PHOTO: FRAMELCO
PIGLET HEAL ▶▶▶TH
In order to re- duce the effect of E. coli in weaner pigs, a combination of strategies is recommended.
is required. However, as the solution seems to be farm-specif- ic, it remains a real challenge to come up with a solution to prevent post-weaning diarrhoea.
Problems with post-weaning diarrhoea Feed additives manufacturer Framelco has designed a farm-specific solution for a Belgian farm which is known to have problems with E. coli and post-weaning diarrhoea. The feed formulation was optimised and a crude protein level of 17% was used in both the control group and the treatment group. Piglets in the control group received therapeutic high-level zinc oxide during the first two weeks after weaning. The piglets in the treatment group received, during the first two weeks after weaning, a specific blend of alpha-mono- glycerides, hydrolysed lecithins and glycerides of butyric acid. In the following five weeks, the piglets in the control group did not receive any feed additives, whereas the piglets in the treatment group received a small amount of glycer- ides of butyric acid. After seven weeks, the average final body weight was 0.5 kg higher in the piglets receiving the farm-specific solution (see
32 ▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 35, No. 10, 2019
Table 1). Average daily growth rate was increased by almost 3.4%. Moreover, feed intake was slightly higher in the treat- ment group, resulting in almost two points better feed con- version ratio (FCR) for the piglets in the treatment group. Un- fortunately, diarrhoea problems were not solved in either of the groups. In both groups antibiotics had to be used, but the amount of medicinal treatments in the control group was clearly higher compared to the treatment group (47.1% versus 29.2%, respectively).
Applying the treatment Although the application cost of the farm-specific solution was higher than the use of medicinal levels of zinc oxide, the performace of the piglets in the treatment group improved, as indicated by higher final body weights and improved FCR, resulting in more revenue and a positive return on investment (ROI). Based on these results one can conclude that a solution has been found to replace medicinal levels of zinc without com- promising animal performance or increasing the use of medication.
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