| ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the addition of the prebiotic fructooligosaccharide and/or alfalfa hay to piglet diets on carcass traits and short-chain fatty acid profiles in the cecal digesta. Seventy-two commercial crossbred piglets of both sexes, with an average initial weight about 6 kg and age of approximately 21 days, were distributed in a randomized block design, using a factorial scheme, which consisted of three alfalfa hay levels (0, 5, and 10%) and two fructooligosaccharide levels (0 and 0.3%). Fiber addition in the presence of the prebiotic exerted an effect on cecal digesta short-chain fatty acid, increasing the acetic and reducing the butyric acid concentrations. The meat quality was also affected by the... |
