0
A total of 90 weanling piglets were used in the study. Animals with an initial body weight of 6.1 kg, were allotted into three dietary treatments: control diet (CT), antibiotic diet (AB), which contained 20 ppm flavomycin + 110 ppm aureomycin, and the lactoferrin diet (LF) that contained a 0.1% of lactoferrin. Diets were based on maize and soybean meal, and were offered ad libitum to the animals for 30 days. Each experimental treatment had three replicates containing 10 piglets each.
During the experimental period performance was controlled weekly, and the number of animals presenting diarrhoea was controlled daily. At the end of the study six piglets per treatment were slaughtered and samples of the small intestine content were collected in order to study the microbiota. Intestinal samples were also collected to study the morphology.
Data obtained showed that the addition of a 0.1% of Lactoferrin to weaning pig diets resulted in an increased average daily feed intake and daily gain (P < 0.05) compared to CT diets, results being not different from those found in AB fed pigs. Percentage of animals presenting diarrhoea was lower in the LF and AB fed pigs compared to control (6.4%, 7.5% and 19% respectively). Enterobacteria counts were lower in the AB and LF diets compared to control (P < 0.05), and LF increased Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium counts (P<0.05) compared to control. Small intestine morphology showed that LF fed pigs presented a higher villus height and a lower crypt depth.
Thus authors concluded that lactoferrin may be regarded as a potential in-feed additive for weaning pig diets.
Y-Z Wang, T-Z Shan, Z-R Xu, J Feng, Z-Q Wang. 2007. Animal Feed Science and Technology. Vol 135 : 263-272
