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Effect on weaner pig performance and diet microbiology of feeding a liquid diet acidified to pH 4 with either lactic acid or through fermentation with Pediococcus acidilactici
Author(s) -
Geary Tina M,
Brooks Peter H,
Beal Jane D,
Campbell Alastair
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0010(19990315)79:4<633::aid-jsfa231>3.0.co;2-l
Subject(s) - pediococcus acidilactici , fermentation , lactic acid , food science , food spoilage , pediococcus , chemistry , biology , zoology , bacteria , lactobacillus , genetics , lactobacillus plantarum
The effect of feeding newly weaned pigs acidified liquid diets wasinvestigated. The control diet was acidified to about pH 4 withlactic acid (LA). A second diet of the same formulation wasacidified to about pH 4 by fermentation with Pediococcusacidilactici (PA). Forty‐eight weaner pigs(weight 7 kg±1 kg, age 24±4 days) wereallocated to the two dietary treatments according to a randomisedblock design and fed ad libitum for 28 days. Food intake,daily gain and water intake were recorded, and a microbial assessmentof the liquid diet was conducted. Reducing pH<4.0 in either of theliquid diets was effective in eliminating coliform bacteria. Therewere no significant differences in any of the performance parametersmeasured. The average daily liveweight gain overall was 474 and496±17.8 g d −1 for PA and LA, respectively,with a feed conversion ratio overall of 1.15 and 1.11±0.025for PA and LA, respectively. Fermentation of liquid diets for newlyweaned piglets could provide a more cost effective means ofacidifying diets than the use of organic acids. Reducing the pH ofthe liquid diet to 4.00 by fermentation with Pediococcusacidilactici was a cost effective method of eliminatingenteropathogens and spoilage organisms from the diet. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry