Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #150901

Title: USE OF PROBIOTICS IN THE DIET OF WEANLING AND GROWING PIGS

Author
item MURRY, A - UGA
item Hinton Jr, Arthur

Submitted to: American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/4/2003
Publication Date: 6/23/2003
Citation: Murry, A.C., Hinton Jr, A. 2003. Use of probiotics in the diet of weanling and growing pigs. [abstract] American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The effect of a poultry/swine probiotic on fecal microflora and growth of pigs was evaluated. Pigs were provided either a diet supplemented with antibiotics (CA); an antibiotic-free diet supplemented with 0.2% probiotics in the feed, (PBF); an antibiotic-free diet supplemented 0.2% probiotics in the feed and 0.1% in water (PBFW); or an antibiotic-free diet supplemented and 0.1% probiotics in water (PBW). Diets were provided for 56 after weaning, and body weights and feed intake were measured. Fecal samples were collected and lactic acid bacteria and Escherichia coli in the samples were enumerated. Weight gain, feed intake, and weight gain:feed intake ratio of pigs fed the CA diet were not different in pigs fed PBF, PBFW, or PBW for 56 d. The number of fecal lactic acid bacteria in pigs fed the CA diet was not different in pigs fed PBF, PBFW, or PBW diets from d 0 to 14. Significantly more fecal lactic acid bacteria were recovered from pigs provided PBF and PBFW for 21 d and from pigs fed PBF for 28 d than from pigs fed the CA diet; however, there was no significant difference in the number of fecal lactic acid bacteria recovered from pigs provided either diet for 35 to 56 d. There was no significant difference in the number of fecal E. coli in pigs provided either diet from d 0 to 28, but more E. coli were recovered from pigs fed the CA diet than from pigs fed PBF or PBFW on d 35. More E. coli were recovered from pigs fed PBW for 42 d than from pigs fed the PBF, PBFW, or CA diet. Results indicate that this probiotic may replace antibiotics in the diets of the pigs without negatively effecting growth performance and that the probiotics may cause some changes in the fecal microflora of the pigs.