PSIII-1 Clinical benefits of an in-water essential oil blend on antibiotic-free pigs with post-weaning diarrhea: A field study

Abstract

Abstract Post-weaning diarrhea can be costly for producers, especially in antibiotic free production flows (RWA), where the use of antimicrobials leads to a loss of valuable premiums on individual pigs. This field study examined the impact of an in-water essential oil blend on RWA pigs with post-weaning diarrhea using pen-level diarrhea scores, and percentages of diarrhea-related sick, fallback and removed pigs. A total of 3,598 pigs (~4 wk of age, mixed sex) in 73 pens from 2 RWA flows and 4 pig turns (2 turns per nursery barn) were enrolled. Sow sources were known to experiencing mild E. coli and/or rotavirus associated post-weaning diarrhea. In each barn, one-half of the pens were assigned to control (regular water) or treatment [AQUAGUTSWINE, at 250 mL/1000 L drinking water, a flavored liquid Vitamin C Supplement) designed by Probiotech International Inc. and supplying Star Anise, cinnamaldehyde oil blend and ascorbic acid (2,955 mg/kg)] for ~2 wk post weaning. Pen-level diarrhea was assessed every other day (scale from 0 to 4). Additionally, diarrhea-related sick pigs were assessed individually at the same time pen-level diarrhea was scored. In each pen, a pig was first identified as sick (sunken eyes, poor gut fill or lethargic/depressed) and then confirmed if it had diarrhea. Diarrhea-related fallbacks were assessed at the end of treatment (~2 wk post-weaning). A pig was considered fallback if it did not recover from its enteric problem (Previously marked as a diarrhea-related sick pig) by the end of the treatment. A diarrhea-related removal was a previously marked diarrhea-related sick pig that was removed from its pen. Mild post-weaning diarrhea related to E. coli and rotaviruses occurred in both flows. Overall, the VHP reduced pen-level diarrhea scores over time (1.2 vs 1.5, P < 0.01), and percentages of diarrhea-related sick (10.9 vs 14.3%, P = 0.36), fallback (3.5 vs 4.6%, P = 0.10) and removed pigs (0.17 vs 0.30%, P = 0.12) compared with the control group. These first results suggested that AQUAGUTSWINE could be an aid in reducing clinical impact of mild post-weaning diarrhea caused by E. coli and rotavirus in RWA pigs.