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Effects of composite antimicrobial peptide on growth performance and health in weaned piglets
Author(s) -
Shi Jiankai,
Zhang Pan,
Xu Meng meng,
Fang Zhengfeng,
Lin Yan,
Che Lianqiang,
Feng Bin,
Li Jian,
Li Gang,
Wu De,
Xu Shengyu
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1111/asj.12933
Subject(s) - zoology , dry matter , weight gain , bifidobacterium , biology , diarrhea , antimicrobial , basal (medicine) , lactobacillus , body weight , chemistry , food science , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , fermentation , insulin
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of composite antimicrobial peptide ( CAP ) on growth performance and health status in weaned piglets. Over 28 days, 36 weaned piglets (body weight, 10.58 ± 0.99 kg) underwent three treatments: negative control ( NC , basal diet), positive control ( PC , basal diet + 20 mg/kg colistin sulphate + 50 mg/kg kitasamycin), and CAP treatment ( CAP , basal diet with 400 mg/kg CAP ). Average daily gain of piglets fed the CAP diet was greater ( P < 0.05) than that of piglets fed the PC or NC diet during days 1–7, 8–14 and 15–21. Diarrhea rates of piglets fed the CAP or PC diet were lower ( P < 0.05) than those of NC ‐fed piglets during days 1–7. Apparent total tract digestibility for dry matter and crude ash in CAP ‐fed piglets was greater ( P < 0.05) than that of NC ‐fed piglets. In the CAP group, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium counts were greater ( P < 0.05) and Escherichia coli counts were lower ( P < 0.05) than numbers for the NC group. Our results indicate that dietary CAP had beneficial effects on growth performance and health status in weaned piglets.