<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary β-glucan supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, and fecal characteristics in weaner pigs. A total of 140 weaner pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an average body weight of 6.37±1.14 kg were allotted to one of the following dietary treatments: 1) negative control (NC, basal diet); 2) positive control (PC, basal diet supplemented with 39 ppm Tiamulin); 3) basal diet supplemented with 0.1% β-glucan (G1); 4) basal diet supplemented with 0.2% β-glucan (G2). During days 22 to 42 and 1 to 42, pigs offered PC and G2 diets grew faster than those offered NC diet (P&lt;0.05). Additionally, during the same periods, pigs fed G2 and PC diets exhibited improved gain:feed ratio compared to pigs receiving NC and G1 diets (P&lt;0.05). Pigs fed G2 diet exhibited higher coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility of dry matter than those fed NC diet (P&lt;0.05). There were no differences on blood profiles, fecal scores, fecal moisture, and fecal pH (P>0.05). Fecal lactic acid bacteria counts in G2 treatment were higher compared with PC and NC treatments (P&lt;0.05). Coliform bacteria concentrations were decreased in pigs fed PC and G2 diets compared with those fed NC diet (P&lt;0.05). In conclusion, the results of the current study indicate that dietary supplementation of 0.2% β-glucan can improve growth performance and dry matter digestibility, increase fecal lactic acid bacteria concentration but decrease fecal coliform bacteria concentration in weaner pigs.</p></abstract>

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary β-glucan supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, and fecal characteristics in weaner pigs. A total of 140 weaner pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an average body weight of 6.37±1.14 kg were allotted to one of the following dietary treatments: 1) negative control (NC, basal diet); 2) positive control (PC, basal diet supplemented with 39 ppm Tiamulin); 3) basal diet supplemented with 0.1% β-glucan (G1); 4) basal diet supplemented with 0.2% β-glucan (G2). During days 22 to 42 and 1 to 42, pigs offered PC and G2 diets grew faster than those offered NC diet (P<0.05). Additionally, during the same periods, pigs fed G2 and PC diets exhibited improved gain:feed ratio compared to pigs receiving NC and G1 diets (P<0.05). Pigs fed G2 diet exhibited higher coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility of dry matter than those fed NC diet (P<0.05). There were no differences on blood profiles, fecal scores, fecal moisture, and fecal pH (P>0.05). Fecal lactic acid bacteria counts in G2 treatment were higher compared with PC and NC treatments (P<0.05). Coliform bacteria concentrations were decreased in pigs fed PC and G2 diets compared with those fed NC diet (P<0.05). In conclusion, the results of the current study indicate that dietary supplementation of 0.2% β-glucan can improve growth performance and dry matter digestibility, increase fecal lactic acid bacteria concentration but decrease fecal coliform bacteria concentration in weaner pigs.

Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and selected fecal microbiota are improved by β-glucan supplementation in weaner pigs

Annals of Animal Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary β-glucan supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, and fecal characteristics in weaner pigs. A total of 140 weaner pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an average body weight of 6.37±1.14 kg were allotted to one of the following dietary treatments: 1) negative control (NC, basal diet); 2) positive control (PC, basal diet supplemented with 39 ppm Tiamulin); 3) basal diet supplemented with 0.1% β-glucan (G1); 4) basal diet supplemented with 0.2% β-glucan (G2). During days 22 to 42 and 1 to 42, pigs offered PC and G2 diets grew faster than those offered NC diet (P0.05). Fecal lactic acid bacteria counts in G2 treatment were higher compared with PC and NC treatments (P<0.05). Coliform bacteria concentrations were decreased in pigs fed PC and G2 diets compared with those fed NC diet (P<0.05). In conclusion, the results of the current study indicate that dietary supplementation of 0.2% β-glucan can improve growth performance and dry matter digestibility, increase fecal lactic acid bacteria concentration but decrease fecal coliform bacteria concentration in weaner pigs.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary β-glucan supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, and fecal...

Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and selected fecal microbiota are improved by β-glucan supplementation in weaner pigs

Article Category: Animal nutrition, and feedstuffs

Published Online: Aug 01, 2018

Page range: 769 - 779

Received: Aug 03, 2017

Accepted: May 15, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2018-0024

Keywords
β-glucan, digestibility, growth performance, weaner pigs

© 2018 In Ho Kim, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and selected fecal microbiota are improved by β-glucan supplementation in weaner pigs

Article Category: Animal nutrition, and feedstuffs

Published Online: Aug 01, 2018

Page range: 769 - 779

Received: Aug 03, 2017

Accepted: May 15, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2018-0024

Keywordsβ-glucan, digestibility, growth performance, weaner pigs

© 2018 In Ho Kim, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
β-glucan, digestibility, growth performance, weaner pigs