title: Effects of dietary supplementation of fermented garlic powder on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility, blood characteristics and faecal microbial concentration in weanling pigs.
abstract: A total of 144 weanling pigs (5.5 ± 0.42 kg) were used in a 5-week trial to evaluate the effect of fermented garlic powder (FGP) supplementation in weaning pigs. Pigs were randomly allocated to the following four dietary treatments: (i) control (CON; basal diet), (ii) FGP0.5 (CON + 0.5 g/kg FGP), (iii) FGP1 (CON + 1 g/kg FGP), (iv) FGP2 (CON + 2 g/kg FGP). There were six replications with six pigs (three barrows and three gilts) per pen. Pigs fed FGP0.5 treatments increased (p < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) during 3-5 and 0-5 week. No difference was observed on gain/ feed (G/F) ratio in this study. The inclusion of FGP1 and FGP2 treatments increased DM (p < 0.05) digestibility compared with the CON treatment throughout the experiment. The apparent total tract digestibility of N was (p < 0.05) increased by the dietary FGP throughout the experiment. Pigs fed FGP1 and FGP2 treatments increased the lymphocyte concentration (p < 0.05) and RBC concentration compared with the CON group. Dietary FGP decreased the blood total cholesterol (p < 0.05) in comparison with the CON group. The triglyceride (p < 0.05) concentration was decreased in FGP1 and FGP2 treatments compared with those in the CON treatment at the end of the experiment. Pigs fed FGP1 and FGP2 treatments had a lower number of Escherichia coli in faeces on 21 (p < 0.05) and 35 days (p = 0.05) than those in the CON treatment. In conclusion, dietary fermented garlic powder (0.5 g/kg) can improve ADG and ADFI in weanling pigs, but not at higher levels (1 and 2 g/kg). Dietary fermented garlic powder can also increase the nutrient digestibility, lymphocytes and RBC concentrations, but decrease the faecal E. coli concentration in weaning pigs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Resource and Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, Choongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D013552:Swine / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*