EFFECT OF DIETARY INCLUSION OF Brosimum alicastrum Swartz LEAF MEAL ON DIARRHEA CONTROL IN PIGLETS

Abstract

Piglet mortality due to diarrhea is the most important economic loss in the pig industry. However, the use of antibiotics is been banned nowadays and the nutraceutical products are getting importance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Brosimum alicastrum Swartz leaf meal (BLM) in the diet of piglets, as a nutraceutical additive for reducing diarrhea. The study consisted in fed piglets with pre-starter commercial feed under two treatments, either without (T1) or with (T2) inclusion of 20 g/kg BLM. Ninety-eight piglets were used per treatment, with an average initial live weight (LW) of 2.6 ± 0.42 kg. The test lasted from 5 to 27 days-old, the pigs were fed ad libitum. Offer and rejection of food were recorded daily, as was the presence of diarrhea; live weight was recorded weekly. Data on productive measures were analyzed by T-test; contingency tables, X2 tests and calculation of relative risk (RR) for the incidence of diarrhea were applied. Daily weight gain (DWG) in T2 was higher than in T1 (273 ± 0.12 vs 220 ± 0.09 g/day) (P = 0.003). The true incidence rate of diarrhea was 3% and 1% (P <0.001) for T1 and T2 respectively. The cumulative incidence rate of diarrhea was lower (P <0.001) in T2 (25%) than in T1 (54%). The risk of developing diarrhea was higher in T1 (RR = 0.67, 95% CI, 0.39-1.13). The inclusion of BLM in the diet of piglets reduced the incidence of diarrhea and increased DWG.