Influence of sugar beet pulp on feeding behavior, growth performance, carcass quality and gut health of fattening pigs

• Published in: Biotechnologie, agronomie, société et environnement Vol. 19; no. 1; p. 20
• Main Authors: Laitat, Martine, Antoine, Nadine, Cabaraux, Jean-François, Cassart, Dominique, Mainil, Jacques, Moula, Nassim, Nicks, Baudouin, Wavreille, José, Philippe, François-Xavier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Gembloux Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux 01.01.2015; Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Bifidobacterium; carcass composition; Dietary fiber; dietary fibres; Digestive system; Enterobacteriaceae; Feeding habits; Feeds; growth; Hogs; Lactobacillus; Physical growth; sugarbeet; swine
• ISSN: 1370-6233; 1780-4507

Dietary fiber is largely used in pig production but some contradictions appear in the literature regarding the effects on performance and health. This paper aims to contribute to the clarification of the effects of a diet rich in sugar beet pulp on animal behavior, growth performance, carcass quality and gut health of fattening pigs. Two successive batches of 24 fattening pigs were each divided into two groups fed ad libitum either a standard diet based on cereals (STD, 19% NSP [non-starch-polysaccharides]) or a fibrous diet based on 23% sugar beet pulp (HFD, 31% NSP). Pigs activity rate and feeder occupancy duration were increased by 57% and 165% for group fed HFD, respectively (P < 0.05). The fecal bacteria counts showed increases with HFD for Lactobacillus (10.21 vs 9.84 log^sub 10^ of cfu.g^sup -1^ of feces dry matter, P < 0.05) and Bifidobacterium (9.49 vs 8.88, P < 0.01) but decreases for Enterobacteriaceae (4.85 vs 5.97, P < 0.001). Reductions of the average daily gain (788 vs 876 g per day, P < 0.001) and the dressing percentage (75.7 vs 78.9%, P < 0.001) were observed with HFD. Gastric lesion score was decreased with HFD (0.82 vs 1.55, P < 0.05). For pigs fed HFD, the proportion of surface area occupied by goblet cells was increased in the jejunum (10.06 vs 7.99%, P < 0.01) and the number of CD3 lymphocytes was increased in the colon (1.24 vs 0.90.mm^sup -2^, P < 0.05). HFD contributes to strengthen the gut health of fattening pigs, but it impairs growth performance and carcass traits.