title: Effects of Thymus vulgaris L. as feed additive in piglets and against haemolytic E. coli in vitro.
abstract: The aim of the study was to test Thymi herba (1.66% v/w essential oil with 39% p-cymene and 32% thymol) in the rearing period of piglets as feed additive. Therefore, two feeding trials were performed with piglet groups ranging from 17 to 22 animals each. Either 10 g of Thymi herba/kg feed (Thymi herba group), 10 mg flavophospholipol/kg feed (flavophospholipol group) or nothing (control group) was added to the animals' feed. No significant differences in the performance parameter daily weight gain among any groups were recorded. No differences concerning feed efficiency or isolation of haemolytic E. coli serotypes were shown. In addition, the antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Thymi herba against 39 haemolytic E. coli isolates from the same weaners was investigated in vitro by disk diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration and bactericidal concentration testing. In contrast to the feeding results, the essential oil of the thyme batch fed showed antibacterial activity against all haemolytic E. coli investigated. This interesting antibacterial potential of Thymi herba prompts further investigations as to its value as feed additive.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Applied Botany, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria. martina.jugl@vu-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jugl-Chizzola
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spergser
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schilcher
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bucher
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gabler
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hagmüller
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zitterl-Eglseer
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology; D046930:Thymus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D010938:Plant Oils