Effect of medium chain fatty acids and benzoic acid, as alternatives for antibiotics, on growth and some gut parameters in piglets
Dierick, N.; Michiels, J.; Van Nevel, C.
Communications in Agricultural and Applied Biological Sciences 69(2): 187-190
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 1379-1176 PMID: 15560218 Document Number: 312
This study was conducted to investigate the mode of action of medium chain fatty acid (MFA) and benzoic acid by studying their influence on the gastrointestinal flora and gut health of newly weaned piglets. A group of 21 crossbred piglets, weaned at 4 weeks of age and with a mean liveweight of 8.67 kg was divided in 3 homogenous subgroups of 7 animals. Each subgroup was fed and received one of the 3 experimental diets: control diet (C); 2.4% medium chain triglycerides (MCT) and 0.1% lipase diet (MCT); and 1.0% benzoic acid diet (B). It was observed that the average liveweight gain and feed conversion ratio (0-11 or 12 days postweaning) of piglets fed with C, MCT and B were 234 g and 1.39, 278 g and 1.29, and 297 g and 1.32, respectively, and the differences were not significant. Feeding the MCT diet resulted to lower bacterial counts, including the favourable lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, while B did not affect the bacterial flora. This agrees with the bactericidal concentrations of free MCFA amounting to 4.1 g/kg of gastric contents with the MCT diet. When compared with the C diet, lactate concentration in the proximal jejunum, distal jejunum and caecum were considerably lower when MCT diet was fed, while B diet had no influence at all. The MCT diet resulted in changes in caecal parameters wherein the amount of SCFA was increased and fermentation pattern was influenced. The molar percentage of acetate was also increased to the detriment of propionate and valerate, while butyrate remained unchanged. It is concluded that MCFA released in situ in the piglet foregut reduced the bacterial load with positive influences on performance. Improving the barrier effect of the stomach by releasing bactericidal MCFA concentrations have an impact on the microbial load in the hindgut.
Document emailed within 1 workday
