Effect of Vitality Mineral Liquid Complex on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Profile, Fecal Microbiota and Fecal Mineral Content in Weanling Pigs

Abstract Text: Dietary supplementation with high levels of minerals such as copper and zinc has usually been used in piglets to modulate intestinal microbiota and improve gastrointestinal health. A total of 150 pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc, BW = 7.00 ± 1.58 kg] were used in a 5-wk trial to investigate the effect of dietary vitality mineral liquid complex in water on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile, fecal microbiota and fecal mineral content in weanling pigs. Pigs were assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatments (10 pens/treatment, 5 pigs/pen) by BW and sex (2 barrows and 3 gilts). Treatments were: NC, no mineral in water; TRT1, 0.96% minerals (JINO Biotech co. ltd) in water; TRT2, 0.55% minerals (JINO Biotech co. ltd) in water. Growth performance was measured on d 14 and 35. Pigs in TRT1 and TRT2 had higher gain/feed (P<0.05) compared with those in CON during d 0 to 14 (0.842, 0.834 vs. 0.804) and 0 to 35 (0.733, 0.728 vs. 0.700). The average daily gain of pigs was higher (P<0.05; 474 vs. 454 g) in TRT1 than that in CON. The digestibility of dry matter in TRT1 was higher (P<0.05; 85.64 vs. 82.63%) than that in CON. The calcium (17.60 vs. 12.48 mg/dL) and phosphorus (12.68 vs. 8.80 mg/dL) concentration was increased (P<0.05) by 0.96% minerals in water compared with that in CON on d 35. The iron concentration on d 35 (96.50, 92.25 vs. 58.50 g/dL), and copper concentration on d 14 (94.53, 104.17 vs. 55.08 g/dL) and 35 (121.96, 109.12 vs. 68.34 g/dL) were higher (P<0.05) in TRT1 and TRT2 than that in CON. The fecal E. coli counts were lower (P<0.05) in TRT1 than that in CON on d 14 (6.10 vs. 6.59, log₁₀cfu/g) and 35 (6.20 vs. 6.54, log₁₀cfu/g). In conclusion, results indicate that supplementation minerals in water can improve growth performance, calcium, phosphorus, iron and copper concentration, and reduce the E. colicounts.

Keywords: growth performance, mineral water, weanling pig