Nonruminant Nutrition: Feed Additives

A total of 150 weanling pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc, BW = 6.76 ± 0.61 kg] were used in a 42-d trial to investigate the effects of dietary Aviplus-S supplementation on growth performance, fecal score, fecal moisture, fecal pH, and blood profiles. Pigs were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 treatments according to BW. Dietary treatments were NC, basal diet (without antibiotics); PC, NC + 39 mg/kg tiamulin; AS1, NC + 0.05% Aviplus-S; AS2, NC + 0.1% Aviplus-S; AS3, NC + 0.2% Aviplus-S. Aviplus-S is based on a mixture of citric (25%) and sorbic (16.7%) acids, thymol (1.7%) and vanillin (1.0%). All pigs were housed in an environmentally controlled room and allowed ad libitum access to feed and water. All statistical analyses were conducted in accordance with a randomized complete block design, using the GLM procedures of SAS software package (1996). During d 0–7, ADFI was reduced (P < 0.05) in AS1 treatment compared with PC treatment, and G/F in AS1, AS2 and AS3 treatments were higher (P < 0.05) than those in NC and PC treatments. During d 7–21, lower (P < 0.05) ADFI was noted in AS1 and AS2 treatments than that in PC treatment, and no differences (P > 0.05) in ADG and G/F were observed among treatments. During d 21–42, pigs fed the PC diet had a higher (P < 0.05) ADG than those fed the NC diet, and the G/F was higher (P < 0.05) in PC treatment than those in NC and AS1 treatments. Overall, the ADG and G/F in PC treatment were higher (P < 0.05) than that in NC treatment. Fecal scores were reduced (P < 0.05) in AS2 treatment compared with NC treatment. Fecal moisture was unaffected (P > 0.05) by dietary treatments. Fecal pH was decreased (P < 0.05) in AS1 and AS2 treatments compared with NC treatment at d 7, and fecal pH was reduced (P < 0.05) in AS1, AS2 and AS3 treatments compared with NC and PC treatments at d 21. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed in blood profiles among dietary treatments. In conclusion, Aviplus-S could be used as an alternative for antibiotics in weanling pigs.