PSIV-13 Lactosed extruded wheat enriched with medium chain fatty acids monoglycerides as an alternative to ZnO and colistin in piglet diets.

Abstract

A total of 240, 28d-Pietrainx(Landrace*Large white) piglets (50% males/females), were used in the pre-starter (0-14d post-weaning) period. There were three treatments, a control (C) diet, C plus ZnO (3,000ppm) and colistin (120ppm) (C+), and C plus monoglycerides (MG) of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) at 2,5kg/t through 25% of lactosed extruded wheat (TRIGOLAC). Experimental unit was a 6,05m2-box of 10 piglets, and there were 8 replicates/treatment in two consecutive batches (4 replicates per treatment and batch). Extruded feed and water was supplied ad libitum. Faeces samples per replicate were homogenized and extracted with a commercial kit at 0 and 14d. Later, qPCR were made for determinate the number of total bacteria, bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteriaceae and Enterobacteriaceae. Performance and bacterial data (percentage of each species of total bacteria) were analyzed with an ANCOVA with batch and treatment as main effects, and initial body weight and bacterial counts as covariates. Scour incidence was minimal, and only one piglet died (MG-MCFA). No effect of treatment was found nether in total bacteria nor in percentages of bacteroides or Enterobacteriaceae. However, piglets fed MG-MCFA presented higher percentages of Lactobacillus (P=0.04) and Bifidobacteriaceae (P=0.10) than C and C+ (0.64, 0.75 and 1.53% and 1.52, 1.64 and 2.52% for C, C+ and MG-MCFA, respectively). Piglets fed C+ showed a 4.3% higher final body weight than those fed C, showing MG-MCFA an intermediate weight (P=0.002). Similar results were obtained for weight gain (282, 220 and 249g/d, P=0.002) and feed intake (336, 295 and 311g/d, P=0.08) for C+, C and MG-MCFA, respectively. In addition, C+ animals tended to show better feed conversion than C, showing animals fed MG-MCFA an intermediate valor (1.35, 1.20 and 1.25g/g respectively, P=0.09). It is concluded that piglets fed MG-MCFA showed an intermediate performance between C and C+, and showed higher counts of lactic bacteria.