Evaluation of dietary fibre sources on the performance and intestinal permeability of piglets during nursery phase

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different fiber sources in post-weaning diets, associated with reduced use of ZnO and/or GEA on performance, intestinal permeability, incidence of diarrhea, E. Coli concentration in feces, Zn excretion, copper and crude protein in feces and the percentage of animals medicated the first week after weaning. A total of 90 piglets weaned at 25 days (7.84±1.71 kg) were distributed in a randomized block design (weight) and divided into 5 treatments: T1 - Tiamulin as GEA in association with high dosage of ZnO (from 2500 to 1500 ppm); T2 - negative GEA and lignocellulose fiber (2%) in association with high dosage of ZnO; T3 - negative GEA and eubiotic lignocellulose fiber (2%) in association with high dosage of ZnO; T4 - negative GEA and lignocellulose fiber in association with reduced dosage of ZnO (100 ppm); T5 - negative GEA and eubiotic lignocellulose fiber in association with reduced dosage of ZnO (100 ppm), with six replicates and three piglets per pen. The nutritional program was divided into 4 phases (pre-initial 1: 25 to 32 days; pre-initial II: 33 to 39 days; initial I: 40 to 53 days; and initial II: 54 to 67 days). All data passed the F test. The Tukey test (P < 0.05) was used to compare the means. Although there was a difference between the average daily feed intake (ADFI) in all periods (P < 0.05), the treatments did not influence the final weight of the piglets. In the first week, the highest ADFI was in animals fed with eubiotic lignocellulose fiber and reduced ZnO dosage (T5). The ADFI of the other treatments did not differ from each other. However, in the second stage of day care, the highest ADFI results were obtained with animals from T1, T3 and T5. Analyzing the sum in the last two periods (0-28 and 0-42 days), ZnO negatively influenced the ADFI of piglets. The lowest feed intake value was observed in piglets fed a diet containing eubiotic lignocellulose fiber and high ZnO (T3). There were significant differences between the phases of the sugar absorption test (SAT). When there was statistical difference by the F test (P < 0.05), SAT values in the second phase were lower compared to the first. Thus, it can be inferred that the intestinal barrier function was guaranteed with the use of dietary fiber in the nursery phase, both in high and low doses of ZnO. In general, animals fed reduced doses of ZnO in the diets had lower excretion of Zn and copper in feces. It can be concluded that the inclusion of eubiotic lignocellulose fiber in the diets of piglets in the nursery phase allows the total withdrawal of Tiamulin 80% as a performance enhancer and a 96% reduction of zinc oxide as an antimicrobial, without harming the performance of the animals, ensuring the maintenance of the barrier function in the intestine and providing less fecal excretion of Zn in the environment.