Influences of Plant Extract Supplementation on Performance and Blood Characteristics in Weaned Pigs

Abstract

One hundred and twenty crossbred pigs [(Duroc×Yorkshire)×Landrace] were used to determine the effects of plant extract (PE) supplementation on performance and blood characteristics in weaned pigs fed a corn-dried whey-SBM based diet. Treatments were 1) NC (antibiotic free basal diet), 2) PC (NC diet+100 ppm apramycin and 100 ppm oxytetracycline), 3) PE 0.1 (NC diet+0.1% plant extract), 4) PE 0.2 (NC diet+0.2% plant extract) and 5) PE+AB (PC diet+0.1% plant extract). Through the entire experimental period, ADG of pigs fed PC (300 vs. 281 g/d), PE 0.2 (310 vs. 281 g/d) and PE+AB (306 vs. 281 g/d) diets was higher than that of pigs fed NC diet (p<0.05). However, no differences were found among the treatments for ADFI and gain/feed. At day 2 after the onset of the experiment, fecal consistency score of pigs fed PC, PE 0.1, PE 0.2 and PE+AB diets was lower than that of pigs fed NC diet. There were no significant differences in red blood cell, white blood cell, lymphocytes, neutrophils and monocytes concentrations of blood among the treatments. In conclusion, PE can be used to replace antibiotics in diets for weaned pigs without negative affects on performance. Optimal PE levels seemed to be 0.2% and the results obtained point out to a synergic effect of the combination of PE and antibiotic on performance in weaned pigs.

Influence of essential oil supplementation and diets with different nutrient densities on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics, meat quality and fecal noxious gas content in grower–finisher pigs

“…Results suggest that EO improved the ADG and G/F during the grower phase, which was in agreement with Hong et al (2004), who reported that the ADG of pigs fed 2 or 3% botanical extracts were significantly improved when compared to those of pigs fed diets without botanical supplementation. However, such an effect was not observed in the residual period in the present study, which may have been due to the more developed digestive system, improved immunity, and increased resistance to intestinal disorders as pig become older (Nousiainen and Setala, 1993).…”

“…Accordingly, many studies have been conducted to identify alternatives to antibiotics as growth promoters in the animal industry (Hong et al, 2004;Cho et al, 2006). One such alternative, essential oils (EO), which are also referred as volatile or ethereal oils, are aromatic oily liquids acquired from plant materials (flowers, buds, seed, leaves, twigs, bark, herbs, woods, fruits, and roots) that are generally recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).…”

Effects of microencapsulated organic acids and essential oils on growth performance and intestinal flora in weanling pigs

“…Supplementation of essential oils also improves growth performance (Simonson, 2004;Windisch et al ., 2008;Dalkiliç and Güler, 2009) and decreases fecal scores (Hong et al ., 2004) because of its antimicrobial effects (Dorman and Deans, 2000).…”

Effects of Herbiotic FS supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profiles, and faecal scores in weanling pigs

“…During the last decades, phytogenic feed additives have been wildly used as an alternative to antibiotics because of their plant-derived property and growth-promoting effects (Hong et al 2004;Wang et al 2007;Wang et al 2008;Windisch et al 2008;Jang et al 2010;Ao et al 2011). Valchev et al (2009) demonstrated that herbal extracts (150 mg/kg) in pig diet could increase growth performance, feed efficiency, and immune-related blood characteristics.…”