Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-s22k5 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-11T20:26:52.127Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effects of phytogenics and organic acids alone and in combination on growth performance of weaned piglets

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2017

T. Steiner*
Affiliation:
Biomin GmbH, Herzogenburg, Austria
C. Lückstädt
Affiliation:
Biomin GmbH, Herzogenburg, Austria
Get access

Extract

Intensive research has been directed to the potential of Natural Growth Promoters (NGPs) to replace antibiotics. Phytogenics and organic acids (OA) have been shown to be effective in reducing the incidence of gastrointestinal disorders, thereby improving growth performance in pigs (Steiner, 2006). The addition of OA to nonruminant diets is supposed to have beneficial effects on feed safety since OA have a detrimental impact on moulds and other feed contaminants. Moreover, due to a decrease in gastric pH, acidification of the diets creates favourable conditions for nutrient digestibility, especially in young piglets (Radcliffe et al., 1998). Dietary supplementation with essential oils originating from aromatic plants may directly affect the intestinal microflora, both in quantitative and qualitative terms. As shown under in vitro (Helander et al., 1998) and in vivo conditions (Kroismayr et al., 2005), oregano essential oils have strong antimicrobial properties. Finally, it has been confirmed that addition of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) to diets for nonruminants may stabilize the gut microflora by selectively supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria (Macfarlane et al., 2006). Depending on individual farm conditions, a well-adjusted combination of different strategies is supposed to maximize the efficacy of NGPs in antibiotic-free feeding systems. The aim of the trial was to investigate the effects of phytogenics and OA alone and in combination in comparison with a commercial diet containing no additives.

Type
Poster Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Helander, I.M., Alakomi, H.L., Latva-Kala, K., Mattila-Sandholm, T., Pol, I., Smid, E.J., Gorris, L.G.M. and von Wright, A. 1998. Characterization of the action of selected essential oil components on Gram-negative bacteria. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 46: 3590–3595.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kroismayr, A., Sehm, J., Mayer, H., Schreiner, M., Foissy, H., Wetscherek, W. and Windisch, W. 2005. Effect of essential oils or Avilamycin on microbial, histological and molecular–biological parameters of gut health in weaned piglets. In: 4. BOKU-Symposium Tierernährung. Vienna, Austria, pp. 140–146.Google Scholar
Macfarlane, S., Macfarlane, G.T. and Cummings, J.H. 2006. Review article: prebiotics in the gastrointestinal tract. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 24: 701–414.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Radcliffe, J.S., Zhang, Z. and Kornegay, E.T. 1998. The effects of microbial phytase, citric acid, and their interaction in a corn-soybean meal-based diet for weanling pigs. Journal of Animal Science 76: 1880–1886.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steiner, T. 2006. Managing Gut Health – Natural Growth Promoters as a key to animal performance. 98 pp. Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, UK.Google Scholar