Inclusion of oat hulls in diets for young pigs based on cooked maize or cooked rice

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of the main cereal (cooked maize or cooked rice) and the inclusion of cooked and expanded oat hulls (0, 20 or 40 g/kg) in the diet on total tract apparent nutrient digestibility (TTAD) and productive performance of piglets weaned at 21 days. Each of the six treatments was replicated eight times (five piglets penned together) and the trial lasted for 33 days. From 21 to 41 days of age piglets were given their respective experimental complex diets that contained 530 g/kg cooked cereal and from 41 to 54 days they received a common starter diet based on maize, barley and soya-bean meal. Growth promoters were not included in the diets. The TTAD was determined at 27 and 37 days of age and pig performance was measured at 31, 41 and 54 days of age. Nutrient digestibility increased with age (P<0·001) and in general were higher for rice- than for maize-based diets (P<0·001 for dry matter, organic matter and gross energy andP<0·05 for ether extract). From 21 to 41 days of age piglets given rice had higher food intake (FI,P<0·05) and average daily gain (ADG,P<0·01) than piglets given maize but food conversion ratio was not affected. The differences observed were maintained until the end of the trial. The inclusion of oat hulls in the diet did not affect TTAD of the nutrients but tended to reduce the incidence of diarrhoea from 21 to 41 days of age (P<0·1). Oat hulls inclusion reduced FI and ADG in diets based on maize but had the opposite effect in diets based on rice, indicating that piglets might have a minimum requirement for dietary fibre. It is concluded that cooked rice is an ingredient of choice in pre-starter diets for weanling pigs. Also, the inclusion of moderate levels of fibre as oat hulls reduces the incidence of diarrhoea and might improve productive performance in low fibre diets.

Fiber sources in diets for newly weaned piglets

“…Although Mateos et al (2006) have recommended that the diets of piglets weighing between 6 and 12 kg contain 60 g NDF per kg, it was observed in the present study that diets with about 110 g NDF per kg did not reduce the performance of piglets.…”

Purified cellulose, soybean hulls and citrus pulp as a source of fiber for weaned piglets

“…v.72, n.5, p.400-410, September/October 2015 piglets receiving the control diet and the diet containing purified cellulose in relation to the piglets fed with the diet containing soybean hulls as the main source of fiber. The lower occurrence of E. coli in the small intestine of piglets fed diets containing soybean hulls and citrus pulp can be related to the higher quantity of soluble fiber present in these two ingredients, which increase fermentation and consequently, the production of short chain fatty acids, which inhibit the growth of this bacterium (Mateos et al, 2006). Similarly, Schiavon et al (2004) verified a reduction in the quantity of E. coli in the feces of piglets fed with 12 % beet pulp in the diet.…”

“…Han et al, (2005) and Hanczakoswska et al, (2008) observed improvements in productive parameters and parameters related to the intestinal health of the animals. These differences in results are related to the type and quantity of fiber added to the diets (Mateos et al, 2006;Molist et al, 2009). Högberg and Lindberg (2004) suggest that positive effects in weight gain when the animals received sources of fiber in the diets can be related to the increase in size of the digestive organs.…”

Influence of source and micronization of soya bean meal on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and ileal mucosal morphology of Iberian piglets

“…Values correspond to actual feed intake (feed disappearance minus feed wastage). Percentage of days in which piglets had symptoms of diarrhoea with respect to total number of days in experiment (Mateos et al, 2006). higher DM digestibility of diets based on HP-SBM than in isonutritive diets based on R-SBM.…”

“…Average daily gain (ADG), actual ADFI (calculated by difference between feed offered and feed wastage by pen) and FGR were calculated from these data by phase and for the entire experimental period. Post weaning diarrhoea (PWD) was estimated by pen as the proportion of days in which pigs showed clinical signs of diarrhoea with respect to the total number of days on trial (Mateos et al, 2006).…”