Different ratio of soluble and insoluble fiber in the pig diet

Abstract

The progressive inclusion of two forages with different soluble fibre (FS) content, in diets from growing and finishing pig was evaluated. The treatments were: control diet (T0) formulated based on corn and soybean meal; base diet with alfalfa (T1) (Medicago sativa var. Chaná) or with chicory (T2) (Cichorium intibus var. Lacerta) for stages (F) of growing I (F1, 40-60 kg of PV), growing II (F2, 60-80 kg of PV) and finishing (F3, 80 to 100 kg of PV). 27 animals with an initial weight of 42 kg (± 2.3) were used in a random plot design in three treatments, with nine repetitions. The final weight and daily gain did not differ among treatments. Dietary Fiber consumption was higher in forage treatments (P<0.05), while FS consumption was higher in the chicory diet than the alfalfa diet (P <0.05). This higher consumption of Dietary Fiber was associated with a higher weight of the components of the pigs’ gastrointestinal tract, particularly the colon in T2 (P<0.05). As a consequence, T2 presented the lowest carcass yield (77.4%, P<0.05), compared to T0 and T1, which were similar to each other (80.0 and 78.9% respectively, P=0.303).The progressive inclusion of forage allowed a physical adaptation of the tract, by increasing the stomach and colon but such adaptation affected the carcass yield.