本研究探討於飼糧中添加中鏈三酸甘油酯 (medium-chain triglycerides; MCT)，對仔豬生長性能及腸道微生物之影響。96頭體重17公斤之仔豬，分配至4處理組，每處理組4重複，每重複6頭，分別飼予添加 : (1) 6.0% 大豆油; (2) 4.8% 大豆油 + 1.2% MCT; (3) 3.0% 大豆油 + 3.0% MCT; (4) 1.2% 大豆油 + 4.8% MCT之試驗飼糧，為期28天。試驗期間測定仔豬生長性能、脂肪酸消化率及腸道菌落數。結果顯示，飼糧中添加MCT對仔豬每日增重及飼料採食量並無影響，而飼糧中添加4.8% MCT，則改善飼料利用效率 (P < 0.05)。飼糧中添加1.2% MCT提高小腸內容物乳酸菌落數 (P < 0.05)，而添加量增至3.0 % 則降低胃及盲腸內容物乳酸菌數(P < 0.05)，添加量進一步增至4.8% 降低胃及小腸內容物乳酸菌數 (P < 0.05)。飼糧中添加MCT對大腸內容物乳酸菌及消化道各部位內容物大腸桿菌數並無影響。飼糧中MCT之消化率達97% 以上； MCT添加量達3.0% 以上則提高蛋白質消化率 (P < 0.05)。綜合以上，仔豬消化MCT之能力高，而飼糧中添加4.8% MCT，抑制仔豬胃及小腸乳酸菌落數，並改善仔豬飼料利用效率。 The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) on the growth performance and the intestinal microbial counts in young pigs. Ninety six young pigs (17 kg of body weight) were allotted to 4 treatments, 4 replicates per treatment, and 6 pigs per replicate. Pigs were fed diets supplemented (1) 6.0% soybean oil (SO); (2) 4.8% SO + 1.2% MCT (containing 25% C6:0, 48% C8:0 and 27% C10:0); (3) 3.0% SO + 3.0% MCT; and (4) 1.2% SO + 4.8% MCT for 28 days, respectively. Growth performance, apparent digestibility (AD) of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) and protein, and intestinal microbial counts were measured. The results showed that the dietary MCT did not affect the uniformity of final body weight, body weight gain and feed intake, however, supplementation of 4.8% MCT improved the overall gain to feed ratio of pigs (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation of 1.2% MCT increased the small intestine Lactobacilli (L) counts, while supplementation 3.0 and 4.8% MCT decreased the stomach and cecum, and stomach and small intestine L counts, respectively (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation of MCT did not affect the E. coli counts in every sections of the intestinal tract. The AD of MCFA was high (> 97%). Dietary supplementation of 3.0 and 4.8% MCT increased the AD of protein (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the ability of young pigs to digest the MCFA is high, and the dietary supplementation of 4.8% MCT could inhibit the stomach and small intestine L counts and improve the feed utilization efficiency of young pigs.
