Dietary supplementation of mannanooligosaccharides in nutritionally stressed piglets : effects on gut health

The aim of the trial was to evaluate the effect of the administration of mannanooligosaccharides (MOS) on growth performance, villi height and crypts depth of gastrointestinal tracts, intestinal inflammatory responsive parameters and microbial population in feces and cecum of piglets fed a low digestible diet. Forty-eight weaned piglets (6.72 ± 0.32 kg of BW, 24 d of age) were used in a 35-d experiment and randomly allotted to 2 dietary treatments: basal diet (Control) and basal diet + 0.2 % MOS. Growth performance were recorded weekly, fecal samples were collected at 0, 14 and 35 d. At the end of trial, 10 piglets from each group were slaughtered and intestinal samples were collected. Data were analysed by a General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS. BW, ADG, ADFI were not influenced by MOS supplementation; FCR was lower in treated animals in the last 2 weeks. Mean fecal score was improved in MOS piglets. At the end of trial treated piglets had higher anaerobic, aerobic bacteria and Lactobacilli fecal count. No difference was detected among groups for Coliforms, while lower Clostridia occurred on day 14 in MOS piglets. Intestinal villi height in the duodenum was higher in MOS than Control. MOS supplementation also led to significant increase of NO production in ileal mucosa. Results indicate that MOS supplementation slightly improved feed efficiency and intestinal morphometry of piglets fed low digestible diet.