Impact of diets' physical form (particle size; meal/pelleted) on the stomach content (dry matter content, pH, chloride concentration) of pigs

An investigation into the effect of dietary particle size and pelleting of diets for finishing pigs

“…In this study, nutrient digestibility and dietary DE content were increased when the diet containing the 'finer particle size profile' was offered. It is suggested that the grinding of cereals and hence the reduction of particle size increases the surface area for enzyme action and influences gut fermentation and other digestive processes (Lahaye et al, 2008;Valencia et al, 2008;Mößeler et al, 2010). However, although there was an increase in CP digestibility and a reduction in faecal N excretion when the diet with a fine particle size profile was offered in the current study there was no effect on total N excretion as calculated using performance or digestibility data.…”

Effect of physical form of whole ear corn silage (coarse vs wet milled) included at high dietary levels (30 vs 40% dry matter) on performance of heavy finishing pigs

“…In addition to the effect on stomach weight, the coarse ES diets induced a different development of the stomach; in fact there was a significant increase of the pyloric region surface (P<0.05) that confirms our previous findings (Mason et al, 2013) and the tendency for an increase of the cardiac region and the total internal surface (P=0.08 and P=0.066, respectively). Finally, diets containing coarse ES determined a significant increase in DM content of the fresh material recovered in stomachs in accordance with the known lower stomach fluidity, observed when pigs are fed more coarse diets (Eisemann and Argenzio, 1999;Maxwell et al, 1970;Mößeler et al, 2010Mößeler et al, , 2014.…”

“…LW > 80 kg) probably exerts a positive dietary effect, due to its long gastric retention time and coarse particle size which could promote the satiety of animals and limit the direct contact of gastric acids with the stomach mucosa (Mason et al, 2013). In fact, it is known that low fiber diets with small particle size lead to a more fluid gastric chime and a risk for the gastric mucosa integrity (Millet et al, 2010(Millet et al, , 2012a(Millet et al, , 2012bMößeler et al, 2010Mößeler et al, , 2014. On the contrary, providing pigs with coarse and fibrous materials (e.g.…”

Effects of alfalfa chaff on the gastric mucosa in adult horses

“…In a study performed by Mößeler et al (2010) the gastric ulcer scores were significantly higher in pigs fed a finely ground pelleted diet, than those fed a diet of larger particle size. Furthermore, feeding a coarse ground feed reduced mucosa lesions of the pars oesophagea in growing pigs (Millet et al 1990).…”