 % (р≤0.05).

In accordance with the increase of average daily weight gain in animal study groups the increase in live weight at the end of the experiment was respectively higher by 1.7 %, 4.5 % and 3.3 % in the first, in the second and in the third groups, compared to the control index.

It was proved that under the influence of feed enzyme in the first, in the second and in the third study groups the absolute weight gain respectively increased by 2.2 %, 6.9 % and 7.1 %.

Inclusion of "Matseraza-BTU" in the amount of 0.2 and 0.3 kg per one ton of mixed pig feed leads correspondingly to a decrease by 6.8 % and 7.1 % in the fodder expense per one kilogram of weight gain, thus proving increased transformation of nutrient substances of the fodder into products.

Besides productivity there is also scientific interest in determining  haematological data in pigs under action of the pectate transeliminase complex.

After feeding pigs with the mixed pig feeds containing "Matseraza-BTU" in the amount of 0.2 and 0.3 kg/t the haemoglobin level in the blood of pigs has increased respectively by 2.6 % and 3.3 %. However, the difference had a character of tendency.

There was a slight increase in red blood cells in the study groups where the animals were fed with mixed pig feeds with high content of "Matseraza-BTU". Thus, in the second study group the erythrocyte number increased by 8.9 % under action of the feed enzyme, compared to the control group. Under action of the enzyme in the amount of 0.3 kg per one ton of mixed pig feed the erythrocyte number increases by 12.5 %. However, in both cases, the difference was not reliable.

The addition of 0.2 kg/t of "Matseraza-BTU" to the mixed pig feed allows to increase the weight gain of growing pigs by 4.5 %, or to get by five days faster the 110 kg weight of pigs.

Key words: feed additive, Matseraza-BTU, enzymes, pigs, growth, productivity.