Bacillus subtilis, essential oil, chromium and glucose as sow pack are related to performance, immune and (or) stress of sows and piglets

Abstract Text: This study was conducted to determine the effect of sow pack supplementation on growth performance, fecal score and blood profile in sows and piglets. A total of 26 (Landrace × Yorkshire) were used in 18 week study, sows were randomly allotted to two experimental dietary treatments: 1) basal diet (CON); 2) CON plus 0.28% sow pack (SP) (including 0.3% Bacillus subtilis C-3102 spores, 0.5 % chromium, 0.2% Fresta F Conc (essential oil). The day before farrowing, the backfat of sows was measured 6 cm off the midline at the 10th rib using a real-time ultrasound instrument (Piglot 105, SFK Technology, Herlev, Denmark). Sow feed intake was recorded daily to determine the average daily feed intake (ADFI) during lactation. During the overall study, sows fed with the SP diet had significantly (P < 0.05) higher body weight in sows after farrowing as well as, weaning and average daily gain of piglets, but a substantial decrease (P < 0.05) in body weight loss in sows. Serum immunoglobulin-G (IgG), cortisol, insulin and glucose were analyzed using nephelometry (Dade Behring, Marburg, Germany). All data were subjected to the GLM procedures of SAS and differences among treatments were separated by Tukey’s multiple range test with a P < 0.05 indicating a significance. During the overall study, sows fed with the SP diet had significantly (P < 0.05) higher body weight in sows after farrowing (CON=201.8 kg, SP= 212.3 kg), sow backfat thickness (CON=19.8mm, SP=21.1mm) on d 110 as well as, weaning (CON=184.8 kg, SP=191.1kg) and average daily gain of piglets (CON=210 g, SP=225 g), and a substantial decrease (P < 0.05) in body weight loss (CON=15.0 kg, SP=11.2 kg) in sows. In blood profiles, the level of IgG (at 11 and 13 h) and insulin (at 9 and 10 h) on d 14 lactating as well as the level of IgG (at 9, 11, 12, and 13 h) and insulin (at 13 h) after weanling were significantly increased when sows were provided with sow pack diet. However, the level of cortisol dramatically decreased (at 7, 10, 11, and 13 h) on 14 d in lactating sows. The level of cortisol (at 11 and 13 h) after weanling was decreased. Our results indicated that supplementation of sow pack diet could improve the performance of sows and piglets. The sow pack diet had positive effects on IgG, cortisol, insulin and glucose in the blood profiles of sows.

Keywords: Probiotics, essential oil, sows and piglets