ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE April 2022 27 strains), resulting in more balanced gut microfloraiii. How do they promote digestibility and growth in piglets? Compared to wheat, corn, tapioca and potato, rice has a very small starch granule size (2-8 µm) and presents a neutral taste that is palatable for piglets. The unique granular structure of its starch fraction allows rice flour to be a highly digestible ingredient, making it of particular interest for young or sensitive animals such as piglets. In addition to its starch, rice flour has low ash and fibre levels (maximum 1% each), and still contains a certain percentage of protein, that is an easily digestible source of plant-based protein with a well-balanced amino acid profile. As well as promoting growth performance, the inclusion of rice in feed has been linked to a significant reduction in piglet removal rateiv and it has also been shown to be supportive for piglets facing various diseasesv. Besides benefit of rice-based diets, the inclusion of chicory prebiotic fibres, namely chicory inulin and oligofructose, can support a healthy gut microflora and ensure proper piglet growth performance. Inulin-type fructans are carbohydrates featuring β glycosidic bounds that are non-digested but rather fermented by beneficial bacteria. These selective fermentations bring many benefits in piglets. Firstly, the specific stimulation of good bacteria will help competing against pathogenic strains for nutrients and other resources, and therefore support prevention of infections. Secondly, the fermentation of chicory prebiotic fibres increases the production of short chain fatty acids (SFCA), i.e., acetic, propionic and butyric acids. The SCFA have different roles. Aside from providing a small amount of energy to the animal as per their absorption by the intestinal epithelium, they will above all decrease the intestinal pH and therefore create a deterrent against pathogenic bacteria. Finally, the butyric acid also plays a key role in stimulating the regeneration process in damaged epithelial tissue. In stressful conditions such as weaning, the chicory prebiotic fibres represent an outstanding support to piglets health and performance. What opportunities does this present for feed formulators? While most cereal ingredients are further processed or cooked to gelatinise the starch and improve their digestibility, the rice flour can either be included raw or cooked, as in both states it is highly digestible. In addition to benefiting from a highly digestible solution, pig feed producers can finetune the speed of digestion via the choice of rice variety used in their piglets’ feed. According to researchvi, using a rice variety with higher amylose content - such as indica - leads to slower digestion rates than if a waxy rice variety with no amylose is used. The
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