Use of clinoptilolite in piglet diets as a substitute for Colistine

Abstract

The effects of adding 2% of natural zeolite, containing a high percentage of clinoptilolite, to the  diet of piglets was eval-  uated by monitoring growing performance and plasma parameters. The diet was also deprived of Colistine, an antibiotic  usually added to piglet diets at subtherapeutic levels to prevent gastrointestinal pathology. Sixty-four piglets, weaned at  7.9 kg live weight, were divided in 2 groups of 32 each. The control group was given  commercial piglet feedstuffs; for  the treated group, 98% of the same feed, deprived of Colistine, was used, with the addition of 2% of a natural zeolite.  The trial lasted 36 days. The piglets fed the control diet exhibited greater weight in the first three weeks, after which the  differences were not significant. The average daily weight gain in the first week was higher in the control group (+37%;  P  between groups and, as a result, the Feed Efficiency at the end of the trial was higher in the control group (532 vs. 491,  P  weeks post-weaning the group fed the diet containing Colistine showed better ADG, subsequently it can be eliminated  and clinoptilolite could favour growth. 

Keywords

• Piglets, Clinoptilolite, Colistine, Performance parameters, Plasmatic nitrogen parameters