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Two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of feeding sows with a zootechnical feed additive (ZFA; probiotic + prebiotic) on fecal bacteria populations, calostral immunoglobulins (Ig) (Experiment 1), and litter size and weight at weaning (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, individually housed pregnant sows (n = 30) were equally divided, balanced by parity, and allotted randomly to one of 2 dietary treatments from 84 d of gestation until farrowing. Treatments were a basal diet (CON) or basal diet plus 30 g of a ZFA per day (TL). In Experiment 2, individually-housed pregnant sows (n = 128) were allotted to treatments, as described in Experiment 1, from 84 d of gestation until weaning on 22 d of lactation. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block. In Experiment 1, fecal samples were collected on 112 d of gestation and calostrum was collected within 1 h of birth of the first pig.
Fecal coliform (P < 0.001; 6.83 vs. 7.46 CFU/g for TL and CON, respectively) and Clostridium spp. (P < 0.05; 6.75 vs. 7.17 CFU/g for TL and CON) populations were reduced, while beneficial Enterococcus spp. were greater (P < 0.001; 8.04 vs. 7.42 CFU/g for TL and CON) in sows fed TL. There was also a tendency (P < 0.10) for reduced Salmonella spp. (6.05 vs. 6.47 CFU/g for TL and CON) in the feces of sows fed TL. Calostral IgA tended to be greater (P < 0.07) in sows fed TL. In Experiment 2, the number of live pigs born per sow was not affected by treatment however the live born (19.6 vs. 18.1 kg for TL and CON) and total born weights (21.5 vs. 20.0 kg for TL and CON) from sows fed TL tended (P < 0.07) to be greater. The number of pigs weaned per sow was greater (P < 0.04) for sows supplemented with TL (11.0 vs. 10.3 pigs for TL and CON), which corresponded to a tendency (P < 0.09) for greater litter weaning weight from sows fed TL (69.5 vs. 65.9 kg for TL and CON).
In summary, feeding sows with a diet supplemented with a zootechnical feed additive during the late-gestating period decreased fecal pathogens and tended to increase colostral IgA, which may have contributed to a greater number of pigs weaned per sow.
PK Brown, DA Spangler, DM Albin, DH Kleinschmit, DP Casper, GA Ayangbile, and RJ Hall. Supplementing sows with Tri-Lution® decreases fecal shedding of bacteria and improves colostral immunoglobulin concentrations and litter performance. 2011. Journal of Animal Science, 89, E-Suppl. 2, page 134.