NUTRITION ▶▶▶
• Control (no water acidifier); and • A water acidifier was included (Selko-pH, a blend of free and buffered organic acids). It was added at a dose to reach a wa- ter pH of 3.8 and supplied to piglets over the entire nursery period (five to six weeks).
Figure 2 - Production of hydrochloric acid (HCl) according to the age of the piglets.
100 90 80 70 60
50 40 30 20 10 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Age in weeks
Figure 3 - Growth performance improvement in weaned piglets with a blend of free and buffered organic acids* relative to the control group.
8.3 5.8% 4.0 8
The raw data of individual studies were integrated and the ef- fect of treatment on overall performance was analysed using mixed models in SAS. Water intake data from four studies were also analysed.
Key takeaways from the studies The water acidifier had a significant effect on the growth per- formance of nursery piglets. Relative to the control treatment, the final body weight (+5.8%, p<0.0001) and average daily gain (+8.3%, p<0.0001) increased, whereas the feed conver- sion ratio decreased (-1.3%, p=0.001) when the acidifier was supplemented. These improvements were driven mainly by higher water in- take (+0.59 litre/day, 2.70 vs 2.11 litre/day) and feed intake of piglets in the acidifier group (Figure 3).
HCI production 9 10 11 12 1.3
Final body weight
Average daily gain
* Selko-pH, Trouw Nutrition
Figure 4 - Effect of water acidification on stomach pH of piglets at day 42.
3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7
2.8 2.9 3
Control * Selko-pH, Trouw Nutrition. 38 Acidifier* 3.58
Average daily feed intake
FCR
The effect of water acidifier on stomach pH In a separate meta-analysis, three studies performed at the Trouw Nutrition Swine Research Centre in the Netherlands evaluated the effect of water acidification on stomach pH. A total of 332 weaned piglets (7.5kg initial body weight, 24 days of age) were divided into two groups. Piglets in the treatment group were supplied with the acidifier for a period of six weeks. At the end of the study, pH of the stomach was measured. Piglets that received water supplemented with the acidifier tended to have a lower stomach pH compared to the control (p=0.07, Figure 4). A lower stomach pH of 2.0–3.5 is extremely important for protein digestion in young piglets. At 42 days post-weaning, the amount of HCl production nears its maxi- mum (Figure 2). A more distinct effect of the acidifier is ex- pected in the first two to three weeks post-weaning when HCl production is lower. Protein is further digested by pancreatic proteases, such as trypsin in the small intestine. Like pepsin, trypsin concentra- tion is low during the first days after weaning. A 2018 study performed by Hunan Agricultural University, China in collabo- ration with Trouw Nutrition found that water acidification with the acidifier resulted in significantly improved trypsin activity in the jejunum of weaned piglets compared to a control group (+1.5%, 1485.7 vs 1508 UI, p<0.05).
3.1
The benefits of a proper stomach pH As weaning stress leads to decreased feed intake, growth per- formance can be compromised. Protein digestion is optimal when the pH of the stomach is between 2.0 and 3.5. Various physiological factors can make it challenging to achieve these pH levels in the stomachs of newly weaned piglets. This meta-analysis showed that supplementing water with Selko- pH reduced stomach pH in weaned piglets and, as a result, improved piglet growth performance.
References available upon request. ▶ PIG PROGRESS | Volume 37, No. 2, 2021
Stomach pH
HCl production in %
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