Control of swine dysentery with antibiotics is often ineffective due to the resistance of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. The potential of some herbal-based components against B. hyodysenteriae was previously studied in vitro. This study aims at the evaluation of in vivo effi cacy of phytogenic feed additives in the control of swine dysenteryThe study involved 64 seven-week old weaned pigs allotted to 4 groups: two were fed on feed supplemented with either Patente Herba® or Patente Herba® Plus, the third received tiamulin (positive control), while the negative control was not given antibiotics or additives. Fecal consistency was recorded daily. The presence of B. hyodysenteriae in the feces was investigated weekly using microbiological assays and the PCR test. Weight gain and feed conversion ratio were calculated for each week, and for the whole experiment.B. hyodysenteriae was detected in all samples by both methods. The additives showed effi cacy in the prevention and control of swine dysentery as only normal and soft stool was observed in the treated groups. By contrast, in the negative control all feces categories were detected. Frequencies of feces categories signifi cantly differed (p<0.001) between feed-supplemented groups and the negative control. Effi cacy of both additives in the prevention of SD is comparable to tiamulin, based on insignifi cant differences in the frequency of the various feces categories.Benefi cial effects of both additives resulted in signifi cantly (p≤0.05) higher weight gain and lower feed conversion ratio in comparison to the negative control. The average weight gains between additive-fed groups and tiamulin-treated group did not differ signifi cantly.
Proliferative enteropathy, also known as proliferative ileitis, is considered to be one of the most economically important diseases in pig production worldwide. The estimated losses per affected growing pig usually range from US $1 to $5. The disease is caused by Lawsonia intracellularis, a Gram-negative, obligately intracellular bacterium. Control of the disease can be achieved with the use of vaccines or antibiotics. Recently there has been an increase in the efforts in the control of certain pathologies of the digestive system with phytogenic additives. The aim of this work was to assess the effects of a phytogenic additive on the histomorphometric characteristics of the intestines in weaned pigs with a subclinical infection with L. intracellularis acquired spontaneously. Histomorphometry analysis showed that crypt depth was significantly shorter (P<0.05), and the villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio (P<0.05) significantly greater in the treatment group than the control. This improvement in the histological parameters of the intestine, considered to be indicators of its health, proved the positive effect of the tested additive on the digestive system in pigs.
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