The effect of cereal-derived beta-glucans and exogenous enzyme supplementation on intestinal microflora, nutrient digestibility, mineral metabolism and volatile fatty acid concentrations in finisher pigs

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of cereal type, β-glucan type and exogenous enzyme supplementation (ES) on microbial populations, volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, nutrient digestibility, indole and skatole levels in the digesta and mineral metabolism in pigs. In Experiment 1, 28 boars (59 ± 2 kg; 119 ± 2 days of age) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement and were assigned to one of 4 dietary treatments ( n = 7): T1) barley-based diet; T2) barley-based diet plus ES; T3) oat-based diet and T4) oat-based diet plus ES. The ES used in both experiments contained endo-1,3-β-glucanase and endo-1,4-β-xylanase. In Experiment 2, 28 boars (60 ± 1.9 kg; 119 ± 2 days of age) were assigned to one of 4 dietary treatments ( n = 7): T1) oat-based diet containing endogenous (non-purified) β-glucans; T2) oat-based diet containing endogenous β-glucans plus ES; T3) wheat-based diet and exogenous (laboratory purified) β-glucans and T4) wheat-based diet and exogenous β-glucans plus ES. The laboratory purified exogenous β-glucans used in Experiment 2 were oat-derived β-glucans. The diets were equalised to have similar amount of total β-glucan and arabinoxylan. In Experiment 1, pigs offered barley-based diets had higher (P