Many factors that limit pig growth and feed efficiency begin in the gut long before visible disease appears. Poor intestinal health can quietly reduce nutrient utilisation, growth and feed conversion, even when pigs appear healthy and feed intake remains normal.
As production pressure increases, maintaining intestinal stability becomes critical to sustaining growth, feed conversion and uniformity.
According to Cara Nel, monogastric development manager at Vitam International, intestinal health is a key driver of feed efficiency and overall production performance.
“Because nutrient absorption takes place through the intestinal tract, gut health is one of the most important drivers of feed efficiency. When intestinal integrity is compromised, nutrient digestibility declines and maintenance energy requirements increase as the body responds to inflammation.”
Building a healthier gut
When gut health is compromised, pigs may continue eating normally but become less efficient at converting nutrients into growth. As gut function deteriorates, feed intake can also decline.
Maintaining gut health requires good hygiene and biosecurity, consistent feeding practices and nutritional support. Nel recommends supporting beneficial gut microflora through targeted probiotics and other functional additives.
These products can help maintain microbiota balance, support beneficial bacteria, preserve intestinal structure, strengthen tight junctions and regulate inflammatory responses.
Improving feed digestibility is another important consideration. Complex enzyme products containing multiple enzyme activities can improve digestion and nutrient utilisation.
Other measures include managing mycotoxins, reducing stress during weaning, ensuring good water sanitation and using functional additives where appropriate.
Consistency matters
Feed consistency is essential for stable intake, digestive health and predictable growth. Variations in energy levels, amino acid availability, ingredient quality and mycotoxin levels can affect production results.
Poor feed consistency can contribute to reduced intake, variable feed conversion, digestive disturbances, lower nutrient digestibility, diarrhoea in weaners and increased feed wastage.
Consistency between diet phases is also important. New raw materials should ideally be introduced gradually during the grower phase rather than appearing for the first time in finisher diets. Changes in diet density between production phases should likewise be gradual.
Gut health problems often develop gradually. An early warning sign can be increased feed intake without proportional weight gain, resulting in a higher feed conversion ratio. Greater variation between pigs within a pen can also indicate inconsistent feed access, competition or compromised gut health.
Water and mycotoxins
Water quality is critical to feed intake, digestion and gut function. Poor availability or quality can quickly reduce feed intake. Common problems include low flow rates, dirty drinkers, bacterial contamination, excessive mineral content and insufficient drinker space.
Pigs typically consume two to three times more water than feed by weight, making adequate access to clean water essential for maintaining growth and performance.
Mycotoxins are another hidden threat. These toxins can affect multiple organ systems, reducing nutrient absorption, immune function, feed intake, fertility and average daily gain.
Pigs are particularly sensitive to mycotoxins, with young animals and breeding stock generally among the most vulnerable. Warning signs can include reduced feed intake, inconsistent faeces, reproductive problems, deteriorating health and reduced performance.
Mycotoxins can also weaken immune function and increase susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections. Research has linked exposure to fumonisin B1 (FB1) with increased intestinal colonisation by E. coli, suggesting that contaminated diets can increase the risk of infectious disease.
While eliminating mycotoxins completely is difficult, producers can reduce the risk by regularly testing raw materials, sourcing ingredients from reputable suppliers and using appropriate mycotoxin-management strategies.
Ultimately, gut health sits at the centre of pig productivity, influencing how efficiently nutrients are converted into growth and how consistently animals perform. The focus should therefore extend beyond preventing visible disease to actively protecting intestinal integrity, nutrition and overall gut function.
