Effect of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) and probiotic (Enterococcus faecium) supplementation on the growth performance, digestibility and blood profiles in weanling pigs

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of MCFA and probiotic (Enterococcus faecium DSM 7134) supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, faecal score, excreta microbiota, and excreta noxious gas emission in weanling pigs. A total of 140 weanling pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] were allotted to four treatments groups of seven replicates/treatment and five pigs/replicate. The four experimental diets included: CON diet (basal diet); T1 (CON + MCFA 0.2%); T2 (CON + probiotic 0.01%) and T3 (CON + MCFA 0.2% + probiotic 0.01%). Growth performance, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), gain-to-feed ratio (G : F), Nutrient digestibility: dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), energy were determined along with blood profiles: glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol, triglyceride, Excreta bacteria: Lactobacillus, E. coli, Excreta gas emission: NH 3 , H 2 S, total mercaptans, acetic acid and faecal scores. Overall, average daily gain (ADG) and G : F in T2 and T3 treatment groups was higher than in T1 and controls. In blood profiles, glucose levels were found to be increased in week two and six in the treatment groups compared to controls. In addition, the nutrient digestibility of DM, N and energy were found to be increased significantly in T2 and T3 when compared to T1 and controls. There was no significant difference observed between the groups for faecal score, microflora and noxious gas emission. In conclusion, dietary MCFA and probiotic supplementation in weanling pigs are efficacious alternatives to antibiotics, and can improve health status and performance.

Effect of Maternal Diet and Medium Chain Fatty Acids Supplementation for Piglets on Their Digestive Tract Development, Structure, and Chyme Acidity as Well as Performance and Health Status

“…Small differences in blood levels of cholesterol in piglets were found by Mohana Devi and Kim [42] and by Allee et al [43] after supplementing feed with MCFA. In an experiment on broilers, Wang et al [44] found that total and LDL cholesterol levels in the blood of birds decreased when the content of coconut oil in feed increased.…”

Effects of supplementing growing-finishing pig diets with Bacillus spp. probiotic on growth performance and meat-carcass grade qualitytraits

“…However, our data indicated no influences on RBC, WBC, and lymphocyte when diets were incorporated with Bacillus probiotic, which is in agreement with our previous studies (Chen et al, 2005;2006;Yan and Kim, 2011). According to Mohana Devi and Kim (2014), probiotic supplementation showed a significant (P<0.05) effect on glucose concentration in weanling pigs. Similarly, our result showed that the Bacillus probiotic had a significant (P<0.05) effect on glucose level during the entire experimental period.…”

Nutritional composition of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) prepupae reared on different organic waste substrates

“…A further element that can be mentioned in favour of the inclusion of BSF prepupae in poultry and pig feed, given their richness in C12:0, is the faster and more efficient absorption and metabolism of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) compared to long chain fatty acids (LCFA) and their nutraceutical potential . Skrivanova et al showed that C12:0 had the highest activity against Clostridium perfringens as compared to other MCFA.…”