Effect of carob bean gum, spray dried porcine plasma and sanuinarine on fermentation activity in the gut of weanling pigs

Sixty landrace piglets received either a control diet or a control diet with added carob bean gum (CBG), spray dried porcine plasma (SDPP) or sanguinarine, to test the effects on fermentation end-product profiles along the GI tract. After animals were euthanized digesta samples were obtained from the mid-jejunum, distal ileum, caecum, proximal and distal colon at days d0, d1, d2, d6 and d14 post-weaning. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration in the caecum and proximal colon was larger than that in the distal colon, the ileum and mid-jejunum (Pb0.05). At d0 the VFA and NH3 concentration in the ileum, ceacum and proximal colon was higher compared to d1 and d2 (Pb0.05). The molar proportions of acetic (AP), propionic (PP) and butyric (BP) acid in the ileum shifted gradually from d0 (87:6:4) to d14 (70:11:16). The proportion of branched chain VFA (BCP) decreased from d1 to d14 in both the caecum (7.1 to 1.3%) and proximal colon (6.9 to 1.2%). At d1 and d2 the additive treatments gave a numerical decrease in VFA compared to control, ammonia levels showed a differential response, and the BCP was numerically higher for the additive treatments compared to control. Results indicated that at the moment of weaning considerable fermentation activity occurs. During the weaning period fermentation in the ileum, caecum and proximal colon shifted from a proteolytic to a carbohydrate type of fermentation. Addition of CBG, sanguinarine and SDPP only resulted in a numerical decrease of fermentation end-product in the caecum and proximal colon during the first days post-weaning