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The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of native, fermented and extruded wheat bran on the performance and intestinal morphology of piglets. Additionally, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), biogenic amines, ammonia, lactic acid, pH as well as E. coli and lactic acid bacterial counts were analysed in digesta samples from three gut sections. Furthermore, the antioxidant potential in blood samples was evaluated based on the lipid radicals formed. For this purpose, 48 newly weaned piglets (28 d old) were allocated to one of the four different dietary treatment groups: no wheat bran (Control), native wheat bran, fermented wheat bran as well as extruded wheat bran. Wheat bran variants were included at 150 g/kg into the diets. All diets were mixed to reach the calculated isonitrogenic nutrient contents. Gut tissue and digesta samples were collected from the proximal jejunum, the terminal ileum and the colon ascendens, blood samples directly at slaughter. Although none of the dietary interventions had an impact on performance parameters, the amount of goblet cells in the ileum was increased upon feeding native and extruded wheat bran, compared to fermented bran (p