Dietary fibres (support gut health)

Last update: 2 June 2023

• Action: Helps animals to cope with pathogens by supporting a healthy gut, reducing the need for antimicrobial treatment.
• Animal category: All animals (especially monogastrics).
• Technique: Inclusion of high-fibre feed ingredients such as oat hulls, beet pulp, chicory, soy hulls or dried distiller grains in the diet and coarse grinding.
• Mode of action: The bulking properties of insoluble fibres promote peristalsis and motility in the gastro intestinal tract and stimulate gastric, pancreaticobiliary and mucosal secretions.
• Potential efficacy: Indirect effect via the reduction of the need for antimicrobial treatment.
• Nature of evidence of efficacy: Peer reviewed scientific publications (meta-analysis).
• Factors impacting on efficacy: Supporting gut health is a multi-factorial challenge.
• Mode of use: Formulation of the standard complete feed.
• Requirements/limitations: The coarser the fibre, the higher the bulking properties and the best effects on gut health. No regulatory restriction.
• Economic consequences: Coarse grinding does not have a specific impact on performance.
• Other considerations: Certain types of fibres may increase the expression of certain pathogens (e.g. Brachyspira, which may be responsible for dysentery in pigs or spirochetosis in avian species).
• References:
  • Jha et al. (2016). Dietary fibre and protein fermentation in the intestine of swine and their interactive effects on gut health and on the environment: a review. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 212, 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.12.002
  • EMA and EFSA (2016). Joint Scientific Opinion on measures to reduce the need to use antimicrobial agents in animal husbandry in the European Union, and the resulting impacts on food safety (RONAFA).
  • Smits, C.H.M., Li, D., Patience, J.F. and den Hartog, L.A. (2021). Animal nutrition strategies and options to reduce the use of antimicrobials in animal production. FAO Animal Production and Health Paper No. 184. Rome, FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb5524en
  • EIP-AGRI Focus Group (2014). Reducing antibiotic use in pig farming
• Other techniques: Microbiota management (organic acids, Medium Chain Fatty Acids, copper compounds, bacteriophages); supporting mucosal barrier function (Short Chain Fatty Acids); immune modulation (plant extracts, essential oils, yeast products, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, chitosan); amylases; prebiotics; clay minerals, etc.