Growth of the gastrointestinal tract in weaning pigs as affected by crude fibre content in the diet

Abstract

A growth of the gastrointestinal tract of weaned pigs as affected by crude fibre content in the diet was investigated on 16 piglets. Pigs of 10 kg body weight (BW) were offered a basal diet (group C and C1) or diets formed by mixing a basal diet with 10 (diet GM10) or 20% (diet GM20) of grass meal (group F1 and F2, respectively). When pigs reached 25 kg BW animals of the groups F1 and F2 were offered a basal diet, whereas those of the group C 1 were offered diet GM20, following 14 days. Afterwards, animals were slaughtered; mass of the stomach, small and large intestines was recorded. The pigs of the group F2 consumed by 8.8% more feed compared with the C and C1 pigs (1061 vs on average 979 g/day). However, the C and C1 pigs grew faster (on average 535 g/day; P<0.01) than F1 (462 g/day), and F2 (443 g/day). A mass of the stomach of the both F1 and F2 pigs was insignificantly heavier (by 6.7 and 20.6%, respectively) as compared with the C pigs. Mass of the large intestines of the F1 and F2 pigs was also heavier (by 4.6 and 4.2%, respectively) but small intestine of these pigs was insignificantly lighter (6.7 and 12.3%, respectively). Length of the small intestines of the F1 and F2 pigs was lower (P<0.01; 32.3 and 30.1%, respectively), whereas length of their large intestine was unchanged. Correlation coefficients between previous fibre intake and mass of the stomach amounted 0.78 (P<0.009). However, a negative correlation between previous fibre intake and lenght of the small intestines (r= -0.68; P<0.06), as well as its weight (r= -0.45; P<0.07) were detected.