2.4. Growth performance and rate of diarrhea
Experimental piglets underwent a 12-hour fast before being
weighed individually on day 0 (at weaning), day 21 and day 42 at
8:00 in the morning, after introduction of the experimental diets. Feed
intake was recorded at every feed during the whole experiment. Fecal
scores were monitored only during the first 21 days and quantified
using a scale ranging from 0 to 3 as described by Marquardt et al.
(1999), with 0 =normally shaped feces, 1= shapeless (loose) feces,
2 = thick, liquid (soft) feces, and 3 = thin, liquid feces and watery
diarrhea. A piglet with a score greater than 1 was regarded as having
diarrhea.