THE EFFECT OF A PROBIOTIC, KE-01, AND NEOTERRAMYCIN ON NURSERY PIG GROWTH PERFORMANCE

A 35-d growth study with a total of 168 weanling pigs (21 ± 2 d of age) was conducted to determine the effects of feeding a probiotic, (KE-01) and an antibiotic, Neoterramycin (neomycin 140 g/ton, oxytetracycline 140 g/ton), on nursery pig performance. Experimental treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of antibiotic (none or neomycin 140g/ton and oxytetracycline 140g/ton) or probiotic (none or KE-01, 0.35%). KE-01 is a probiotic containing a novel strain of lactobacillus casei. A KE-01 by Neoterramycin interaction was observed for ADFI (P<0.05) from d 14 to 35, but no other interactions were detected. From d 0 to 14, pigs fed diets containing Neoterramycin had improved (P<0.01) ADG, ADFI, and F/G compared with those of pigs fed diets without Neoterramycin. Pigs fed diets containing KE01 had similar growth performance to that of pigs fed diets without KE-01. From d 14 to 35, pigs fed diets containing Neoterramycin had increased ADG compared with that of pigs fed diets without Neoterramycin. The ADG of pigs fed diets containing KE-01 did not differ from that of pigs fed diets without KE-01. There was a tendency for pigs fed KE01 to consume less feed, whereas pigs fed Neoterramycin ate more (KE-01 × Neoterramycin interaction, P<0.05). Pigs fed diets containing KE-01 tended to have improved F/G (P<0.07), compared with that of pigs fed diets without KE-01. Overall, d 0 to 35, pigs fed diets containing Neoterramycin had increased ADG and ADFI (P<0.01), compared with those of pigs fed diets without Neoterramycin. In addition, pigs fed diets containing KE-01 had similar ADG and ADFI to those of pigs fed diets without KE-01. Pigs fed diets containing KE-01 had improved F/G (P<0.03), compared with that of pigs fed diets without KE-01. In summary, the probiotic, KE-01, did not significantly increase ADG or ADFI, but did improve F/G because it slightly lowered feed intakes. Neoterramycin improved ADG, ADFI, and F/G, compared with those of diets without Neoterramycin in this study.


Summary
A 35-d growth study with a total of 168 weanling pigs (21 ± 2 d of age) was conducted to determine the effects of feeding a probiotic, (KE-01) and an antibiotic, Neoterramycin (neomycin 140 g/ton, oxytetracycline 140 g/ton), on nursery pig performance. Experimental treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of antibiotic (none or neomycin 140g/ton and oxytetracycline 140g/ton) or probiotic (none or KE-01, 0.35%). KE-01 is a probiotic containing a novel strain of lactobacillus casei. A KE-01 by Neoterramycin interaction was observed for ADFI (P<0.05) from d 14 to 35, but no other interactions were detected. From d 0 to 14, pigs fed diets containing Neoterramycin had improved (P<0.01) ADG, ADFI, and F/G compared with those of pigs fed diets without Neoterramycin. Pigs fed diets containing KE-01 had similar growth performance to that of pigs fed diets without KE-01. From d 14 to 35, pigs fed diets containing Neoterramycin had increased ADG compared with that of pigs fed diets without Neoterramycin. The ADG of pigs fed diets containing KE-01 did not differ from that of pigs fed diets without KE-01. There was a tendency for pigs fed KE-01 to consume less feed, whereas pigs fed Neoterramycin ate more (KE-01 × Neoterramycin interaction, P<0.05). Pigs fed diets containing KE-01 tended to have improved F/G (P<0.07), compared with that of pigs fed diets without KE-01. Overall, d 0 to 35, pigs fed diets containing Neoterramycin had increased ADG and ADFI (P<0.01), compared with those of pigs fed diets without Neoterramycin. In addition, pigs fed diets containing KE-01 had similar ADG and ADFI to those of pigs fed diets without KE-01. Pigs fed diets containing KE-01 had improved F/G (P<0.03), compared with that of pigs fed diets without KE-01. In summary, the probiotic, KE-01, did not significantly increase ADG or ADFI, but did improve F/G because it slightly lowered feed intakes. Neoterramycin improved ADG, ADFI, and F/G, compared with those of diets without Neoterramycin in this study.

