| Popis: |
This study aimed to investigate the effects of monoglycerides on growth performance and diarrhea of weanling pigs experimentally infected with Escherichia coli (E. coli) F18. Sixty weaned pigs [body weight (BW) = 6.49 ± 0.74 kg; around 21 d old] were individually housed and fed with 1 of 4 diets (15 replicates/diet): 1) control diet (CON); 2) CON+0.3% monoglycerides; 3) CON+3000 mg/kg ZnO and 4) CON+50 mg/kg antibiotics (carbadox). The experiment lasted 28 d with 7 d before and 21 d after first inoculation (d 0). All piglets were orally challenged with F18 E. coli (1010 CFU/3 mL) for 3 consecutive days. Growth performance was measured, and diarrhea scores were recorded daily throughout the experiment. Fecal swabs were collected on d 2, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21 post-inoculation (PI) to estimate the percentage of β-hemolytic coliforms. Data were analyzed by ANOVA using PROC MIXED of SAS with randomized complete block design. Supplementation of ZnO increased (P < 0.05) BW on d 5, 14, and 21 PI, and average daily gain and average daily feed intake from d 0 to 21 PI, compared with other treatments. Both monoglycerides and antibiotics did not affect growth performance throughout the experiment. Compared with CON, supplementation of ZnO or antibiotics reduced (P < 0.05) the incidence and severity of diarrhea, while supplementation of monoglycerides tended to have less (P < 0.10) severity of diarrhea throughout the experiment. The addition of ZnO reduced (P < 0.05) the percentage of β-hemolytic coliforms in feces on d 5 PI compared with CON. No differences were observed in the severity of diarrhea and percentage of β-hemolytic coliforms among monoglycerides, ZnO, and antibiotics. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 0.3% monoglycerides did not enhance growth rate but may reduce diarrhea severity of weaned pigs infected with E. coli F18. |
