An optimised weaning diet is essential for successful weaning. Effective strategies involve highly digestible feedstuffs combined with additives that enhance digestion and support intestinal health. Consequently, a study was performed on a conventional integrated farm in Denmark using Danbred crossbred piglets that were weaned at 25 days old. The farm, which previously used diets with medicinal doses of zinc, sought an alternative approach. The objective was to manage post-weaning diarrhoea and maintain performance levels comparable to their standard zinc-containing diet by introducing a new diet comprising highly digestible feedstuffs and additives like Bacillus sp PB6 and a mixture of encapsulated organic acids and essential oils.
The trial began at the weaning stage and lasted for 43 days, with 538 pigs on the standard feed and 534 pigs on the new diet. The study focused on smaller piglets, whose average body weights at weaning were 4.2 kg in the standard group and 4.1 kg in the new diet group. The piglets were initially housed in baby rooms for 14 days post-weaning before being transferred to standard weaning rooms. Measurements included occurrences of diarrhea, average daily gain (ADG), feed intake, and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR).
Neither group needed medical intervention. The new diet group exhibited a trend towards higher average daily gain during the first two weeks after weaning (198 g/day compared to 173 g/day). Feed efficiency was significantly improved in the new diet group (1.78 vs. 1.96 FUp/kg gain), with the smallest piglets showing the most positive response, indicating that the new diet is particularly beneficial for very small piglets post-weaning.
|
Aspect |
Standard Diet |
New Diet |
|
Location |
Conventional integrated farm in Denmark |
|
|
Piglet Breed |
Danbred crossbred |
|
|
Weaning Age |
25 days |
|
|
Study Duration |
43 days |
|
|
Number of Piglets |
538 |
534 |
|
Average Body Weight at Weaning |
4.2 kg |
4.1 kg |
|
Medical Treatment Required |
None |
None |
|
Average Daily Gain |
173 g/day |
198 g/day |
|
Feed Conversion Ratio |
1.96 FUp/kg gain |
1.78 FUp/kg gain |
Piglets receiving the new diet performed as well as, or even better than, those on the conventional diet containing medical zinc. The research indicated that employing easily digestible feed ingredients, combined with additives such as Bacillus PB6 and coated organic acids with essential oils, contributes to maintaining gut health. This approach facilitates a smoother weaning process without the reliance on medical zinc and antibiotics.
