Effects of probiotics on the growth performance, organ relative weight, and intestine development of weaned piglets

doi:10.11686/cyxb2016438

Abstract

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotics on the growth performance, relative organ weight, and intestinal development of weaned piglets, to determine whether probiotics can ease the weaning transition. A total of 144 Suhuai weaned piglets (9.34±0.33 kg) at an age of 28 days were randomly assigned to three groups; control group (basal diet), antibiotics group (basal diet+antibiotics), and probiotic group (basal diet+probiotic). Each group had six replicates, with eight piglets per replicate. The experiment started at 32 days after birth and ended at 59 days after birth. At 59 days, one piglet from each replicate was slaughtered for sampling. Compared with the control, the probiotic treatment significantly increased the average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI), and decreased the feed/gain ratio (F/G) and diarrhea rate after weaning (P<0.05). It also significantly increased ADG of the spleen and improved villus development in the duodenum, and reduced the villus height/crypt depth (V/C) of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum after weaning (P<0.05). Compared with the control, the probiotic treatment significantly decreased the pH of the cecum and colon. A correlation analysis showed that the increased ADG was associated with increased relative weight of the liver. The increased ADFI was strongly related to the increased relative weight of the duodenum and spleen and the increased V/C of the jejunum. The decreased F/G was correlated with the increased relative weight of the colon. The decreased diarrhea rate was correlated with the increased relative weight of the duodenum and spleen, and with the increased V/C of the duodenum and jejunum. The findings imply that a probiotic can relieve weaning stress in piglets by improving their growth performance and decreasing the diarrhea rate via their effects on small intestine morphology, organ relative weight, and gastrointestinal pH. Probiotics could be used as alternatives to antibiotics during the weaning of piglets.

LI Xue-Li, WANG Chao, YU De-Fu, DING Li-Ren, ZHU Wei-Yun, HANG Su-Qin. Effects of probiotics on the growth performance, organ relative weight, and intestine development of weaned piglets[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2017, 26(8): 192-199.

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