Effect of Oat Hulls and other Oat Fractions on the Development of Gastric Ulcers in Swine3

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Abstract
Three experiments involving 189 growing-fattening pigs tested the effects of oats and of various fractions of the oat grain on the development of gastric lesions in swine. A corn-based diet produced a high incidence of gastric lesions. Feeding a diet containing 85% oats or one containing corn with 25% coarsely-ground oat hulls protected against the development of gastric lesions. Oat hulls were no longer effective in preventing lesions when they were finely ground. In comparison to the corn-based diet, diets containing either 96%-oat groats or corn with 9% oat “bran” had no protective effect against gastric lesions. Some variation was found in the effectiveness of three different sources of oat hulls in preventing gastric lesions, but the cause of this variation was not elucidated. The occurrence of esophagogastric lesions was associated with fluid-appearing stomach contents and with stomachs which contained less ingesta at the time of slaughter. The pH of the mixed stomach contents did not appear to be a factor in ulcer development.The mucosa of the cardiac region contained slightly higher levels of hex-osamine than did normal stomachs indicating a greater content of mucus. The mechanism whereby oat hulls protect swine against gastric lesions requires further study; it does not appear to relate to fiber per se but is dependent on particle size of the oat hull portion of the diet. Copyright © 1967. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1967 by American Society of Animal Science