The use of Kutikulin for treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases in calves and piglets

Abstract

The global economy dictates more and more stringent requirements for the quality and volumes of products consumed. Veterinary professionals have to look for medicinal products that have a sparing effect on the animal body and, at the same time, are capable of eliminating disease causes. The paper presents the results of tests of Kutikulin, a product made at the Vologda Branch of the FSC VIEV, which consists of chicken gizzard cuticle containing a keratoid secretion and a number of biologically active enzymes. It is a non-toxic, water-insoluble, odourless yellow-green powder with a bitterish taste. When Kutikulin was used to treat newborn calves with a mild dyspepsia resulting from various alimentary causes, the disease duration averaged 2.9 days, recovery rates in the groups were approximately the same (96.6–96.9%). Kutikulin treatment of older calves allowed to reduce the duration of treatment by almost a day, to increase recovery rates by 4.8% and to decrease the number of deaths by 1.6 times.When used for preventive purposes in weaned piglets, Kutikulin helped to decrease morbidity in groups 1, 3 and 5 (test groups) by 2.7, 8.9 and 1.8 times, respectively, as compared with control groups. Its preventive effectiveness was found to be the highest in group 3 (test) piglets that received Kutikulin on a group basis with a liquid feed at a dose of 1.0 g once a day during 3 consecutive days. Along with a shorter disease duration, test group animals also demonstrated less pronounced clinical symptoms. Thus, the use of Kutikulin reduces gastrointestinal disease morbidity and mortality in calves and piglets.

Keywords

• treatment
• prevention
• gastrointestinal diseases
• calves
• piglets
• kutikulin