Markers for Estimating Digesta Flow in Pigs and the Effects of Dietary Fiber1

Effects of diluting the energy content of a corn-soybean meal diet with either alfalfa meal or corn cobs on nutrient digestibility and rate of passage of feed residues and particle markers were measured in crossbred (Yorkshire × Landrace × Chester White × Large White) barrows with a mean body weight of about 80 kg. The excretion pattern in the feces of Cr-mordanted diet and of rare earths initially bound individually to the mixed diet or to the corn or soybean meal suggested a model having a single age-dependent compartment with time delay. The compartmental turnover rate parameter (λ1) estimated by this model did not differ for the rare earths individually used to mark the corn-soybean meal diet (Yb), the corn (La) or the soybean meal (Sm). In contrast, λ1for Cr was smaller (P<.001) than that of the mean for the three rare earths. The residence time due to displacement flow (τ) did not differ among markers. These results were interpreted to indicate that the high specific gravity of Cr-mordanted feed slowed flow due to mixing but not due to displacement. Correlations between λ1and τwere <.71. These results suggested that the flow of rare earths initially bound to feed ingredients provides a reasonable estimate of the flow of their undigested residues through the gastrointestinal tracts of nonruminant animals. Inclusion of the fibrous feeds reduced digestibility of dry matter, cell contents, crude protein and acid detergent lignin and increased digestibility of cell walls, cellulose and acid detergent fiber. Digestibilities of cellulose and acid detergent fiber were greater with alfalfa than with corn cobs as the fiber source. Differences in digestibility of crude protein and acid detergent fiber existed due to litter in one replicate of the experiment. Variation in digestibility was not significantly related to variation in λ1or τwithin or among treatments and litters. This suggests that variations in λ1and τ were not important causes of the observed variation in digestibility.