The study was conducted at the post-weaning facilities of the Association Générale des Producteurs de Maïs, France, and consisted of two feed treatments:
1) Control – basal diet
2) Actisaf Sc 47 treatment 5 x 109 CFU/kg complete feed
These experimental diets were fed from 21 to 39 days of age during the pre-starter phase, and from 39 to 67 days of age during the starter phase. There were three replications of the trial on three successive bands. During the pre-starter phase each band had 84 animals in each group and in the starter phase each band had 72 animals in each group. Sows were not fed with Actisaf.
There was no difference between the control and treated feeds except for the Actisaf supplementation.
Piglets were weighed individually on day 21 (weaning), day 39 (end of pre-starter) and day 67 (end of starter). Daily feed intake, health status and mortality were also recorded.
Results
|
|
Control |
Actisaf |
ANOVA (P) |
|
Number of piglets |
180 |
180 |
|
|
From weaning (21 days) to 39 days of age: |
|
|
|
|
Weight at weaning (kg) |
7.5 |
7.5 |
|
|
Weight at day 18 (kg) |
169 |
211 |
P<0.01 |
|
Weight at day 18 (kg) |
0.23 |
0.26 |
P<0.05 |
|
Growth rate (g/d) |
1.41 |
1.23 |
P<0.01 |
|
Feed intake (kg/day) |
0.26 |
0.29 |
P<0.05 |
|
Feed Conversion Ratio |
1.58 |
1.37 |
P<0.01 |
|
From 42 to 62 days of age: |
|
|
|
|
In-between weight (kg) |
9.9 |
10.4 |
|
|
Growth rate (g/d) |
521 |
536 |
P<0.01 |
|
Feed intake (kg/day) |
0.74 |
0.77 |
P<0.01 |
|
Feed Conversion Ratio |
1.43 |
1.43 |
NS |
|
NE-intake per day |
0.82 |
0.85 |
NS |
|
NE-conversion ratio |
1.57 |
1.57 |
NS |
|
From weaning (28 days) to 62 days of age: |
|
|
|
|
End weight (kg) |
20.3 |
21.2 |
|
|
Growth rate (g/d) |
378 |
404 |
P<0.01 |
|
Feed intake (kg/day) |
0.54 |
0.56 |
P<0.01 |
|
Feed Conversion Ratio |
1.42 |
1.39 |
P<0.01 |
|
NE-intake per day |
0.59 |
0.62 |
P<0.01 |
|
NE-conversion ratio |
1.57 |
1.53 |
P<0.01 |
Conclusions
The addition of Actisaf in the feed of post-weaning piglets resulted in significantly (P<0.01) improved growth rate, feed intake, NE intake, feed conversion ratio and NE conversion ratio from weaning to 14 days thereafter, and for the whole post-weaning period (from weaning to 67 days of age).