The Effects of Lactic Acid on Gut Health, Growth Performance and Feed Utilization In Post Weaned Piglets

Author

Muromba , Cuthbert

Title

The Effects of Lactic Acid on Gut Health, Growth Performance and Feed Utilization In Post Weaned Piglets

Abstract

Gut health is among the most important factors that influence weaner pig performance, health, and feed utilization. It is well established that pigs with a healthy gut have higher growth rates, feed conversion efficiency, weight gains, and are generally healthier. This study was conducted to investigate the possible effects of lactic acid inclusion in the drinking water of weaner piglets on gut health and growth performance. This research was conducted at the Pig Industry Board of Zimbabwe (Arcturus Station) in Mashonaland East. A total of 160 weaner pigs that were five weeks old were selected from the PIB commercial and breeding sections for the research, and only healthy pigs (without abnormalities) and those from the dams that were vaccinated were selected. The weaner piglets were assigned at random to one of the four treatments: treatment 1 (5.0 ph), treatment 2 (control), treatment 3 (4.0 ph), and treatment 4 (2.0 ph), each consisting of four replications (with 10 weaners per replicate). The production performance was recorded every day from day 35 until the completion of the study on day 56. The study results showed that piglets on lactic acid treatments had reduced FCR and scouring rate (p<0.05), and increased average daily gain (p<0.05), when compared to control piglets on water only treatment. The findings of this experiment indicated that supplementing lactic acid in the drinking water of post-weaned piglets does enhance gut health and improve performance in post-weaned pigs. As a result, the researcher recommended the use of lactic acid in drinking water of post-weaned piglets at an inclusion rate of 5.0 ph as it is cheaper compared to 2.0 ph and 4.0 ph.

Date

June 2023

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Lactic acid

Performance

Weaner

Gastrointestinal.

Scouring

Supervisor

Mr. M. Dhliwayo