Effect of material bioconversion natural complex on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics, and fecal microbiota in weanling pigs

Abstract Text:

A total of 150 weanling pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an average initial body weight (BW) of 5.76 ± 1.36 kg were used in a 6week trial to investigate the effect of material bioconversion natural complex on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics, fecal characteristics in weanling pigs. All these weanling pigs were randomly allotted into one of the five experimental diets according to their initial BW and sex (6 replicate pens/treatment, 5 pigs/pen，2 barrows and 3 gilts/ pen). Dietary treatments consisted of 1) NC, free antibiotics diet; 2) PC, NC + 0.1% tiamulin; 3) STR1, NC + 0.1% fermented material 1; 4) STR2, NC + 0.1% fermented material 2; 5) STR3, NC + 0.1% fermented material 3. STR is material bioconversion natural complex powder produced from fermentation of mulberry leaves and turmeric with bacterial of mulberry yellow mushroom. STR1, STR2, STR3 contains 1.5%, 3% and 6% of active complex powder, respectively. All diets, in mash form, were formulated to meet or exceed the nutrient requirements (NRC, 2012) for weanling pigs. During 3-6 wk, pigs fed with PC, STR2 and STR3diets had higher (457, 463, 453 vs. 393 g; P<0.05)ADG than NC treatments.During the overall period, Pigs fed NC diet had lower (342 vs. 385, 388 g; P<0.05) ADG than PC and STR2 treatments and the G/F in PC, STR2 and STR3 treatments was significantly higher (0.745, 0.740, 0.715 vs. 0.638; P<0.05)compared with NC treatment. The ATTD of dry matterin STR2 treatment was higher (83.35 vs. 81.36 %; 81.27 vs. 79.06 %; P<0.05) than NC treatment atthe end of 3 and 6wk. Moreover, the ATTD of nitrogen in PC and STR2 treatments was higher(81.81, 81.35 vs. 78.54 %; P<0.05) than NC treatment at the end of 3 wk. Pigs fed with PC diet had higher (8.21 vs. 7.43 log₁₀cfu/g; P<0.05)Lactobacillus population than those fed with NC diet. But there was no difference (P>0.05) detected on E. coli, and Salmonella content at 6week. Through the experimental period, there was no difference (P>0.05) observed on fecal score among dietary treatments. During the whole experimental period, no significant difference (P>0.05) was observed on fecal moisture or fecal pH among dietary treatments. In conclusion, supplementation of material bioconversion natural complex may be helpful to improve the growth performance and nutrient digestibility, increase Lactobacillus concentrations of weanling pigs. 

Keywords: nutrient digestibility, growth performance, Lactobacillus population, material bioconversion natural complex, weanling pigs