Table 1 Microbial counts [log ₁₀ CFU/g sample] along the gastrointestinal tract of pigs fed either dry feed, liquid feed or fermented liquid feed (feed to water ratio 1:2.5, back slopping with 50% retention at 20°C)

<5.4 (3)^a

7.9^b

9.0^c

<0.01

<6.3 (5)^a

<6.5 (3)^a

7.2^b

0.01

<6.0 (5)

<6.2 (2)

<6.6 (2)

0.21

<6.1 (5)

<6.3 (3)

<6.3 (4)

0.34

8.8

8.7

8.9

0.35

8.2

8.6

8.4

0.41

8.7^ab

9.0^a

8.3^b

0.04

9.2^a

9.2^a

8.5^b

0.01

3.8^a

5.7^b

<3.2 (4)^c

<0.01

5.5^a

6.6^b

<4.1 (3)^c

<0.01

5.9^a

6.3^a

5.0^b

0.02

6.2^a

6.6^a

4.7^b

<0.01

<3.4 (2)^a

3.7^a

5.4^b

<0.01

<3.4 (3)^a

3.9^b

7.0^c

<0.01

<3.2 (2)

<3.3 (1)

<5.1 (1)

0.07

<3.2 (3)^a

<3.3( 1)^a

<4.6 (1)^b

0.03

<3.3 (4)^a

<3.6 (2)^a

4.2^b

0.03

<4.0 (3)

3.6

4.5

0.08

<3.9 (2)

<3.4 (3)

<3.6 (3)

0.59

<3.7 (3)

<3.3 (4)

<3.4 (2)

0.69