Evaluation of effect of probiotics mixture supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, faecal bacterial enumeration, and noxious gas emission in weaning pigs

Abstract

A total of 180 twenty-eight-day-old weaning pigs [Duroc × (Yorkshire × Landrace)] with an average body weight of 7.62 ± 1.25 kg were used in a 42-day trial to evaluate the effect of probiotics mixture supplementation on weaning pigs. Pigs were randomly allotted to one of four dietary treatments: (1) CON, basal diet, (2) T1, CON + 0.1% probiotics mixture, (3) T2, CON + 0.2% probiotics mixture, and (4) T4, CON + 0.3% probiotics mixture. Increasing dietary inclusion of probiotics mixture levels linearly increased average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) during day 0–7 as well as ADG and gain to feed ratio (G:F) during day 8–21 (p .05). In conclusion, increasing inclusion of probiotics mixture up to 0.3% linearly improved growth performance during day 0–7 and day 8–21. Pigs fed the diets with probiotics mixture suplementation improved the nutrient digestibility, faecal bacterial enumeration, and decreased NH3 emission.Highlights Probiotics mixture supplementation increased growth performance and nutrient digestibility in weaning pigs. Increased fecal Lactobacillus and reduced E. coli counts. Reduced fecal ammonia emission that can contribute in reducing environmental pollution.

Keywords

• digestibility
• growth performance
• microflora
• pigs
• probiotics