Incidence of fermentable fibre on piglet performances and health during post‐weaning
D. Gaudre, L. Montagne, N. Le Floc’h, M. Le Gall. Effets de l’incorporation de fibres fermentescibles sur les performances et l’état de santé des porcelets en post‐sevrage. 2010. Journées Recherche Porcine, 85.
01-Apr-2010 (16 years 2 months 7 days ago)The dietary fibre after weaning could be able to constitute an alternative to the use of antibiotic growth promoters. This experiment carried out at INRA and IFIP, aimed to evaluate the effects of fermentable fibre on piglet performance and health during post‐weaning. Sugar beet pulp and soybean hulls were introduced into fibre (F) diets. Diet F and a control one (T) were compared during the 1st age period. For the 2nd age period, taking into account the diet received in 1st period by piglets, four combinations were considered for feed treatments: TT, TF, FT and FF. Specific effects of fibre according to husbandry conditions were also evaluated on piglet performance and health status using optimal or unsanitary husbandry conditions.
Unsanitary conditions led to poorer piglet performance and health status, predominantly during the 1st age period. The reduced daily gain appeared to be due to the decrease of feed intake at IFIP, while it was hypothesized at INRA that a lower digestion and/or absorption of nutrients occurred. During the 2nd age period, performances were similar indicating that the previous period led sufficient time to adapt to a poorer environment. The effects of fibre did not depend on husbandry conditions. Whatever they were, fibre improved daily gain during the 1st age period, while during the 2nd age period, daily gain and feed efficiency were decreased by fibre; fibre also increased transiently diarrhoea frequency. No effect of fibre on plasma haptoglobin levels was
detected.
Unsanitary conditions led to poorer piglet performance and health status, predominantly during the 1st age period. The reduced daily gain appeared to be due to the decrease of feed intake at IFIP, while it was hypothesized at INRA that a lower digestion and/or absorption of nutrients occurred. During the 2nd age period, performances were similar indicating that the previous period led sufficient time to adapt to a poorer environment. The effects of fibre did not depend on husbandry conditions. Whatever they were, fibre improved daily gain during the 1st age period, while during the 2nd age period, daily gain and feed efficiency were decreased by fibre; fibre also increased transiently diarrhoea frequency. No effect of fibre on plasma haptoglobin levels was
detected.