Angelito O. Abaoag | Hazel L. Gaza | Luna M. N. Aguirre | Caezar R. Esquivel | Alfred E. K. Chua
Discipline: Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science
The effect of prebiotic-enhanced probiotic (PRO) on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of pigs was determined, and compared to ractopamine (RAC). A total of 420 70-day-old pigs were randomly selected from a one-thousand sow farm, and segregated into three groups of four pens. The group A pigs were fed with PRO at 0.05 % in feeds; group B pigs were fed with approved RAC at 0.005 % in feeds; group C pigs were neither fed with RAC nor PRO. Initial and final weights, feed consumed and mortality per pen were recorded before sending the pigs to the abattoir, where different carcass characteristics were measured. Average daily weight gain (ADG) was calculated to adjust the final weight at 160 days. Subsequently, feed conversion ratio (FCR) per pen was derived. Statistical analysis demonstrated that pigs fed with PRO had final weight and ADG that were superior (P_0.01) than pigs fed with RAC and the control. The significant improvement in ADG with PRO did not come at the expense of increasing feed cost, as FCR among all the groups was not significantly different (P>0.05). The hot carcass weight, carcass length and back fat thickness were also significantly different among the three groups (P_0.05). The study concludes that as a direct-fed microbial licensed in several Asian countries, PRO offers a relatively safer alternative where growth enhancing drugs are banned.
ISSN 2619-7731 (Online)
ISSN 2094-8271 (Print)
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