title: Bacteriophage cocktail and multi-strain probiotics in the feed for weanling pigs: effects on intestine morphology and targeted intestinal coliforms and Clostridium.
abstract: Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of bacteriophage cocktail, probiotics and a combination of these two supplements on performance and gut health of weanling pigs. In Experiment 1, 150 weaned piglets were randomly allotted to three treatments on the basis of BW. The dietary treatments included a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg bacteriophage cocktail. Pigs fed 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg bacteriophage product had greater (P<0.05) average daily gain (ADG), apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter from day 22 to 35, ileal Lactobacillus spp., villus height (duodenum and jejunum), and fewer coliforms (ileum) and Clostridium spp. (ileum). In Experiment 2, 200 weaned piglets were randomly allotted to four treatments. Dietary treatments included basal diet, basal diet supplemented with 3.0 g/kg fermented probiotic product (P), 1.0 g/kg bacteriophage cocktail (B) and combination of 1.0 g/kg bacteriophage cocktail and 3.0 g/kg fermented probiotic product. Pigs fed bacteriophage cocktail diets had greater (P<0.05) overall ADG, gain to feed ratio (G : F), fecal score from day 8 to day 21, and pigs fed bacteriophage cocktail diets had fewer coliforms (ileum) Clostridium spp. (ileum and cecum). Probiotics significantly increased G : F, colonization of Lactobacillus spp. in ileum. At day 35, bacteriophage treatment group showed greater (P<0.05) villus height of the duodenum, but a deeper crypt in duodenum. The present results indicate that the bacteriophage cocktail had a potential to enhance the performance and gut health of weanling pigs, however their combination with probiotics did not show an interaction.
authors.affiliation: 1Southern Research and Outreach Center,University of Minnesota,Waseca,MN 56093,USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: 2College of Animal Life Sciences,Kangwon National University,Chuncheon,200-701,Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hosseindoust
authors.affiliation: 2College of Animal Life Sciences,Kangwon National University,Chuncheon,200-701,Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: 2College of Animal Life Sciences,Kangwon National University,Chuncheon,200-701,Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: 2College of Animal Life Sciences,Kangwon National University,Chuncheon,200-701,Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: 3CTC Bio Inc.,Seoul,138-858,Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: 2College of Animal Life Sciences,Kangwon National University,Chuncheon,200-701,Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: I K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: 2College of Animal Life Sciences,Kangwon National University,Chuncheon,200-701,Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Chae
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology*; D001435:Bacteriophages; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion / Q000187:drug effects; D005243:Feces; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013552:Swine
keywords: bacteriophage; intestinal morphology; microflora; probiotics; weanling pigs