Abstract
Dietary fiber is an inevitable component in pig diets. In non-ruminants, it may influence many physiological processes in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) such as transit time as well as nutrient digestion and absorption. Moreover, dietary fiber is also the main substrate of intestinal bacteria. The bacterial community structure is largely susceptible to changes in the fiber content of a pig's diet. Indeed, bacterial composition in the lower GIT will adapt to the supply of high levels of dietary fiber by increased growth of bacteria with cellulolytic, pectinolytic and hemicellulolytic activities such as Ruminococcus spp., Bacteroides spp. and Clostridium spp. Furthermore, there is growing evidence for growth promotion of beneficial bacteria, such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, by certain types of dietary fiber in the small intestine of pigs. Studies in rats have shown that both phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) play an important role in the fermentative activity and growth of the intestinal microbiota. This can be attributed to the significance of P for the bacterial cell metabolism and to the buffering functions of Ca-phosphate in intestinal digesta. Moreover, under P deficient conditions, ruminal NDF degradation as well as VFA and bacterial ATP production are reduced. Similar studies in pigs are scarce but there is some evidence that dietary fiber may influence the ileal and fecal P digestibility as well as P disappearance in the large intestine, probably due to microbial P requirement for fermentation. On the other hand, fermentation of dietary fiber may improve the availability of minerals such as P and Ca which can be subsequently absorbed and/or utilized by the microbiota of the pig's large intestine.
Highlights
Dietary fiber is an inevitable component in diets of pigs as it is present in a variety of feedstuffs of plant origin including cereal grains and their by-products, grain legumes and protein supplements produced from various oilseeds
Bacterial composition in the lower gastrointestinal tract (GIT) will adapt to the supply of high levels of dietary fiber by increased growth of bacteria with cellulolytic, pectinolytic and hemicellulolytic activities such as Ruminococcus spp., Bacteroides spp. and Clostridium spp
This can be attributed to the significance of P for the bacterial cell metabolism and to the buffering functions of Ca-phosphate in intestinal digesta
Summary
Dietary fiber is an inevitable component in diets of pigs as it is present in a variety of feedstuffs of plant origin including cereal grains and their by-products, grain legumes and protein supplements produced from various oilseeds. Potential interactions between fibrous feedstuffs and the microbial ecology of the host animal have been described (Konstantinov et al, 2004; Hill et al, 2005; Owusu-Asiedu et al, 2006). Bach Knudsen, 2001; Grieshop et al, 2001; Wenk, 2001; Montagne et al, 2003), there is little information on the consequences of microbial fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of pigs on mineral absorption and metabolism as it has been previously described for rodents (Demigné et al, 1989; Levrat et al, 1991). Dietary fiber is the main substrate for bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and inclusion of dietary fiber has shown to promote bacterial growth, resulting in a higher fecal excretion of amino acids, lipids and minerals such as phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) of bacterial origin
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
