0
A total of forty crossbred piglets (Large White x Landrace) weaned at 30 days of age with average initial weight of 7.8 kilograms were divided into 20 pens (5 animals per pen). The experiment was carried out during of 28 consecutive days post weaning. Five experimental treatments were prepared as follows: T1- basal diet with 500UF/kg of phytase (control); T2- basal diet with 500UF/kg of phytase + 0.2% of OAC; T3- basal diet with 450UF/kg of phytase + 0.2% of OAC, T4- basal diet with 400UF/kg of phytase + 0.2% of OAC, and T5- basal diet with 350UF/kg of phytase + 0.2% of OAC. Average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was evaluated and also faecal scoring of each pen was also monitored.
The organic acid supplementation at the 500PU diet increased (P<0.05) daily average gain compared to the control treatment. No improvements of weight gain was observed by the supplementation of exogenous phytase in diets containing OAC at any level of inclusion (P>0.05). For the daily average feed intake, it was observed a quadratic effect (P<0.05), and the 400PU level caused a reduction of feed intake (0,633kg/day). The inclusion of 500PU in OAC supplemented diets resulted in reduction of diarrhoea incidents compared to the control group during the two last weeks of the experimental period.
It was concluded that the inclusion of exogenous phytase in organic acid supplemented diets may reduce piglet diarrhoea without improving piglet performance from eight to 20kg.
EVH Rocha, JAF Lima, ET Fialho, MG Zangeronimo, AG Bertechini and PB Rodrigues, 2008, Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, 60 (3): 719-724.
