NUTRITION ▶▶▶


content is very low, 1,000 times lower than the copper con- tent in piglet feed permitted in the EU.


Proof of efficacy The complementary effects of the two solutions were tested on piglets at weaning and compared to a group of piglets on a diet with two antibiotics and to a control group not supple- mented with antibiotics. The effects on piglet performance and sanitary status (observed diarrhoea occurrence) were studied. At weaning (20 days of age), 144 piglets were allocated to one of three groups until the end of the starter period (69 days of age). The R&D trial was run under challenging condi- tions in order to mimic field conditions and provoke some digestive disorders. Buildings had not been cleaned before the piglets entered, piglet density was higher than recom- mended and the temperature in the building was fixed at 15°C the first day of the trial. The three groups were: • Negative control group with animals receiving a stand- ard diet (prestarter diet from 20 to 43 days and then starter diet from 44 to 69 days)


• Positive control group receiving the standard diet + 120 ppm of colistin + 800 ppm of chlortetracycline (CTC) in the prestarter diet and then non-medicated starter feed


Table 1 – Zootechnical performances. Negative control Positive control


(Colistin + CTC Live weight at 20 days (kg) 6.02


Live weight at 43 days (kg) 10.67 Live weight at 69 days (kg) Daily Feed Intake (g/d) FCR (20-43 days) FCR (43-69 days) FCR (20-69 days)


26.7 626


1.360 1.759 1.652


12.90 28.4


675.6 1.111


1.971** 1.634


* Powerjet, Wisium ** Withdrawal period of antibiotics – Animals fed with non-medicated starter diets.


Table 2 – Sanitary status of the piglets (20-43 days).


Negative control Positive control (Colistin + CTC)


Diarrhoeic episodes (%) Number of piglets with


individual medication * Powerjet, Wisium


32 ▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 36, No. 8, 2020


23 13


4 0


Combination of


plant extracts* & Copper Exchanged Clay 12 4


• Combination group receiving plant extracts + Copper Exchanged Clay in prestarter and starter diets.


Combination of plant extracts* &


from 20 to 43 days) Copper Exchanged Clay 6.01


6.02


10.91 27.2


626.7 1.329 1.727 1.609


Complementary mode of action The approach combining plant extracts (Powerjet) and Cop- per Exchanged Clay allowed intermediate results between the control and medicated groups. The actions on gut health of the two solutions are complementary: Copper Exchanged Clay acts on the modulation of gut flora, inhibiting pathogen growth; and plant extracts, by preventing intestinal inflam- mation, promote good intestinal integrity and allow energy to be saved for the production purpose. Translating a successful weaning into good performance oc- curs through proper gut health management. Nevertheless, it remains complex to level performance of a medicated feed in the prestarter period. That is why reliable nutritional spe- cialties are part of the solution in reducing antibiotic use. A holistic approach to animal nutrition and health, involving all actors in the feed value chain, is necessary to accomplish the transition. Wisium aims to propose such a comprehensive ap- proach, with a multilevel action encompassing quality con- trol, formulation, nutritional specialties, industrial support and farm-management practices to ensure good gut health, good performance and strong profitability.


Live weight at 69 days was the highest for animals receiving medication (positive control). The combination of plant ex- tracts and Copper Exchanged Clay obtained intermediate weight between negative control group and positive control group. Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) was the lowest with the plant extracts and Copper Exchanged Clay due to a normal feed intake and a better average daily gain compared to the negative control group. The FCR of the positive control group between 43 and 69 days was significantly degraded in com- parison with the combination plant extracts and Copper Ex- changed Clay (1.971 vs 1.727, see Table 1). That may be ex- plained by an additional expenditure of energy and additional nutrients following the withdrawal period of antibiotics which required a readjustment of microbiota and activated intestinal inflammation process. Regarding the sanitary status of the trial, the diarrhoea episodes and the medications were evalu- ated. In this challenged condition, the diarrhoea episodes, considered as the observation of at least one piglet showing signs of diarrhoea within a pen on a daily basis between 20 and 42 days of age, was 23% in the control piglets. The combination of plant extracts and Copper Exchanged Clay halved the diarrhoea episodes (12%) compared to the negative control group. The best result was in the medicated group, which reduced diarrhoea incidence to 4% (see Table 2). The number of piglets treated with individual medication be- cause of their health status was also drastically decreased with the combination of plant extracts and Copper Exchanged Clay compared to the control group (8% vs 27%).


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