Growth and gastric abnormalities in the growing pig resulting from diets based on barley in differing physical forms

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Abstract
Seventy-two Large White × (Large White × Landrace) weaner pigs in each of three experiments were scale-fed diets containing 850 g barley per kg which had been processed by either cold rolling (R) or grinding through 1-56 mm (O) or 468 mm (T) screens. In experiments 1 and 2 barley (0-868 dry matter) was used and group feeding was practised for 55 and 100 days respectively. In experiment 3 barley (0-838 dry matter) was used and individual feeding was practised for 107 days. In experiment 1 gastric pH was recorded at slaughter. In all experiments the stomachs of all pigs were examined for gross and histological abnormalities.In experiments 1 and 2 growth rates and efficiencies of feed conversion were not significantly different for pigs fed the R-, O- and T-based diets. In experiment 1 the pH in the pylorus, but not in the fundus, was significantly higher in pigs fed the O-diet compared with the T-diet, and on the T-diet compared with the R-diet. Growth rates and efficiencies of feed conversion in experiment 3 were significantly poorer in pigs fed the R-diet compared with the T-diet, and on the T-diet compared with the O-diet. In experiment 1 one pig from each of the three diets showed hyperplastic changes in thepars oesophageaof the stomach. In experiment 2 no gastric abnormalities were found, but bile staining was present in the pyloric zone of one pig fed each of the three diets. In experiment 3 hyperplastic lesions of thepars oesophagea(and bile staining) were present in 19 (14), 10 (7) and 4 (1) pigs fed diets O, T and R respectively.

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