Homeopathic products (HP) are a preventive and therapeutic alternative in pig farming. This study evaluated the effect of the concentration of dietary HP on performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and plasma metabolites of growing-finishing pigs. A total of 60 crossbred male pigs (Agroceres PIC × DanBred), immunocastrated at 90 and 120 days old, with an initial BW of 30.71 ± 2.60 kg were allocated in a completely randomized design to three treatments: i) control diet (CT), without HP), ii) CT + HP1 (Figotonus® and Sanoplus®) (1 g/kg of diet), and iii) CT + HP2 (Figotonus and Sanoplus) (2 g/kg of diet). The results indicate that pigs fed diets containing HP2 had a greater average daily gain compared with those fed the control diet, although a higher feed efficiency was observed when pigs were fed the HP1 diet. Animals fed the HP2 diet showed a slight increase in initial postmortem pH in the Longissimus dorsi muscle compared to the control group. Pigs fed HP2 showed a higher initial temperature in the L. dorsi than those fed the control diet. However, there was no effect on plasma metabolite concentration. Based on the results of the present study, the HP1 diet enhanced the performance of finishing pigs without negative effects on meat traits and plasma metabolites.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of calcitic seaweed (CS), calcitic limestone (CL) and monodicalcium phosphate (DP) fed to piglets in various combinations on their gastrointestinal tract and bones. A total of 128 piglets (21 days old, 5.50 ± 0.49 kg bodyweight (BW) were assigned to treatments in a randomized complete block design and eight replications to one of four diets: D1: with CL + DP, D2: with CL, CS + DP, D3, similar to D2, but with 30% less calcium from CS and DP, and D4: with CS + DP. Treatments affected the metatarsal bones, mineral concentration in the heart and liver, and pH in the cecum and colon.Piglets fed D4 tended to have a greater Enterobacteriaceae count in the jejunum and ileum compared withD1 (4.82 vs 4.79 CFU/g). Piglets fed D1 and D3 had a greater Enterobacteriaceae count in their cecum than D4 (4.79 and 4.80 vs 4.76). The D2 and D1 treatments produced greater crypt depth (CD) in the duodenum and ileum compared with D3 and D4, respectively. Feeding D3 resulted in a greater villus height (VH) to CD ratio in the duodenum compared with D2 and showed a 24.5% increase in heart weight compared with fed D1. In conclusion, CS could be an alternative source of calcium source for piglets. The inconsistent findings of the present study suggest the need for further studies to better understand the interplay of effects of Ca2+ source and level on its metabolism.