Effect of direct-fed microbial on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal noxious gas emission, fecal microbial flora and diarrhea score in weanling pigs

• We used 168 weanling pigs to evaluate effects of L. reuteri and L. plantarum complex.
• 0.1% probiotics complex increased ATTD of N, GE, and fecal Lactobacillus concentration.
• Decreased fecal gas emission, diarrhea score, and E. coli concentration were observed.
• Further study need to focus on various concentrations of lactobacilli and growth phases.

AbatractA total of 168 weanling pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an average body weight of 7.90 ± 0.92 kg (28 d of age) were used in a 28-d trial to determine the effects of dietary Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus plantarum complex supplementation on different parameters of piglets after weanling. Pigs were allotted randomly to 1–4 dietary treatments: (1) negative control (NC), basal diet, (2) positive control (PC), NC + 0.01% apramycin, (3) NC + 0.1% probiotics (L. reuteri and L. plantarum complex) (RP1), and (4) NC + 0.2% probiotics (RP2). There were 7 pens per treatment with 6 pigs/pen (3 gilts and 3 barrows). From d 0 to 14, pigs fed PC diet had a greater (P<0.05) average daily gain (ADG) than pigs fed NC diet. During the overall period, pigs fed PC and RP1 diets had a greater (P<0.05) ADG than pigs fed NC diet. On d 14, the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nitrogen (N) for pigs fed PC diet was greater (P<0.05) than pigs fed NC, RP1, and RP2 diets. At the end of the experiment, pigs fed RP1 and RP2 diets had a greater (P<0.05) ATTD of N and gross energy (GE) compared with pigs fed NC diet. Additionally, pigs fed PC diet had a greater (P<0.05) ATTD of N compared with pigs fed NC diet. Fecal Escherichia coli concentration was decreased (P<0.05) in pigs fed PC and RP1 diets, whereas Lactobacillus concentration was increased (P<0.05) in pigs fed RP1 diet compared with NC diet. Diarrhea score was lower (P<0.05) in RP1 treatment compared with NC treatment. On d 5, fecal total mercaptans emission was lower (P<0.05) in PC, RP1, and RP2 treatments compared with NC treatment, and the lowest (P<0.05) was observed in RP1 treatment. On d 10, ammonia and total mercaptans emissions were decreased (P<0.05) by PC, RP1, and RP2 treatments compared with NC treatment. Hydrogen sulfide emission was lower (P<0.05) in RP1 treatment compared with NC treatment. In conclusion, direct-fed 0.1% L. reuteri and L. plantarum complex (1 × 109 cfu/kg) improved N and GE digestibility, increased fecal Lactobacillus concentration, decreased diarrhea score, fecal noxious gas emission, and E. coli concentration in weanling pigs.