Effects Of Dietary Fiber On Growth Performance And Cecal Microflora Of Weaned Piglets

In this experiment,the effects of dietary fiber on the growth performance and intestinal function development in weaned piglets were studied byfeeding test,metabolic test and slaughter test,which provided a theoretical basis for optimizing piglet feeding standards,rationally compounding the composition of feed composition and improving the health of piglets.48 weaned and crossbred piglets at 28 days(Duroc× Landrace × Yorkshire)with good health were selected as objects and their initial body weight was 8.42 + 1.88 kg.According to the different proportion of alfalfa powder substitution,they were divided into four treatment groups randomly,respectively in the control group(A0 group),6% alfalfa meal group(A6 group),12% alfalfa meal group(A12group)and 18% alfalfa meal group(A18 group),each group had four repeats,each repeat had 3 head piglets.The formal test period is 48 daysand all piglets werein the same pig house with unified management.After the test,we evaluated and measuredthe growth performance,nutrient digestibility,nitrogen metabolism,blood biochemical indexes,intestinal morphology,volatile fatty acids and cecal microorganism of piglets.The results showed that adding alfalfa meal in the diet had increased ADG and ADFI.But when alfalfa fiber was added to 18%,the ADG and ADFI of piglets were lower than those of the control group.The F/G of each group was not significant(P > 0.05).Adding alfalfa fiber to the diet promoted the digestibility of crude protein in animals(P > 0.05).While the nutrient digestibility of the crude fiber increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of the alfalfa fiber addition level,and the crude fiber digestibility of the A18 group was lower than that of theA0 group and the DM digestibility of group A6 was the highest,and there was no significant difference from A0 group(P > 0.05).Compared with the control group,the A6 group had the highest nitrogen apparent digestibility,nitrogen deposition rate and nitrogen utilization rate,while the A18 group had the lowest nitrogen deposition rate and nitrogen utilization rate.There was no significant difference in serum globulin,total protein,blood sugar concentration,cholesterol,aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase between the treatment groups(P > 0.05).The concentration ofurea nitrogen decreased at first and then rised with the increase of alfalfa meal ration,A6 group is the lowest and the difference between A0 and A6 was marked(P<0.05).Theconcentration oftriglyceride levels in A0 groupwas higher than that of the other threegroups.Adding alfalfa meal in the diet increased the villus height of the duodenum,jejunum and ileum in each group firstly and then decreased,and the villus height of the A12 group was higher than that of the other groups.In group A12,the depth of the recess in the duodenum was lower than that of the jejunum and the ileum in group A0.The ratio of the cashmere gland ratio of the duodenum to the jejunum in the A18 group and the A6 group was higher than that of the other groups.The content of acetic acid,propionic acid,butyric acid and total volatile fatty acid(Volatile Fatty Acid,VFA)in the A0 group were all lower than those of the other three groups.The content of acetic acid,propionic acid and total VFA increased firstlyand then decreased with the addition of alfalfa powder(P>0.05).The content of butyric acid went up with the increase of alfalfa powder dosage,and there was a significant difference between group A0 and group A18(P<0.05).The results of high throughput sequencing showed that adding alfalfa powder improved the composition of microorganism in the intestinal tract,increased the richness and diversity of microbes,and the richness and diversity of the A6 group were the highest.The weight gain of piglets in group A12 was the best and the economic benefit was the highest in the later stage.From the above experiment,the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of piglets can be increased by adding 6% and 12% alfalfa meal to the diets of piglets.The growth and development of piglets can be improved by adding alfalfa meal to improve the intestinal morphological structure,the fermentation of cecum content and the stability of the intestinal microflora in the intestinal tract.