Herbal extracts and symbiotic mixture replacing antibiotics in piglets at the initial phase

Abstract

-The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of vegetable extract based addictives associated or not to symbiotics as an alternative for antibiotic as growth promoters for piglets at initial phase. It was used 125 pigs of commercial genetic line with initial weight of 7.4 ± 1.1 kg, weaned at 20 days of age, during 50 days. The experimental design used was randomized blocks (initial weight), with five treatments and five replicates with five animals per experimental unit. The experimental diets were a basal diet, without additive, and other four diets, one diet containing antibiotic (colistin + zinc oxide); diet with 0.3% of a symbiotic mixture; diet with 0.3% of a symbiotic mixture plus 0.05% of herbal mix (plant extracts and microencapsulated essential oils); and another diet with 0.3% of symbiotic mixture plus 0.1% of herbal mixture. It was observed that the use of the symbiotic mixture associated to 0.05% of herbal mixture showed positive results, similar to the ones obtained with diets containing antibiotics for the final weight, average weight gain, average daily feed intake and pH of stomach and diarrhea incidence. The use of symbiotics promoted smaller vilous:depth crypt ratio, except when associated to 0.1% of herbal mixture, which was similar to the diet without addictives. There was no differences in the feed conversion, coliform and lactobacillus count in the jejune and in the cecum and in the pH of cecum. The use of herbal mixture associated to symbiotic is a viable alternative for replacing the use of antibiotics as growth promoters for piglets in the initial phase. However, the concentration of the herbal mixture is an important factor to be considered.Key Words: growth promoters, performance, prebiotic, probiotic, swineExtratos herbais e mistura simbiótica em substituição aos antibióticos para suínos na fase inicial RESUMO -O objetivo neste trabalho foi avaliar o uso de aditivos à base de extratos vegetais associados ou não ao uso de simbióticos como alternativa aos antibióticos como promotores de crescimento para suínos na fase inicial. Foram utilizados 125 leitões de genética comercial, com peso inicial de 7,4 ± 1,1 kg, desmamados aos 20 dias, durante 50 dias. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados (peso inicial) com cinco tratamentos e cinco repetições com cinco animais por unidade experimental. As dietas experimentais foram uma ração basal, sem aditivo, e outras quatro, uma contendo antibiótico (colistina + óxido de zinco); outra com 0,3% de uma mistura simbiótica; outra com 0,3% da mistura simbiótica e 0,05% de uma mistura herbal (extrato de plantas e óleos essenciais microencapsulados) e outra com 0,3% da mistura simbiótica e 0,10% da mistura herbal. Foi observado que o uso da mistura simbiótica associada a 0,05% da mistura herbal teve resultados positivos e semelhantes aos obtidos com as dietas contendo antibióticos quanto ao peso final, ganho de peso, consumo médio diário, pH do estômago e incidência de diarreia. O uso de simbióticos promoveu menor relação...

Effects of Multi-Strain Probiotics and Perilla frutescens Seed Extract Supplementation Alone or Combined on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Indices, and Intestinal Health of Weaned Piglets

“…Interestingly, when piglet diets were supplemented with both BL and PSE, antagonistic effects on ileal VH and the jejunal V/C ratio were observed. Analogously, Zangeronimo et al [ 56 ] certified that 1 g/kg plant extract mixed with 3 g/kg probiotics in the diet of weaned piglets decreased the VH compared with 0.5g/kg plant extract and 3g/kg of probiotics. The lack of increase in E. coli count in this period excluded the possibility of damage by microorganisms, and litter deeper CD predicted the possibility of intestinal inflammation [ 57 ], as proved by higher MDA concentrations in the jejunum and serum when BL and PSE were used together in this study.…”

Oral Administration of Citrus Extracts in Suckling Piglets

“…In this study, only sows with a higher parity order than OP3 were used, therefore, the effect of immune efficiency on the litters can be ignored. Although many studies point to positive effects of plant bioactive compounds, [27] indicate that antimicrobials even better results in gut health and piglet's performance in relation to plant extracts.…”