EFFECTS OF FEEDING ECHINACEA PURPUREA TO NUSERY PIGS ON PERFORMANCE AND VIREMIA

摘要

Antimicrobials have been used in swine diets for decades. Antimicrobial agents are given to food animals as therapy for an infection or, in the absence of disease, for the subtherapeutic purpose of increased rate of gain and improved feed efficiency (1). The emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria has led to restrictions in their use (2). Botanicals have been used in swine diets because of their natural stimulation of the immune system and enhanced performance. Extracts from Echinacea purpurea have been shown to have immunostimulatory properties (3). Preliminary work with Echinacea fed to pigs showed improved feed efficiency and daily gain when compared to a control diet (4). Our objective was to determine the effectiveness of Echinacea purpurea on growth performance and viremia when challenged with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).