ARTICLE FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE July 2023 61 With the ban on ZnO and the on-going pressure on the use of antibiotics, robust and heavy piglets at weaning are even more crucial than before. The sow’s diet can have a positive impact on embryo and foetus development and milk production among others. Earlier research work showed that the supplementation of yeast probiotic to sows promotes the development of the microbiome in her offspring and improves the quality of colostrum as well as the quality and quantity of milk. These are crucial factors influencing the performance of both sows and piglets until weaning. The recent trial showed that supplementation of yeast probiotic during late gestation and lactation indeed improves the performance of hyper prolific sows and their progeny under commercial conditions. ADG in the yeast supplemented group was significantly higher (193 g/d) compared to the control group (171 g/d). Table 1 shows that important parameters around prolific sows are positively improved with the addition of yeast in the diet. CONTINUED SUPPORT OF YEAST IN PIGLET PHASE ZnO used to be a way to compensate for low feed intakes and growth levels, as well as a tool to reduce the risk for developing post-weaning diarrhoea. But this is not allowed and needed anymore, as confirmed in a recent trial done in Ireland. This trial looked at the potential for yeast to eliminate therapeutic ZnO from piglet diets without compromising the zootechnical performance. In this study conducted under commercial circumstances, the performances of weaned piglets were followed. The piglets fed a commercial diet including zinc oxide (zinc group) or a commercial diet with a combination of yeast probiotic and yeast postbiotic (yeast group). The aim of this trial was to have similar results between the two groups, demonstrating that ZnO can indeed be replaced by Phileo’s ‘Program Zero ZnO’. Keeping this in mind, the results show some differences in favour of the yeast supplemented group. Number of piglets born alive Birth weight (kg) Litter weights at weaning (kg) Individual weaning weights (kg) Control group Yeast group 17.3 18.3 1.35 1.34 4.66 5.10 60.58 68.85 Table 1. The supplementation of probiotic yeast to sows improved piglet performance
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