Effect of swine based probiotic on performance, diarrhoea scores, intestinal microbiota and gut health of grower-finisher crossbred pigs

The present study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of host specific probiotic on growth performance, diarrhoea scores, intestinal microbiota and gut health of grower-finisher pigs. A feeding trial (180 days) was carried out with 36 early weaned piglets (28 days) divided into three dietary groups (4 replicates of 3 each) viz., T0 (basal diet alone, control), T1 (basal diet + probiotic of dairy origin, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCDC-15) and T2 (basal diet + probiotic of swine origin, Pediococcus acidilactici strain FT28). The probiotics were fed as fermented feed @200 g/pig/day. At the end of the trial, six pigs from each group were sacrificed to determine the intestinal morphology. Daily feeding of probiotics from weaning to market age showed positive (P<0.05) impact on average daily gain (ADG), average dry matter intake (ADMI) and gain: feed ratio (G: F). The fecal count of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria were increased (P<0.001), whereas, E. coli and clostridia population decreased (P<0.001) in both probiotics fed groups compared to control. The lactic acid concentration in feces was highest (P=0.003) in T2 group; whereas, ammonia nitrogen and pH were observed to be lower (P<0.05) in treatment (T1 and T2) groups compared to control. Probiotic supplementation (dairy and swine origin) lowered (P<0.05) diarrhoea scores after weaning, however P. acidilactici strain FT28 was more effective in decreasing (P<0.05) diarrhoea scores than L. acidophilus NCDC-15. The villi height (V) and crypt depth (C) was increased (P<0.05) with decreased (P<0.05) V: C ratio in both probiotic fed groups. In conclusion, probiotics supplementation in basal diet improved growth performance, fecal microbial count and intestinal morphology in grower-finisher pigs. Whereas, P. acidilactici strain FT28 was more effective in reducing diarrhoea scores and maintaining acidic environment of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) indicating a synergistic probiotic effect along with gut microbiota for promotion of gut health of the animal.