Summary
When feed contains high levels of indigestible protein, it can irritate a pig's gut and hurt performance. Researchers wanted to know if adding fibre to the diet could help offset that damage.
A team from Prairie Swine Centre fed growing pigs diets with varying levels of fermentable fibre alongside elevated indigestible protein. They tracked growth performance, gut health markers, and intestinal inflammation.
Adding fibre did improve some gut health indicators, but it didn't fully protect pigs from the negative effects of high indigestible protein. Growth performance was still impacted, and intestinal inflammation remained a concern at higher protein levels.
For producers, this research is a reminder that feed ingredient quality matters, particularly protein digestibility. While fibre can play a supporting role in gut health, it's not a silver bullet for masking poor-quality protein sources. Choosing well-digestible protein ingredients remains the better long-term strategy.