Effects of the fermented liquid and rice distillers grain diets on the growth performance and gut bacterial population in weaned piglets

Tran Thi Thu Hong, Thai Thi Thuy and Jan Erik Lindberg^*

Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry,
102 Phung Hung St., Hue City, Vietnam
* Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,
PO Box 7024, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.

Gut environment, coliform, lactic acid bacteria, and performance in weaned piglets fed a fermented liquid diet and rice distiller’s grain was studied. The experimental diets were based on local feed resources. Three feed types, a control diet (CO) in the dry form, a natural fermented liquid diet (FE), and a ride distiller’s grain diet (RDG) were compared. Total 32 piglets with an initial average body weight of 9.5 kg were used in this experiment. The pH, number of E.coli, total of coliforms, number of lactic acid bacteria and concentration of lactic acid and acetic acid were measured in both diets and along gastrointestinal tract.

Piglets fed FE diet and RDG had lower pH (P<0.05) and higher lactic acid bacteria in stomach and ileum in comparison with CO diet or day 0. Feeding FE and RDG to piglets also led to a reduction of E.coli, coliforms along gastrointestinal tract. The concentration of lactic acid in stomach was highest in piglets fed FE or RDG diet compared with the other diets (P<0.001). The concentration of acetic acid was highest in colon of the piglets fed FE or RDG diet (P<0.001). Performance and ileal digestibility in whole was improved in piglets fed RDG diet compared with other diets.

Keywords: Gut environment, organic acids, piglets; fermentation, microbiology