Effect of dietary oligosaccharides on faecal microbial loads and intestinal morphology of crossbred pigs

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of dietary herbal oligosaccharides on the blood biochemical parameters, faecal microbial load and intestinal morphology of crossbred pigs. Twenty-four crossbred (Hampshire x Assam local) piglets of average body weight of 12±0.81 kg and about 2 months of age were divided into four treatment groups viz C (basal diet only), T1 (basal diet with oligosaccharide @ 0.1%), T21 (basal diet with oligosaccharide @ 0.2%) and T3(basal diet with oligosaccharide @ 0.3%). No significant (P>0.05) difference was observed among the treatment groups in respect of total serum protein (g/dl) and blood haemoglobin (g). The faecal coliform count in the treated groups was significantly (P