Comparative effect of different dietary inulin sources and probiotics on growth performance and blood characteristics in growing–finishing pigs

The study was focused on assessment of the effect of an extract of long-chain inulin (LCI) and dried tubers of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) and a multispecies probiotic preparation as well as a combination thereof on growth performance and blood parameters of fattening pigs. In total, 144 pigs (initial body weight 30.0 ± 0.5 kg) were used in a 98-d experiment. The six dietary treatments consisted of the control diet (Con), diet Con supplemented with probiotics (ConP) and four diets supplemented with LCI or JA alone or with probiotics (diets LCIP and JAP). Throughout the fattening period, there was a beneficial effect of the probiotic supplementation to the inulin-containing diets and the average daily gain (ADG) was increased by supplementation of probiotics in combination with inulin sources (p < 0.05). At the end of the fattening period, ADG and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were higher after supplementation of LCI only (p < 0.05). Compared with group ConP, in groups LCI and JA, the ADG and FCR were improved (p < 0.05). Only in the first fattening stage, the addition of the prebiotics and/or probiotics had an impact on the level of white blood cells and some biochemical indices in pigs. In younger animals, probiotic or LCI supplementation increased the IgG level (p < 0.05). There was also an interaction between the probiotics and JA resulting in increased IgG and IgA concentrations (p < 0.05). In the finishing period, LCI addition increased the IgM level (p < 0.05), whereas JA addition increased IgG and IgM levels as well (p < 0.05). In conclusion, both dietary sources of inulin and probiotic supplementation can improve the fattening performance and health status of growing pigs.