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Effect of Bacillus-based direct-fed microbial feed supplementation on growth performance, carcass characteristics and fecal microbial enumeration of wean to finish pigs
Effect of Bacillus-based direct-fed microbial feed supplementation on growth performance, carcass characteristics and fecal microbial enumeration of wean to finish pigs
Tuesday, March 18, 2014: 1:30 PM
314-315 (Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center)
Abstract Text: Calsporin® is a biotechnical feed additive based on viable spores of Bacillus subtilis C-3102. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of Calsporin® on growth performance, microbial population and carcass characteristics of wean to finish pigs. One hundred and ninety-two (Topigs 20 X Compart Duroc;18 d, initial body weight (6.7±0.27 kg)) crossed bred piglets were selected, weighed and distributed evenly by origin, sex and initial body weight into two treatment groups of 12 pens (4 gilts and 4 barrows per pen) each in a randomized complete block design. Pigs were fed a control diet (-ve Calsporin®) and the experimental diet (+ve Calsporin, 1.5 x 105 CFU/kg). Blood and fresh fecal samples were collected on d 84 from 1 pig/pen for determination of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration and microbial population enumeration. Pen was the experimental unit. Data were analyzed by the MIXED procedure of SAS, with treatment and sex as fixed effects and block as a random effect. Data were expressed as means±SE. Significant level was set at the level of 0.05. The results showed that, Calsporin® did not influence (p>0.05) average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion efficiency in all the growth phases. Pigs fed diet containing Calsporin® had higher average daily gain ADG (P = 0.032) for the d 29-57 period and lower ADFI (P = 0.036) for the d 129-141 period than those fed the control diet. The measured carcass characteristics, including hot carcass weight, yield percentage, back fat depth, loin depth, and lean percentage, were not affected (P >0.05) by the dietary treatments. Supplementation of Calsporin® did not affect (P >0.05) BUN concentration. Inclusion of Calsporin® in the diet did not significantly affect (P >0.05) the total counts of Enterobacteriaceae, Bifidobacteria and total anaerobes in the feces. In conclusion, Calsporin® did not affect growth performance and carcass characteristics of wean to finish pigs at an inclusion rate of 1.5 X 105CFU/g.
Keywords: Pigs, Calsporin, growth performance, carcass traits, microbial enumeration