Addition of different probiotics to commercial feeds for piglets during the nursery phase

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the addition of different probiotics to commercial diets for piglets on diet digestibility, total bacterial count (TBC) of faeces, Clostridium count and growth performance. In the digestibility assay, 24 entire male pigs with an average initial body weight of 18.8 ± 0.87 kg were housed individually in metabolism cages and distributed in a completely randomised experimental design; this consisted of three treatments (probiotic-free commercial feed; commercial feed with the addition of 0.2% probiotic containing a blend of microorganisms; commercial feed with the addition of 0.1% yeast-based probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii) and eight replicates. The digestibility of the feeds was determined. At the end of the experiment, 25 grams of faeces were collected for microbiological analysis. In the subsequent experiment, 150 crossbred piglets (entire males and females), weaned at 21 days of age and having an average initial body weight of 6.81 ± 0.71 kg were distributed in a randomised complete block design, with six treatments repeated twice in the first and thrice in the second block, totaling five replicates and five pigs per experimental unit. The treatments, arranged in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement, consisted of a combination of the three experimental diets used in the digestibility test and two genders. The growth performance in the nursery was evaluated during the following phases: pre-starter I (21 to 29 days), pre-starter I and II (21 to 40 days) and the total period (21 to 63 days). There was an effect (p < 0.05) of the diets on the digestible protein and the logarithm of the TBC. There was no effect (p > 0.05) of the interaction or the diets on the growth performance of the pigs in any of the phases. Both in the entire experimental period and in the pre-starter I and II phases, male pigs presented better feed conversion (p < 0.05) than females. There was an improvement in the apparent digestibility of the crude protein of the feed when the pigs were fed commercial feed containing probiotics. Pigs fed commercial feed containing probiotics based on yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii presented a reduced TBC in their faeces. Commercial feed containing probiotics did not influence the growth performance parameters of nursery phase piglets.

Impact of zinc oxide, benzoic acid and probiotics on the performance and cecal microbiota of piglets

“…Not surprisingly, this is the phase with the highest incidence of diarrhea and with the highest use of antibiotics [ 56 ]. The association of benzoic acid with probiotics and prebiotics has been suggested to have a synergic effect to favor weaned piglets’ performance [ 37 , 57 , 58 ], which are consistent with the present study. A recent study reported that supplementation of ZnO (1200 ppm) with a probiotic containing Bacillus coagulans, B. licheniformis, B. subtilis and C. butyricum had similar effect than higher doses of ZnO (3000 ppm) on many performance paramethers [ 1 , 17 ].…”

“…Non-dissociated benzoic acid passes through the cellular membrane of bacteria releasing protons that acidify the medium [ 32 ], changing the bacterial metabolism and suppressing essential enzymes, such as decarboxylases and catalases [ 33 , 34 ] Furthermore, benzoic acid improves the structure of the intestinal mucosa, reducing the crypt depth and increasing the villus/crypt ratio culminating in improved digestibility and performance [ 35 – 37 ].…”

“…Probiotic organisms (i.e. Bacillus cereus, E. faecium, Saccharomyces cerevisae boulardii) can improve intestinal absorption and increase the transport of L-glutamine and ion secretion in piglets, preserving the mucosa integrity by reducing enterocyte mortality and improving protein digestibility [ 21 , 37 , 38 ]. Bacillus and Enterococcus are among the most used probiotics because of their potential to depleat pathogenens from the digestive tract and benefit commensal bacteria, controlling for diarrhea and improving performance [ 21 , 39 , 40 ].…”

Statistical assessment of feeding corn with higher oil content to piglets in the starter phase

“…Model 4 was nearly the equivalent of Model 3 by this criterion for the analysis of gain and was preferred for the analyses of FCR and FBW. Other assessments of growth performance by pigs included covariates in the statistical models that were used to analyse the data (Oliveira et al, 2018;Genova et al, 2019;Oliveira et al, 2019). Additionally, the use covariates in statistical models to control the experimental error could minimize the number of experimental units required for robust experimentation (Jacobs et al, 2013).…”