The impacts of in-feed antibiotics, a unique organic acid blend, or an in-feed acidifier on nursery pig performance

摘要

Due to socio-economic pressures and a changing regulatory landscape, the interest in effective feed additive alternatives to in-feed antibiotic supplementation in nursery pigs after weaning has increased. Elarom-F Plus (Seiko Feed Additives; Trouw Nutrition) is a commercially available blend of short chain fatty acids (SC-FAs), medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and slow release organic acids. Previous studies have demonstrated that the components present in Elarom-F Plus can help stabilize the microbiota of pigs and may improve gut barrier function.'2 Additionally, it is regularly recommended that starter diets for weaned pigs include an acidification component to aid in digestion.3 Combiacid (Nu-treco Canada) is a commercially available dry acidifier containing a blend of inorganic and organic acids. An integrated nutritional approach supports overall pig performance and could potentially be an effective strategy in antibiotic-free production systems. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a dry acidifier and/or an organic acid blend product with in-feed antibiotics.