Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of feeding probiotic (Enterococcus faecium SF68, EF) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics and faecal noxious gas content in finishing pigs. A total of eighty ((Landrace×Yorkshire)×Duroc) pigs with an initial BW of 50.47±2.13 kg were used in this 8-week experiment. Pigs were allotted to four treatments (4 replicates per treatment and 5 pigs per pen) according to a randomized complete block design. Dietary treatments were: 1) CON (control; basal diet), 2) CTC (control diet+0.1% antibiotic, chlortetracycline), 3) EF1 (control diet+0.1% probiotic, EF) and 4) EF2 (control diet+0.2% probiotic, EF). During weeks 0-4, ADG was not affected by the addition of antibiotic or EF (p>0.05). In weeks 4-8, ADG tended to increase in CTC and EF treatments compared to CON treatment (p 0.05). Digestibilities of DM and N were higher in EF supplemented treatments than in CON and CTC treatments (p 0.05). Supplementation of EF in the diet decreased faecal ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) concentrations (p<0.05). Faecal acetic acid concentration tended to decrease (p<0.10) while propionic acid and butyric acid concentrations were significantly lower on diets with EF supplementation than on the diet containing antibiotic (p<0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of EF can increase nutrient digestibility and decrease faecal NH3-N, H2S and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations in finishing pigs. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2006. Vol 19, No. 3 : 406-411)
Highlights
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of feeding probiotic (Enterococcus faecium SF68, EF) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics and faecal noxious gas content in finishing pigs
In evaluating the possible alternatives to have been conducted in nursery pigs (Scharek et al, 2004; antibiotics, it is suggested that probiotics should have the Broom et al, 2005), whereas studies in growing or finishing same positive effects as the antibiotics
The age of pigs and the feeding period of probiotic should be considered as main factors for the diversity of results that were obtained from different studies
Summary
Of antibiotic resistance, interest in the use of probiotics to Inconsistent results may be due to diversity of bacterial improve the growth and health of domestic animals has species, feed composition and environment etc. Been considered as a practical method to substitute for a number of studies using Enterococcus species as probiotic antibiotics. Fuller (1989) defined them as live investigate the effects of a probiotic strain (Enterococcus microbial feed supplements, which beneficially affect the faecium SF68) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance. The inclusion of probiotics in swine diets has been finishing pigs and evaluate the feasibility of Enterococcus proposed to improve growth performance, for competitive faecium SF68 as an alternative to antibiotics
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