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Microbial activities of faeces from unweaned and adult pigs, in relation to selected fermentable carbohydrates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

E. Bauer ,
B. A. Williams ,
C. Voigt ,
R. Mosenthin  and
M. W. A. Verstegen
E. Bauer
Affiliation:
Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Marijkeweg 40, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands Hohenheim University, Institute of Animal Nutrition, D-70593 Stuttgart, Germany
B. A. Williams*
Affiliation:
Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Marijkeweg 40, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands
C. Voigt
Affiliation:
Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Marijkeweg 40, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands Hohenheim University, Institute of Animal Nutrition, D-70593 Stuttgart, Germany
R. Mosenthin
Affiliation:
Hohenheim University, Institute of Animal Nutrition, D-70593 Stuttgart, Germany
M. W. A. Verstegen
Affiliation:
Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Marijkeweg 40, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands
*
†Corresponding author: e-mailbarbara.williams@alg.vv.wau.nl
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Abstract

A comparison of in vitro microbial activity was made between inocula from faeces of adult and unweaned pigs, using a range of carbohydrate-rich substrates. The substrates tested were classified into groups (fibre-rich, grains, gums, pectin, saccharides, storage carbohydrates, and miscellaneous). Proximate and fibre analyses were determined for all substrates tested. Fermentation kinetics were measured according to the cumulative gas production technique. End-point products such as gas, volatile fatty acids and ammonia were also determined. The faeces from the adult pigs (ATF) were collected from four castrated finisher pigs (Dutch Landrace × Great Yorkshire). These were offered a diet based on highly digestible maize starch and fish meal, so as to be as free as possible of fermentable carbohydrates. The unweaned piglet faeces were collected from 19 unweaned piglets (male and female) which were 27 to 30 days old. The parameters were tested for significance by an analysis of variance using the Tukey's studentized range test of multiple comparisons. There were significant differences in the fermentation patterns both due to source of substrate and inoculum. It would appear that the metabolic activity of the microflora does differ significantly between adult and weanling pigs, though this varied for the different carbohydrates tested. Suggestions are made as to how to select potential carbohydrate ingredients for an in vivo experiment, based on their in vitro fermentation characteristics.

Keywords

carbohydratesdigestive tractfermentationmicrobial activitiespigs.
Type
Non-ruminant, nutrition, behaviour and production
Information
Animal Science , Volume 73 , Issue 2 , October 2001 , pp. 313 - 322
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2001

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