Effects of pregelatinized vs. native potato starch on intestinal weight and stomach lesions of pigs housed in barren pens or on straw bedding.

摘要

In a 2x2 factorial arrangement, 16 groups of 12 pigs (approximately 25 kg) were assigned to either barren or straw housing and to native or pregelatinized potato starch included in the diet (35%) to investigate effects on intestinal weight and gastric lesions. Pigs were fed restrictedly (2.5 x MEm) for 5 weeks. At slaughter, weights of empty small intestine and stomach were determined. Stomachs were inspected for incidence of lesions in the pars oesophagea. No starch type x housing interactions were found. In pigs fed pregelatinized starch, weight of the small intestine (26.8+or-0.4 g/kg BW) and stomach (7.6+or-0.1 g/kg BW) were higher than in pigs fed native starch (24.9+or-0.4; 7.1+or-0.1 g/kg BW, respectively; P<0.01). Straw bedding increased empty stomach weight (7.9+or-0.1 vs. 6.8+or-0.1 g/kg BW; P<0.001), but not small intestine weight. Starch type did not affect stomach scores, but straw bedding reduced the incidence of gastric lesions to a very low level (scores 0.5 and 3.0 for straw and barren housing, P<0.001). In conclusion, straw bedding reduced gastric lesions, reflecting either reduced environmental stress or a positive effect of physical stimulation. Pregelatinization of starch increased the empty weight of the proximal GI tract, possibly reflecting increased nutrient uptake..