EFFECTS OF ZINC OXIDE AND MONOGLYCERIDE BLEND ON INTESTINAL IMMUNE, HEALTH AND MICROBIOTA RESPONSES OF WEANLING PIGS

Organic acids are increasingly being explored as alternatives to zinc oxide in nursery diets due to concerns over environmental impact and antibiotic-like resistance properties, helping to reduce post-weaning diarrhea. Monoglycerides can act in distal parts of the intestine, improving intestinal health, also reducing bacterial fermentation in hindgut. This study aimed to determine the effects of dietary supplementation based on a blend of monoglycerides (MBLEND) (C4:C8:C10) in replacement to ZnO during the nursery phase on growth-performance and intestinal health and microbiota. The pen was the experimental unit and ninety-six piglets were used with 25 days of age during 42 days, divided into three treatments in a randomized block design.