The study was conducted on a breeding unit in Austria and consisted of two feed treatments:
1) Control – basal diet
2) Actisaf Sc 47 treatment 5 x 109 CFU/kg
These experimental diets were fed from 10 days before farrowing until weaning. There were three replications of the trial with 9, 14 and 6 sows in each band.
Sows were individually weighed on arrival at and departure from the farrowing unit. Litters were weighed at birth and on weaning while all piglets were individually weighed 48 hours after farrowing and again at weaning.
The diet was offered in mash form for both gestation and lactation periods with the only difference being the supplementation of Actisaf Sc 47 in the test group.
Results
|
|
Control group |
Test group |
|
Sows |
14 |
15 |
|
Sow live weight at farrowing (kg) |
252.3 |
241.8 |
|
Sow live weight at weaning (kg) |
222.3 |
220.8 |
|
Sow live weight loss during lactation (kg) |
30.1 |
20.3 |
|
Number of piglets weaned per sow |
8.0 |
9.2 |
|
Litter initial weight (kg) |
12.5 |
12.5 |
|
Litter weight at weaning (kg) |
64.6 |
73.9 |
|
Litter weight gain (kg) |
52.1 |
61.3 |
|
Litter daily weight gain (kg) |
1.9 |
2.3 |
Conclusions
The addition of Actisaf Sc 47 in the feed of sows during the final 10 days of gestation and the whole of lactation resulted in sows losing less weight and a significanlty higher number of piglets being weaned per sow. Litter weight at weaning and litter weight gain was also significantly higher in the treated group as was the litter daily weight gain.