GROWTH-PERFORMANCE AND INTESTINAL MICROBIAL-POPULATIONS OF GROWING PIGS FED DIETS CONTAINING SUCROSE THERMAL OLIGOSACCHARIDE CARAMEL

Four experiments were conducted to determine growth performance and ch anges in intestinal microbial populations of growing pigs fed diets co ntaining sucrose thermal oligosaccharide caramel (STOC). Ninety-six ba rrows and 96 gilts were group-fed experimental nursery diets for 32 d after weaning in both Exp. 1 and 2. For each experiment, pigs were div ided into four groups of 48 pigs and were fed either control, antibiot ic (Apramycin sulfate, 34 mg/kg), 1% STOC, or 2% STOC diets for 32 d a fter weaning. Each diet was replicated six times with eight pigs per r eplication. Pigs were either orally gavaged (Exp. 1) with water or STO C (2 g per pig) or pigs were creep-fed (Exp. 2) either a control diet or a 2% STOC diet for 5 d before weaning (33 d). At the end of Exp. 1 and 2, cecal material was collected for enumeration of total aerobes, total anaerobes, coliforms, lactobacilli, and bifidobacteria. Gilts (9 6 per experiment) used in Exp.3 and 4 were weaned at 26 d and fed expe rimental nursery diets for 32 d. They were fed either a control or 1% STOC diet and were otherwise treated as previously described. There we re no significant effects of STOC or antibiotic on ADG, ADFI, feed eff iciency, or cecal microbial populations in pigs in this study. Feeding diets containing either antibiotic or STOC did not improve animal per formance or change intestinal bacterial populations in the present stu dy.