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Abstract Dietary changes can modify gastrointestinal architecture and function; thus, our experimental objective was to evaluate how different insoluble corn-based fiber sources (CBF) impact intestinal morphology and brush-border disaccharidases. Two replicates of 28 gilts 26.7 ± 2.5 kg body weight (BW); PIC800 x Camborough; n = 56, were randomly assigned to one of 7 semi-synthetic diets, including a control (CTL) diet with a formulated total dietary fiber (TDF) value of 1% and 6 diets with a CBF replacing 30% of the corn starch in CTL: dehulled degermed corn (DHDG; TDF = 1.09%), ground corn (COR; TDF = 3.24%), high protein dried distillers grains (HP; TDF = 8.79%), dried distiller’s grains (DDGS; TDF = 9.35%), corn gluten meal (CGM; TDF = 9.88%), and corn bran (BRN; TDF = 13.15%). Pigs were individually housed, and limit-fed 2.4 times maintenance. On d 31, pigs were necropsied, and duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon tissue were collected for histological analysis. Data were analyzed as a linear mixed model with treatment as a fixed effect, replicate as a random slope or fixed effect, where appropriate, using the mixed procedure of SAS. In the duodenum, DHDG, COR, and CGM had the least (P = 0.04) levels of maltase production. Duodenal sucrase production was least in BRN and HP, and DHDG had the greatest (P = 0.04). Duodenal villi height was shortest (P 0.01) in CTL and BRN compared with HP, DDGS, and CGM, which had the tallest (P 0.01; Table). Similarly, CTL and BRN had the shallowest duodenal crypt depth (P 0.01) and tended (P = 0.08) to have a lesser duodenal villus:crypt ratio compared with the other treatments. There were no differences (P 0.10) among treatments for ileal sucrase or lactase production, but maltase production was greatest in CTL, DDGS, and CGM (P = 0.03). Relative to CTL and BRN, gilts fed HP, DDGS, and CGM, had the tallest (P = 0.01) villus height in the ileum. However, neither ileal villi:crypt ratio nor crypt depth differed (P 0.10). Cecal crypt depth for BRN increased 32% compared with CTL (P 0.01). Cecal crypt width was narrowest (P 0.01) in CTL and DHDG and widest in HP, DDGS, CGM, and CB (P 0.01). Colon crypt width was narrowest (P 0.01) in CTL and DHDG and widest in DDGS, CGM, and CB (P 0.01). Collectively, these data demonstrate that different fiber types have a significant impact on intestinal morphology and disaccharidase production in the growing pig.
Miller et al. (Wed,) studied this question.