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A total of 240 piglets were allocated following a factorial arrangement, with 2 amounts of the XT (0 and 200 mg/kg) and 3 diets with various amounts of CP and protein sources. The 3 different diets were diet FM18 (CP=18%), which contained 10% of low temperature fish meal (LT-FM), diet SBM18 (CP=18%), in which 5% of LT-FM was isoproteically replaced by 9% of full fat extruded soybean meal (SBM) and diet SBM20 (CP=20%), in which a greater protein level was obtained by supplementing 6.3% of SBM in excess of the 10% LT-FM. From day 15 to 19, a controlled feed intake pattern was applied to standardize the digestive tract conditions upon slaughter. One pig per treatment was weighed and killed. The whole gastrointestinal tract was removed, weighed and sampled. The pH was measured in 4 different segments. Samples for histological analysis were obtained from the proximal and distal jejunum wall. A jejunum portion was collected for the Enterobacteria and Lactobacilli counts. A caecum sample was taken for VFA analysis.
Inclusion of XT tended to decrease OM ileal digestibility and starch digestibility of the FM18 (P=0.064; P=0.032) and SBM18 (P=0.071; P=0.014) diets. Proximal jejunum villi were shorter in FM18 (P<0.001) and SBM18 (P=0.013). The inclusion of XT decreased total intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) number in villi when included in FM18 (P=0.002) and SBM18 (P=0.040). In the distal jejunum, IEL decreased in total number with XT inclusion (P=0.032). Lactobacilli:Enterobacteria ratio was greater and total VFA concentrations decreased in XT treated pigs (P=0.017; P=0.045).
The incorporation of carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, and capsicum oleoresin promotes positive and negative changes in the digestive function, intestinal epithelium, microbial ecology, and fermentation in weaned pigs depending on the amount of protein included in the diet.
EG Manzanilla, JF Pérez, M Martín, JC Blandón, F Baucells, C Kamel and J Gasa. Journal of Animal Science 2009, 87: 2029-2037.
