Effectiveness of phytobiotic for prophylactic non-contagious gastrointestinal diseases in suckling piglets

Abstract

The article presents the results of prophylactic effectiveness phytobiotic feed additive XTRACT™ 6930 for non-contagious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the composition of the basic diet of suckling pigs on modern pig farm. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract make up from 40 to 60% of internal pathology in pigs. Used phytobiotic XTRACT™ 6930 with preventive measures, which had positive influence on oxygen-transport function of blood, hemoglobin synthesis and erythrocytopoesis in animals, as indicated by the number of erythrocytes, MCH and hematocrit in blood of suckling piglets from experimental group. Feeding of XTRACT™ 6930 had also positive influence on leukopoesis, as indicated by increased leukocyte rate in blood of suckling piglets from experimental group within physiological fluctuations. Increase of leukocyte rate can be caused by stimulation of non-specific resistance in piglets, which plays main role in defence of animals during early ontogenesis. As it is known, stabilization of phagocytic activity of leukocytes occurs during first months of age, when the body of pigs is able to synthesize most humoral factors of protection. Application of suckling piglets feed additive XTRACT™ 6930 for 18 days resulted in a positive impact on metabolism: increased levels of total protein, albumin, glucose serum; reduced levels of urea, phosphorus; reduced the activity of ALT, AST, ALP and GGT within physiological fluctuations. The use of phytobiotic feed additive XTRACT™ 6930 in experimental group of piglets increased the survival of piglets from experimental group in sucking period compared with control group of animals by reducing the percentage of morbidity and mortality from non-contagious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Consequently, it was established that the use XTRACT™ 6930 has positive effect on biochemical blood parameters of piglets, decreases their morbidity and mortality before weaning.