146 Effects of feeding soluble fiber (dextrin) to pigs pre- and post-weaning on growth performance and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production

Abstract

Abstract Thirty-two barrows were used in a 35-d experiment with the objective of evaluating effects of supplemental soluble fiber (dextrin) pre- and post-weaning on growth performance and VFA production. Pigs were blocked by genetics and BW, and randomly allotted to treatments in a 2x2 factorial design with or without fiber pre-weaning and with or without fiber post-weaning. Fiber was suspended in chocolate milk and administered orally through a syringe from 14 d prior to weaning until 4 d post-weaning, after which it was included in the diet at 1%. At weaning, pigs were group housed by treatment and allowed ad libitum access to a common starter diet. On d 4 post-weaning, pigs were moved to individual pens and fed diets with or without 1% fiber. Weights and feed intake were recorded 14 and 3 d prior to weaning and on d 0, 4, 11, and 21 post-weaning. On d 21 post-weaning, pigs were euthanized, and large intestine contents were collected for VFA analysis. Data were analyzed using the GLM procedure of SAS with pig as the experimental unit. Growth performance was not affected (P > 0.10) by treatment. A trend for an interaction of pre- and post-weaning fiber supplementation was observed for acetate (P = 0.052) and butyrate (P = 0.087) concentrations in large intestine contents. Pigs fed fiber only in the nursery had the highest acetate concentration, while pigs never receiving fiber had the lowest concentration. Pre-weaning fiber supplementation followed by no fiber in the nursery resulted in the highest butyrate concentrations with all other treatments being similar. Fiber supplementation pre-weaning tended (P = 0.053) to reduce isobutyrate concentrations. Pigs not receiving fiber post-weaning had increased valerate concentrations (P = 0.0245). There were no changes observed in propionate or isovalerate concentrations (P > 0.10). Fiber supplementation caused alterations in VFA concentrations when fed during pre- and post-weaning, indicating possible shifts in the microbiome, immune status and barrier function of the intestinal tract.