EFFECTS OF HIGH FIBRE DIET ON PLASMA GLUCOSE CONCENTRATION AND TOTAL CHOLESTEROL OF WEANED MALE PIGS

Abstract

The cost of feeding in livestock production account for almost 70% of variable expenses as cerealbased diet makes cost of production unnecessarily high. Blood sugar levels, as principal source of energy for various physiological activities, outside the normal range may be an indicator of health condition. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of high fibre diet on glucose concentration and cholesterol profile of weaned male pigs. Twelve 6-week old intact weaned male pigs weighing 6.02±0.9kg, were used for the study and randomly assigned to three (3) dietary treatments of different fibre levels 4.5 (control diet 1), 5.5 (diet 2) and 6.5% (diet 3) with four pigs per treatment and two replicates. Data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA, while significant means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test. Results from, show no significant difference across treatments (P>0.05) in feed intake, although pigs in T3 had better feed conversion ratio when compared to other treatments. Likewise weights of pigs in T3 had better weight gain compared to other treatments. Plasma glucose is not significantly affected by dietary fibre, even though each treatment differs in glycemic loads. Early weaned piglets fed moderate-fiber diets (up to 5%) exhibited improved growth performance compared to those on a lower-fiber diet, suggesting potential benefits of moderate fiber inclusion without compromising metabolic health. However, further research is necessary to explore subjective observations and optimize dietary fiber content for optimal growth and resource utilization.