Prebiotics and butyric acid can replace colistin as a growth promoter for nursery piglets

ABSTRACT This study aimed to assess different prebiotic concentrations and principles, in addition to calcium butyrate, aiming to replace colistin as a growth promoter. The sample consisted of 120 piglets weaned at 22 days old with mean initial weight of 5.475 ± 0.719kg. The animals were assigned to random blocks in six treatments corresponding to the use of the following dietary additives: T1) colistin (40 ppm); T2) β-glucan/mannan-oligosaccharides (0.2%); T3) calcium butyrate (0.1%); T4) β-glucan/mannan-oligosaccharides (0.1%) + fructooligosaccharides (0.01%) + galactooligosaccharides (0.09%); T5) β-glucan/mannan-oligosaccharides (0.1%) + fructooligosaccharides (0.03%) + galactooligosaccharides (0.07%); and T6) β-glucan/mannan-oligosaccharides (0.1%) + fructooligosaccharides (0.05%) + galactooligosaccharides (0.05%). The results showed no difference among treatments for the performance parameters in any of the phases evaluated. For diarrhea incidence and intensity, the results indicated that the treatments with alternative additives had similar effects as the group treated with colistin. A significant difference was found for the profile of propionic acid (0.23% colistin and 0.32%, 0.36%, 0.37% additives) and total fatty acids (0.67% colistin and 0.97% additives) values in the caecum. The supplementation with different compositions and concentrations of prebiotics and butyric acid may viably replace colistin in controlling diarrhea and modulating volatile fatty acid production in the caecum.