DIETARY FIBER IN THE DOG - INFLUENCE OF D IETS CONTAINING SUGAR BEET-PULPS OR CHICORY-PULPS ON NUTRIENTS DIGESTIBILITY AND ON PLASMA METABOLITES

Two diets containing sugar beet pulp or chicory pulp (7 p. 100 ADF on dry matter basis) were compared with a control diet without additional fibre in eight adult healthy dogs. The three diets were evaluated for their ability to modify faecal parameters, nutrients digestibility an d blood metabolites (glucose, insulin, alpha-amino nitrogen, urea, cho lesterol and triglycerids) measured on fasted dogs or postprandially d uring six hours. Incorporating sugar beet pulp or chicory pulp in the diet was associated with increased wet faeces excretion, increased exc retion of faecal dry matter and lower nutrients digestibility. Consump tion of sugar beet pulp containing diet was associated with decreased fasted glucose, cholesterol and urea concentrations and with decreased postprandial insulin, urea, cholesterol and triglycerids concentratio ns. Chicory pulp containing diet led to significant decrease of fasted urea and cholesterol concentrations and with postprandial decreased o f insulin, urea and cholesterol. Sugar beet pulp and chicory pulp, sim ilar in composition, produced similar effects on faecal parameters and nutrients digestibility but systemic effects were more important with beet pulp.