Author(s): Berto, Patrícia N. ; Tse, Marcos L.P. ; Ramos, Denis R.A. ; Saleh, Mayra A.D. ; Miassi, Gabriela M. ; Yamatogi, Ricardo S. ; Berto, Dirlei A. ; Neto, Messias A.T.
Date: 2020
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/31449
Origin: Veritati - Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Subject(s): Immune system; Leukogram; Nutrition; Swine; Weaning
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of autolyzed yeast on performance, cecal microbiota, and leukogram of weaned piglets. A total of 96 piglets of commercial line weaned at 21-day-old were used. The experimental design was a randomized block design with four treatments (diets containing 0.0%, 0.3%, 0.6%, and 0.9% autolyzed yeast), eight replicates, and three animals per pen in order to evaluate daily weight gain, daily feed intake, and feed conversion in periods of 0 to 15, 0 to 26, and 0 to 36 days. Quadratic effects of autolyzed yeast inclusion were observed on the feed conversion from 0 to 15 days, on daily weight gain from 0 to 15 days, 0 to 26 days and, 0 to 36 days, indicating an autolyzed yeast optimal inclusion level between 0.4% and 0.5%. No effect from autolyzed yeast addition was observed on piglet daily feed intake, cecal microbiota, and leukogram; however, i.m. application of E. coli lipopolysaccharide reduced the values of total leukocytes and their fractions (neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and rods). Therefore, autolyzed yeast when provided at levels between 0.4% and 0.5% improved weaned piglets’ performance.
