This study evaluated the effects of supplementing a reduced-energy diet with a compound enzyme on sow performance, nutrient utilisation, and faecal characteristics. Thirty healthy multiparous Danish hybrid sows with similar parities and expected farrowing dates were randomly assigned to a control diet, a negative control diet (50 kcal/t less net energy), or a multi-enzyme diet (negative control diet + 150 g/t of a compound enzyme product). The three experimental diets were fed from day 85 of gestation until weaning. During lactation, feed intake tended to be higher in sows fed the control and multi-enzyme diets than in those fed the negative control diet. Body condition parameters and reproductive performance traits (litter weight, birthweight, and numbers of live-born, healthy, and stillborn piglets) did not differ among the dietary treatments. Compared with the negative control group, sows receiving the multi-enzyme diet showed improved faecal characteristics during the periparturient period and lactation, whereas a higher incidence of constipation was observed in sows fed the negative control diet. Apparent digestibility of crude protein and dietary fibre was higher in the multi-enzyme group than in the control and negative control groups, while fat digestibility was higher in the control and multi-enzyme groups than in the negative control group. Piglets from the negative control group tended to show a higher incidence of diarrhoea during lactation. In conclusion, supplementing a reduced-energy diet with a compound enzyme improved nutrient digestibility and faecal characteristics in sows, whereas effects on reproductive performance and piglet growth were limited under the conditions of this study.

(Submitted 4 March 2026; Accepted 10 July 2026; Published 29 July 2026)