The Effect of Dietary L. on the Populations of Pig Faecal Bacteria and the Prevalence of Skatole.

Jerusalem artichoke contains inulin polysaccharide, which has prebiotic effects and influences the microbiota of the digestive tract. The addition of Jerusalem artichoke in boar diets may decrease the content of skatole and indole, which are the main constituents of boar taint, and may also negatively affect the taste and odor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of L. () in feed mixtures on performance, carcass composition, the levels of microbiota in faecal samples, and the concentrations of skatole and indole in adipose tissue. The study was performed with 47 crossbred entire male pigs of the Large White × (Large White × Landrace) genotype fed a basal diet with 0%, 4.1%, 8.1% or 12.2% for 13 days before slaughter. Significant differences in daily weight gain and daily feed intake were found ( = 0.045), with the values being lower in the group with the highest level of In addition, increasing levels of decreased the concentration of skatole in the adipose tissue ( = 0.003). The highest level of decreased the level of ( ≤ 0.001) in the faeces. The enterococcal count increased ( = 0.029) in groups with a diet that included 4.1% and 8.1% There was also a significant correlation between the concentration of and the concentration of ( < 0.001; -0.64) and the skatole levels in the adipose tissue ( = 0.001; -0.46). Moreover, there was also a positive correlation between the concentration of and the skatole levels in the adipose tissue ( = 0.023; 0.33). In conclusion, feeding pigs with leads to decreased levels of skatole in the adipose tissue. According to the results of our study, a diet with 8.1% is sufficient for decreasing skatole levels, which could be due to the decreased levels of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines.