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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 November 2017
In several recent studies it has been shown that growing pigs and sows can digest substantial amounts of plant cell wall polysaccharides (non-starch polysaccharides (NSP)) by microbial activity in the intestines (for example, see Longland and Low, 1988). Furthermore, it is clear that the principal products of the fermentation, acetic, propionic and butryic acids, are absorbed and used as energy substrate for growth (Bulman et al, 1989). Of the sources of NSP that have been examined, sugar beet pulp is particularly well digested, and it was used in the present study. The objective of the work was to measure the development of the capacity of the intestinal microflora of piglets, after weaning at 21 d, to digest sugar beet pulp. At the same time the performance of the piglets from 21 to 56 d was assessed.