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 changes in intestinal microbial populations of growing pigs fed diets containing sucrose thermal oligosaccharide caramel (STOC). Ninety-six barrows 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 divided into four groups of 48 pigs and were fed either control, antibiotic (Apramycin sulfate, 34 mg/kg), 1% STOC, or 2% STOC diets for 32 d after weaning. Each diet was replicated six times with eight pigs per replication. Pigs were either orally gavaged (Exp. 1) with water or STOC (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 total aerobes, total anaerobes, coliforms, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Gilts (96 per experiment) used in Exp.3 and 4 were weaned at 26 d and fed experimental nursery diets for 32 d. They were fed either a control or 1% STOC diet and were otherwise treated as previously described. There were no significant effects of STOC or antibiotic on ADG, ADFI, feed efficiency, or cecal microbial populations in pigs in this study. Feeding diets containing either antibiotic or STOC did not improve animal performance or change intestinal bacterial populations in the present study.