Abstract
Dietary fiber is associated with impaired nutrient utilization and reduced net energy values. However, fiber has to
be included in the diet to maintain normal physiological functions in the digestive tract. Moreover, the negative
impact of dietary fiber will be determined by the fiber properties and may differ considerably between fiber
sources. Various techniques can be applied to enhance nutritional value and utilization of available feed resources.
In addition, the extent of fiber utilization is affected by the age of the pig and the pig breed. The use of potential
prebiotic effects of dietary fiber is an attractive way to stimulate gut health and thereby minimize the use of
anti-microbial growth promoters. Inclusion of soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) in the diet can stimulate the
growth of commensal gut microbes. Inclusion of NSP from chicory results in changes in gut micro-environment
and gut morphology of pigs, while growth performance remains unaffected and digestibility was only marginally
reduced. The fermentation products and pH in digesta responded to diet type and were correlated with shifts in
the microbiota. Interestingly, fiber intake will have an impact on the expression of intestinal epithelial heat-shock
proteins in the pig. Heat-shock proteins have an important physiological role in the gut and carry out crucial
housekeeping functions in order to maintain the mucosal barrier integrity. Thus, there are increasing evidence
showing that fiber can have prebiotic effects in pigs due to interactions with the gut micro-environment and the
gut associated immune system.
Keywords: Breed, Gut health, Fiber, Pigs, Prebiotics, Utilization