Introduction
Previous experiments at Kansas State University have demonstrated that adding a feedgrade antimicrobial (Neoterramycin, Mecadox, or Denagard CTC) to the nursery diet consistently increases ADG and improves F/G. KE-01 is a novel strain of Lactobacillus casei. In an initial field trial, feeding KE-01 improved weight gain and bacterial detach-ment. An oral dose of KE-01 also has been shown to reduce sulfide and ammonia compounds in feces in pigs. Initial field trials with KE-01 look promising, but growth responses must be verified in controlled experiments. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the probiotic KE-01 to enhance nursery pig performance.

Procedures
A total of 168 weaned pigs (PIC, initially 13.7 lb and 21 ± 2 d of age) were blocked by weight in a 35 day growth study. Pigs were randomly allotted to one of four dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design. Each pen contained six pigs per pen, with seven replicates (pens) per treatment. Pigs were housed at the Kansas State Swine Research and Teaching Center. All pens (4 × 5 ft) contained one stainless steel self-feeder and one nipple waterer to allow ad libitum access to feed and water.
Pigs were fed one of four experimental diets, arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial consisting of antibiotic (none or neomycin, 140 g/ton and oxytetracycline, 140 g/ton) or probiotic (none or KE-01, 0.35%). Experimental diets were based on corn-soybean meal and were fed in meal form for the 35-day trial. The phase 1 diet (1.55% lysine) was fed from d 0 to14, and phase 2 diet (1.45% lysine) was fed from d 14 to 35 post-weaning (Table 1). Diets did not contain growth-promoting amounts of zinc oxide. Also, no water antimicrobials were administered throughout the trial. Pigs were weighed, and feed disappearance was measured on d 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 to determine ADG, ADFI, and feed efficiency (F/G). Data were analyzed as a randomized completeblock design with pen as the experimental unit by using the Mixed procedure of SAS.

Results and Discussion
From d 0 to 14, no interactions were observed (P>0.53); therefore, the treatment main effects are presented in Table 2 and the interactive means are shown in Table 3. Pigs fed diets containing Neoterramycin had improved ADG, ADFI, and F/G (P<0.01), compared with those of pigs fed diets without Neoterramycin. Pigs fed diets with KE-01 had similar ADG, ADFI, and F/G (P>0.12) to those of pigs fed diets without KE-01.
From d 14 to 35, a KE-01 by Neoterramycin interaction was detected for ADFI (P<0.05). This was because of a slight reduction in ADFI in pigs fed KE-01; Neoterramycin increased ADFI. Pigs fed diets containing Neoterramycin had increased ADG and ADFI (P<0.01) compared with those of pigs fed diets without Neoterramycin. Adding KE-01 to the diet had no effect on ADG and ADFI (P>0.59), but tended (P<0.07) to improve F/G.
For the overall treatment period (d 0 to 35), a tendency for an interaction was observed on ADFI (P<0.08). Pigs fed diets containing Neoterramycin had greater ADG and ADFI (P<0.01), compared with those of pigs fed diets without Neoterramycin. Pigs fed diets containing KE-01 had similar ADG and ADFI (P>0.45) to those of pigs fed diets without KE-01. But pigs fed diets containing KE-01 had improved F/G (P<0.03), compared with that of pigs fed diets without KE-01.
In agreement with many previous trials, this study found that feeding diets containing an antibiotic such as Neoterramycin to nursery pigs resulted in improved growth performance. The probiotic, KE-01, did not improve ADG or ADFI, but slightly improved F/G.