Garlic as alternative for antibiotics in diet for growing pigs

Vladimir Zivkovic,Cedomir Radovic,Branislav Stankovic,Aleksandar Stanojkovic,Sasa Obradovic,Marija Gogic,Nenad Stojiljkovic

doi:10.2298/bah1903281z

Vladimir Zivkovic, Cedomir Radovic + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.2298/bah1903281z

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Abstract

The effects of the use of antibiotics and garlic powder in the nutrition of weaning piglets were compared. The trial included 120 weaned piglets of the same genotype (Large White) distributed in three feeding treatments. In the first study period (day 27-56), a feed mixture with 20% protein was used, while in the second period (day 57-84), a mixture with 18% protein. The control group was fed with mixtures containing antibiotics in the amount of 0.2%, while the two experimental groups were fed with mixtures containing fermented garlic powder (FGP) in the concentration of 0.05% and 0.2%. The obtained results showed that the use of FGP, instead of antibiotics, resulted in better gain in second trial group, and also better feed conversion ratio, in both trial groups by 3.84% and 6.93% respectively, during the entire research period.

Highlights

Garlic (Allium sativum) is widely used as culinary or medicinal supplement for the prevention and treatment of various heart and metabolic diseases (Konjufca et al, 1997; Amagase et al, 2001)
During the starter and grower period, it was found that there were no significant differences in average daily gain or feed conversion
Major statistical significance was noted in feed intake, it was much lower in trial compared to control (C) group

Summary

Introduction

Garlic (Allium sativum) is widely used as culinary or medicinal supplement for the prevention and treatment of various heart and metabolic diseases (Konjufca et al, 1997; Amagase et al, 2001). Garlic contains a sulfur volatile active component that has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant biological properties (Wilson and Demming-Adams, 2007), it has been examined as a potential alternative to antibiotics in pig production. Garlic inclusion levels widely varied in those studies, being added at levels as low as 0.1% to as high as 4% to piglet diets. Cullen et al (2005) have suggested that a better feed conversion could be observed when the garlic was supplemented at levels of 1 or 10 g/kg to the pigs. Various experiments reported that garlic bulb, paste, oil, powder, husk and leaves could positively influence the animal production performance (Birrenkott et al, 2000; Chowdhury et al, 2002)

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