Effect of dietary isomaltooligosaccharides on nutrient digestibility and concentration of glucose, insulin, cholesterol and triglycerides in serum of growing pigs

Eight growing pigs (25.6 ± 1.1 kg) were used to study the effect of isomaltooligosaccharides (IMO) on nutrient digestibility and concentration of glucose, insulin, cholesterol and triglycerides in the serum. Four diets were formulated by adding 0, 25, 50 and 75 g IMO/kg to the basal diet. Pigs were allotted to treatments according to a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Each treatment consisted of 2 individual pigs used in each of the period and faeces and urine were collected for 4 days. At each experimental period feed intake was measured and blood samples were collected from each pig after a 12 h fasting period. The inclusion of IMO did not influence total tract apparent digestibility of organic matter, crude protein, total ash, and phosphorus or the concentration of insulin and cholesterol in the serum. However, IMO inclusion tended to increase dry matter (P=0.078) and calcium (P=0.065) digestibility and triglycerides concentration in the serum (P=0.061) and decreased glucose concentration in the serum (P=0.017). It is concluded that the inclusion of IMO in the diet has limited influence on performance of growing pigs.