Fiber in Animal Nutrition

Fiber in Swine Nutrition 18 after a meal and quickly recurrent hunger, SCFAs like propionic acid are produced in the course of fermentation in the hind gut over a longer period of time. Contributing to long term satiation. With age pigs cope better with increasing quantities of soluble and fermentable fibers. While diets for piglets should be formulated without using higher quantities of soluble fiber sources because the digestion in the hind gut is not fully developed, adolescent pigs efficiently utilized these feed sources. For further information see chapter 1.0. 2.3 Fiber sources (table see annex) Different fibrous feedstuffs are available on the market. These feedstuffs are mainly by- products sourced from grain milling, sugar, ethanol or oil production. As by-products these feed materials comprise a combination of different NSPs and lignin with different physicochemical properties. Additionally wood derived components like lignocellulose and cellulose are offered. 2.4 Fiber effects related to health and welfare topics 2.4.1 Sows It is well recognized today that a combination of defined insoluble/bulking and defined fermentable fiber products is most efficient in providing sows with restricted diets du- ring gestation while taking animal welfare issues like hunger stress and the resulting behavioural disorders (bar biting, tongue rolling etc.) into account. Feeding during gestation In most parts of the world gestating sows are fed restrictively. An ideal body condi- tion is important to maintain best possible reproductive performance. Overweight sows have problems concerning prolonged birth, crushed piglets, reducedmilk production and locomotive problems. Additionally today in many countries group housing of sows during the gestation period is required by legislation. The feeling of hunger that results from re- strictive feeding causes behavioral disorders, observed in sows housed in individual pens. Moreover in group housing restrictive feeding involves anxiety, aggression and biting. Providing the animals with fibrous feedstuffs is an approved tool to increase the feed volume while reducing the energy content of the feed. This prolongs the feed intake time and provides a good gut fill, thereby supporting satiation and in turn reducing hunger stress. Faeces consistency Faeces consistency is influenced by feed com- ponents, particle size, water intake, age and physical activity of the animal. Focusing on feed aspects it becomes clear that fine milling and a lack of fiber contributes to the develop- ment of hard faeces. Constipation resulting from hard faeces may cause problems in and around farrowing. Problems are prolonged farrowing time and the development of en- dotoxins produced by harmful bacteria in the gut, which in turn increase the risk of MMA. Insoluble and soluble fiber sources can ameliorate faeces consistency. At the University of Hanover a feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of particle size and fiber source on the fa- eces consistency of sows (Warzecha, 2006). Amongst other parameters the influence of sugar beet pulp with considerable amounts of soluble/fermentable pectin and molasses was evaluated. In this context desirable faeces were soft and formed. Feeding 1.5 kg of a standard compound feed and allowing ad libitum access to sugar beet pulp (~2.14 kg/ © ERLING Verlag