Dietary Fiber Interactions and Gut Health in Monogastric Animals

Monogastric animals, including swine and poultry, rely on complex interactions between dietary fibres and the gut ecosystem to maintain health and performance. Dietary fibres, broadly defined as non-digestible carbohydrate fractions of plant origin, pass through the upper digestive tract to the hindgut, where they undergo microbial fermentation. This process yields short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, propionate and butyrate, which serve as energy substrates for enterocytes and exert immunomodulatory and barrier-strengthening effects. Beyond fermentation metabolites, fibre modulates gut motility, microbial composition and mucosal morphology, thereby influencing nutrient absorption, immune function and resistance to pathogens. Varied fibre sources and physicochemical properties—soluble versus insoluble, fermentable versus inert—differentially shape microbial consortia and host responses. Recent advances have elucidated the role of complex polysaccharide structures in selecting for beneficial taxa, the impact of maternal fibre intake on neonatal microbial colonisation, and the potential of tailored fibre blends to reduce reliance on antibiotic growth promoters. This overview synthesises current understanding of the mechanisms underpinning fibre–gut health interactions and highlights avenues for optimising monogastric nutrition to enhance animal welfare and productivity.

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Dietary Fiber Interactions and Gut Health in Monogastric Animals publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in dietary fiber interactions and gut health in monogastric animals across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Dietary fibre: Non-digestible carbohydrate fraction of plant material that resists digestion in the small intestine and is fermented in the hindgut.

Gut microbiota: The community of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea and fungi, that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract and influences host physiology.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs): Fermentation end-products, primarily acetate, propionate and butyrate, that provide energy to enterocytes and modulate immune and barrier functions.

Fermentation: Microbial process in the hindgut where complex carbohydrates are converted into SCFAs, gases and other metabolites.

Intestinal barrier: The physical and immunological defence system of the gut mucosa, comprising tight junctions, mucus layers and immune cells, that prevents translocation of pathogens and toxins.

References

1. Dietary Fiber and Intestinal Health of Monogastric Animals. Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2019).
2. The interaction between dietary fiber and gut microbiota, and its effect on pig intestinal health. Frontiers in Immunology (2023).
3. Dietary fiber during gestation improves lactational feed intake of sows by modulating gut microbiota. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology (2023).
4. Dietary Fiber-Derived Butyrate Alleviates Piglet Weaning Stress by Modulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Pathway. Nutrients (2024).