Effect of replacing antibiotics using multi-enzyme preparations on production performance and antioxidant activity in piglets

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of replacing antibiotics using multi-enzyme preparations on growth performance, coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility, digestive enzyme activity, and antioxidant property in piglets. A total of 160 piglets ((21.35±0.22) kg) were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments: 1) basal diet supplemented with antibiotics (AC), 2) antibiotic diet supplemented with 0.5 g kg−1 multi-enzyme preparations (AC+0.5EP), 3) antibiotic diet supplemented with 1.5 g kg−1 multi-enzyme preparations (AC+1.5EP), 4) basal diet supplemented with a half dosage of antibiotics and 1.5 g kg−1 multi-enzyme preparations (AH+1.5EP), and 5) basal diet supplemented with 1.5 g kg−1 multi-enzyme preparations (BC+1.5EP). The results showed that AC+1.5EP significantly improved the feed efficiency, apparent digestibility of ether extract (EE) and crude ash (CA), lipase activity in pancreas and duodenum content, maltase and lactase activity in jejunum and ileum mucosa, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) concentration in serum and liver, and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in serum and liver compared with piglets receiving AC (P<0.05). Piglets receiving BC+1.5EP showed no significant difference in growth performance (P>0.05) but had lower MDA concentration than piglets receiving AC (P<0.05). The apparent digestibility of EE and crude fiber (CF), duodenal lipase activity, jejunum mucosa maltase, and ileum mucosa lactase activity of piglets receiving AH+1.5EP or BC+1.5EP were significantly improved compared with piglets receiving AC (P<0.05). These results indicated an additive growth promotion effect between antibiotics and multi-enzyme preparations on piglets, and the multi-enzyme preparations may be used as substitutes for antibiotics for improving piglet production performance and health status.