In an experiment with 33 first-litter sows from day 90 of pregnancy to day 28 of lactation, the influence of a probiotic supplementation on weight performance, feed intake, litter sizes, litter weights, health status and microbiological profile was tested. Enterococcus faecium DSM 7134 was supplemented in a concentration of 5 x 10(8) CFU/kg feed to the gestation and lactation diets of gilts. The supplemented sows showed a significant higher improvement of feed intake (4.16 vs. 3.71 kg/day), litter size (9.2 vs. 7.7 piglets) and weight performance. The average live weight of the probiotic sows at day 28 of lactation was 11 kg higher than of the controls. The bacterial counts/g faeces (lactobacilli, Gram-positive anaerobes, Gram-negative anaerobes, Escherichia coli and enterococci) and the incidence of adhesive and haemolytic E. coli organisms revealed no significant differences between the sows of the two groups or their piglets. While the litter size cannot necessarily be assumed as a primary effect of the probiotic supplementation, the significantly better feed intake and weight performance might be partly due to the probiotic use and can prevent "starvation sterility" of young sows after their first litter caused by reduced feed intake during lactation with high mobilization of body tissue accompanied with lack of energy.

The aim of the present investigation was to examine the inclusion of the dried herb Echinacea purpurea (L.) MOENCH as feed additive in diets of sows, piglets, and grower/finisher pigs on growth performance, blood picture, plasma enzymes including proliferation of lymphocytes, antibody status, and protein and immune globulin content of colostrum. The control groups were supplemented with alfalfa meal. The sows (total 36) received 0%, 1.2%, or 3.6% Echinacea cobs in the diet from day 85 to day 110 of gestation and 0%, 0.5%, or 1.5% Echinacea cobs up to day 28 of lactation. No significant differences were found for growth performance, weight loss, blood picture, plasma enzymes, and colostrum composition. Performance of the sucking piglets was not impaired either during lactation or during a 4 week observation period after weaning. The health status was similar in all treatment groups. In a second experiment, lasting 6 weeks, with 36 piglets (5.8-22.1 kg body weight), 1.8% Echinacea cobs, or 20 mg/kg feed Flavomycin were supplemented. No significant differences were found for the recorded parameters. Feed conversion ratio (kg feed/kg gain) of the Echinacea group was slightly (4%) increased (1.54 vs. 1.60). In a third trial, 48 grower/finisher pigs were used during a 9-week experimental period with two supplementation phases (weeks 1-3 and weeks 7-9). The experimental groups received 0%, 1.5% cobs or 4-6 ml pressed juice (commercial standard) per day respectively. Vaccination with Swine erysipelas was implemented in weeks 1 and 5 to determine the specific immune response. Growth performance and blood picture for all groups were similar, however, feed conversion of both Echinacea supplemented groups was significantly (p < 0.03) better than of the unsupplemented control group (2.44 vs. 2.51). In addition, the Swine erysipelas antibodies showed a marked significance (p < 0.05) in regard of altitude in both supplemented groups. It is concluded, that E. purpurea might be used as a feed additive to achieve immune stimulating efficiency in pig production and increase feed-to-gain-conversion. The efficiency of cobs is comparable to a commercial juice product.

