Effect of Swine-based Probiotic on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilization and Immune Status of Early-weaned Grower-Finisher Crossbred Pigs

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Pediococcus acidilactici FT28 (isolated from the faeces of piglet in the author's laboratory) and Lactobacillus acidophilus NCDC-15 (obtained from the dairy culture collection) on growth performance, nutrients utilization and immune status of early weaned grower-finisher pigs. Thirty six early weaned (28 days of age) piglets were allotted to three dietary treatments in complete randomized design. Dietary treatments included; T0 (control-basal diet), T1 (basal diet + L. acidophilus NCDC-15) and T2 (basal diet + Pediococcus acidilactici FT28). The probiotics were offered in the form of fermented feed at the rate of 200 g/pig/day. Two digestion trials were conducted each at grower (50 kg BW) and finisher (80 kg BW) phase. The net weight gain, average daily gain, DM intake and feed conversion ratio were significantly (P<0.05) higher in probiotics supplemented groups as compared to control for entire experimental period (180 days). During grower phase, the digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE) was higher (P<0.05), whereas, during finisher phase, digestibility of organic matter (OM) and crude fibre (CF) was also higher in pigs fed P. acidilactici FT28 as compared to control. The intake of GE (kcal/d), DE and ME was also higher (P<0.05) in P. acidilactici FT28 fed animals but digestibility of GE was not affected by any of the probiotics. The cell-mediated and humoral immune response was significantly higher (P<0.001) in probiotics fed animals, however, swine based probiotic had better (P<0.001) response as compared to dairy based probiotic. The results indicated that both the probiotics tested were effective in improving the growth performance and immunity status of piglets but, P. acidilactici FT28 was superior to L. acidophilus NCDC-15 in terms of nutrients utilization and immune status in grower-finisher pigs.