Effects of probiotics containing (Lactobacillus planetarium) and chlortetracycline on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microflora, diarrhea score and fecal gas emission in weanling pigs

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of probiotics (Lactobacillus planetarium) relative to chlortetracycline (CTC) supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, fecal score and noxious gas emission in weaning pigs. A total of 135 weanling pigs with an average body weight of 6.61 kg and 28 ± 1 d of age were used in a 6-week feeding trial. The three treatments were (i) CON; control group, feeding with basal diet; (ii) CL; Control + 0.06% probiotic (1.2 × 109 cfu kg−1 of viable L. planetarium) (iii) AT; Control + 0.01% Antibiotic. The dietary supplementation with probiotic or CTC increased (P< 0.05) the body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG) and gain: feed (G: F) compared with basal diet during 3-6 weeks. Additionally, the CTC group showed significantly higher (P< 0.05) BW, ADG and G: F than probiotic group. During the overall experimental period, pigs fed probiotic or CTC supplemented diet showed higher ADG (P< 0.05) than pigs fed basal diet, the G: F ratio in CTC group was higher (P< 0.05) than basal diet and probiotic group. In the 6th week, the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nitrogen increased (P< 0.05) for the probiotic or CTC group, the CTC group showed significantly higher (P< 0.05) ATTD of N than probiotic group. The dietary supplementation with CTC or probiotic decreased (P< 0.05) the E. coli counts on d 42. The CTC group showed lower (P< 0.05) E. coli counts than probiotic group. There was no significant difference in gas emission and diarrhea score in all treatments. Probiotic (L. planetarium) at 600mg kg−1 concentration can be suggested as an alternative to growth-promoting probiotics.