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-Two trials, each with 48 growing-finishing pigs (30-120 kg), were carried out to evaluate the effect of 25.9% and 16.2% of canola meal in the grower and finisher diets, respectively, and the effect of diets containing 20% sweet lupin (L. luteus or L. angustifolius) with and without enzyme supplementation (Rovabio  Excel AP) on growth performance and carcass characteristics. The diets were isoenergetic and considered adequate for protein and amino acids with fixed ratios of limiting amino acids calculated on an apparent ileal digestibility basis. In the canola diets, the glucosinolate content was 2.2 and 1.3 mmol·kg -1 in grower and finisher diets, respectively. The experiment with canola meal showed a significantly better performance in the canola groups than in the control group in the growing period. In the finishing period, the canola groups showed smaller daily gain than the control group. This indicates that the impact of glucosinolates may increase over time and that the content of canola products in the finishing period must be reevaluated in this respect. In the finishing diet, the content should not exceed 0.9 mmol·kg -1 feed. The results of the trial with lupin showed higher daily gains (958, 932, 947, 943 vs. 896 g·day -1 ) and better feed conversion ratio (2.03, 2.06, 2.07 vs. 2.13 kg feed per kg gain) in the growing period. It is suggested that the inclusion of lupin to replace soybean meal on the ileal digestible amino acid basis is responsible for these positive results. Also, in the finisher period, a significant enzyme effect was observed in feed efficiency in the supplemented groups. The carcass characteristics were not affected by either canola content or lupin variety, or by enzyme supplementation. ou sans supplément enzymatique (Rovabio Excel AP) sur les performances de croissance et les caractéristiques des carcasses. Les régimes ont été formulés de façon que les apports énergétiques et protéiques soient adéquates avec des rapports entre acides aminés limitants définis et calculés sur la base de la digestibilité iléale apparente. Dans les régimes avec colza, la teneur en glucosinolate a été, respectivement, jusqu'à 2,2 et 1,3 mmol·kg -1 pour les périodes de croissance et de finition. Dans l'essai avec la farine de colza, les performances des porcs soumis aux régimes avec colza ont été significativement meilleures que celles des porcs du groupe témoin (sans colza) durant la période de croissance. En revanche, pendant la période de finition, les gains de poids quotidiens ont été moindres. Ceci indique que l'impact des glucosinolates peut augmenter dans le temps et que la teneur des résidus de colza dans la période de finition doit être réévaluée en conséquence. Dans le régime de finition, cette teneur ne devrait pas dépasser 0,9 mmol·kg -1 d'aliment. Dans l'essai avec les variétés de lupins doux, les gains de poids quotidiens (958, 932, 947, 943 vs. 896 g par jour) ont été supérieurs et l'indice de consommation meilleur (2,03, 2,06, 2,07 vs. 2,13 kg d'aliment par kg de gain) pen...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the precaecal and faecal digestibility of inulin (DP 10-12) and inulin/Enterococcus faecium mix, and the effects of these substances on nutrient digestibility and microbial gut flora. For the experiment four of eight male pigs were fitted with an end-to-end ileo-rectal anastomosis (IRA) with preserved ileo-caeco-colic valve. The residual pigs were used as intact partner (IN). The animals received 1.5 kg/day of a diet based on corn, wheat, barley and soybean meal, supplemented with either 8 x 10(9) CFU E. faecium/kg, 2% inulin or a mixture of both substances. The digestibility trial was carried out from weeks 4 to 8 after surgery. Precaecal digestibility of inulin was assessed to be 57%. The addition of E. faecium to the diet resulted in a similar precaecal digestibility of inulin of 55%. Supplementation of E. faecium, inulin, and a mixture of E. faecium and inulin did not affect precaecal and faecal nutrient digestibility with the exception of the precaecal digestibility of CF which increased when inulin alone was supplemented. Bacterial population in the digesta of IRA and IN pigs were not affected by the experimental diets except the concentration of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. The supplementation of E. faecium to the diet significantly decreased the concentration of bifidobacteria and the population of lactobacilli inclined to decrease when IN pigs received the probiotic diet. The combination of E. faecium and inulin prevented a reduction of enterococci in faeces of IN pigs. The daily digesta excretion (DM) tended to decrease in IRA and IN pigs when inulin was supplemented. The results indicate that inulin (DP 10-12) in pig nutrition did partly react as a prebiotic as has been confirmed for humans. A combination of E. faecium and inulin improves the survival of the probiotic strain through the upper intestinal tract and allocates the synbiotic effect. Furthermore inulin might be able to show positive effects on precaecal and faecal microbial characteristics.