Effect of dietary particle size on gastric ulcers, assessed by endoscopic examination, and relationship between ulcer severity and growth performance of individually fed pigs

abstract: The effects of dietary particle size on the prevalence and severity of gastric ulcers were examined in 80, individually housed Yorkshire pigs (24.1±2.9 kg) fed ad libitum on finely ground (particle size 578±1.89 μm), maize-wheat diet for 2 weeks. All pigs were examined endoscopically, and ulcers were scored from 0-3, with 0 = normal, 1 = parakeratosis, 2 = moderate ulceration, and 3 = severe ulceration. 48 pigs were selected so that each ulcer score would be equally represented and fed on the fine diet for an additional 7 weeks and subjected to a second endoscopic examination to reassess the severity of the ulcers. Pigs were then allotted to the fine diet or a coarse diet (937±2.19 μm) for another 3 weeks after which they were examined endoscopically again to observe the effects of a coarse diet on the severity of ulcers. Growth performance, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency were monitored throughout the experiment. Increasing ulcer severity was associated with a linear decrease in average daily liveweight gain (P<0.05). Feeding a coarse diet for 3 weeks decreased the severity of ulcers (P