Positive Influences on Stomach Health Due to Feeding a 2-Stage Coarsely Ground Diet in Young Pigs

More than 80% of slaughter pigs in England show epithelial changes at the Pars nonglandularis (PN) of the gastric mucosa. In the interest of animal welfare and to avoid prospective cost deductions, alternative pig feeding strategies must be developed. In this study the effects of a 2-stage coarsely ground compound feed (COF) on performance and stomach health of piglets were tested as compared to a conventional 1-stage produced COF.

Over a period of 4 weeks 10 weaned barrows (age: 40 days; Body weight: 8.90 ± 1.00 kg) were housed individually and offered a botanically and chemically identical diet (15.6 MJ ME, 210 g CP per kg DM), which differed in grinding type and intensity. COF_H was produced conventionally, finely ground by hammer mill and fed to controls (n=5). Ingredients of COF_MH for the second group of piglets (n=5) were ground using a multicracker (first step). After sieving, only coarse particles (> 2500 microns) were ground by hammer mill (second step). Both diets were offered as dry mash. The mucosa of the PN was evaluated by a macroscopic scoring system at the trials´ end at necropsy.

COF_H had a geometric mean diameter (GMD) of 395 microns and COF_MH had a GMD of 576 microns. Regarding performance parameters (daily feed intake, daily gain, feed conversion ratio) there were no differences (P> 0.05) between both groups, although COF_MH showed the most favourable results. Furthermore, the region of PN piglets of group COF_MH did not show any signs of mucosal alterations, while in piglets of group COF_H low-grade hyperkeratosis was detected.

In comparison to conventional hammer mill diminution, 2-stage grinding by multicracker followed by hammer mill reduces energy costs by about 30% and showed in this study no negative effects on performance but distinct advantages on gastric health. There are epidemiological studies in Europe but also from worldwide indicating that the majority of slaughtered pigs are affected by gastric ulcers/alterations of the PN. Not only for prevention of gastric mucosal lesions, but also from an economic and ecological point of view producing and feeding of 2-stage coarsely ground COF seem to be suitable.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared.