Abstract
Simple SummaryDiarrhea as a symptom of different enteric infections leads to poor animal health and performance at weaning, followed by economic losses. Phytogenic feed additives, e.g., grape extracts, have shown antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties and these might have beneficial effects on growth trends of weaning piglets and, thereby, potentially reduce the need for antibiotic treatments following weaning. An 8-week feeding trial investigated the potential effects of grape extract (GE) in a model with a negative control (NC) and positive control (PC; antibiotic treatment). Despite no changes in animal performance, dietary GE improved the digestibility of selected nutrients at the same, or even at higher level, as PC. Additionally, there was no clear effect of dietary intervention on the microbial metabolites from the ileum and colon at the end of the trial. These results indicated beneficial effects of GE compared to antibiotic treatment, as often applied at weaning.Enteric diseases in piglets, such as post-weaning diarrhea (PWD), often require antibiotic treatment of the entire litter. Grape polyphenols may help overcome PWD and thereby reduce the need for antibiotics. The potential of a grape extract (GE; continuous in-feed supplementation) on performance of weaning piglets, compared with both negative (NC; corn-based diet) and positive control (PC; NC + in-feed antibiotic (amoxicillin) in a therapeutic dosage for day 1–day 5 post weaning) was assessed. Apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and microbial metabolites were also evaluated on two sampling points (day 27/28 and day 55/56). We assigned 180 weaning piglets (6.9 ± 0.1 kg body weight (BW)) to 6 male and 6 female pens per treatment with 5 piglets each. Animals from PC showed higher BW on day 13 compared with NC and GE, and a tendency for higher BW on day 56 (p = 0.080) compared to NC. Furthermore, PC increased the average daily feed intake in the starter phase (day 1–day 13), and the average daily gain in the early grower phase (day 14–day 24). Overall, GE improved the ATTD at the same level as PC (ash, acid-hydrolyzed ether extract), or at a higher level than PC (dry matter, organic matter, gross energy, crude protein, P). There were no effects on microbial metabolites apart from minor trends for lactic acid and ammonia. Dietary inclusion of GE may have beneficial effects compared to therapeutic antibiotics, as frequently used at weaning.
Highlights
Enteric diseases in the post-weaning phase present a serious challenge for pig producers, and lead to impaired animal health and performance, with increased piglet mortality [1] and increased economic losses [2]
The diarrhea symptoms started on day 7 of the trial
Mortality was recorded on a daily basis and affected all treatment groups (NC = 4; positive control (PC) = 4; grape extract (GE) = 7)
Summary
Enteric diseases in the post-weaning phase present a serious challenge for pig producers, and lead to impaired animal health and performance, with increased piglet mortality [1] and increased economic losses [2]. Weaning piglets, with their still immature gastrointestinal tract, are highly susceptible to gastrointestinal disorders, including disorders of the gut barrier, immune function and enteric nervous system, which frequently result in post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) [3,4]. The respective regulations including intensified restrictions for usage of pro- and metaphylactic antibiotic treatments will come into force from January 2022 in the European Union [13]
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