Effects of homeopathic remedy supplementation on performance, blood parameters, and behavior of pigs under vaccination and regrouping stress conditions.

Abstract

In the modern swine production systems, pigs are often challenged with regrouping and vaccination, which may negatively affect growth performance and behavior of pigs. The objective was to test the hypothesis that a supplemental homeopathic remedy enhances growth performance in nursery pigs by improving hematological parameters and reducing stress from vaccination and regrouping. In a 28-day feeding experiment, 94 pigs with an initial mean body weight of 16.5 kg (SD = 1.7) were allotted to three dietary treatments. The basal diet was mainly based on corn, soybean meal, fish meal, and dried whey. Two additional diets were prepared by supplementing 0.1% or 0.2% of the homeopathic remedy to the basal diet at the expense of limestone. Feed disappearance of each pen was recorded daily, and body weight was measured weekly. On day 14, all pigs were vaccinated intramuscularly at the neck against classical swine fever. On day 21, a barrow and a gilt from each pen were moved to the other pen within the same treatment for regrouping. Pig behavior was recorded on days 0, 14, and 21 and categorized into 10 specific behaviors and grouped into three categories: mild, active, and aggressive behaviors. On day 21, blood samples were collected from the jugular vein of a barrow and a gilt per pen. The growth performance and blood parameters of the pigs were not affected by the supplemental homeopathic remedy during the entire experimental period. On day 21, the proportion of active behavior of the pigs fed the diet supplemented with 0.1% of homeopathic remedy was higher (p < 0.05) than that of the pigs fed the basal diet. When behavior data on days 0, 14, and 21 were combined, supplemental homeopathic remedy at 0.1% increased (p < 0.05) the proportion of active behavior of the pigs but 0.2% of homeopathic remedy did not affect the behavior of pigs. In conclusion, the homeopathic remedy can change the active behavior of pigs without major changes in growth performance or blood parameters.