Trial Summary - Orego-Stim® Improves Number of Piglets Weaned Through Maternal Feeding

SUMMARY

  • Driving piglet performance through improved maternal gut health is a cost-effective way to maximise lifetime performance and health of growing piglets as those lost prior to weaning represent an economic loss as well as a welfare target.

  • This work is part of the Anpario’s 4R approach (Review, Reduce and Replace antimicrobials Responsibly) which helps manage gut health and support healthier livestock through the use of natural products.

  • This trial showed that supplementing sow diets with Orego-Stim® improved milk and colostrum quality and led to more piglets weaned per sow and a return on investment (ROI) of 8:1.

BACKGROUND

  • Orego-Stim® is a high quality, eubioitic containing 100% natural oregano oil.

  • Previous findings have shown that dietary supplementation of oregano essential oil (OEO) in sows can decrease oxidative stress and improve piglet growth performance (Ariza-Nieto et al. (2012) and Tan et al. (2015)).

  • In this study Orego-Stim® was fed to sows throughout gestation and lactation and their performance, and that of their progeny was compared with a negative control group fed no additives.

TRIAL DESIGN

Anpario conducted a randomized, blinded non-crossover trial with a commercial herd in Midwest, USA managed by Carthage Innovative Swine Solutions (CISS, IL. USA). The trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of Orego-Stim® supplemented feed in improving sow and piglet performance. A total of 200 sows were balanced for parity between the two treatment groups at service and fed either the basal gestation and lactation ration or Orego-Stim® supplemented at 500g/tonne until weaning. At farrowing the total number of piglets born, numbers born alive, and piglet birth weight were recorded for each sow. Sow feed intake, BCS and health status was monitored for all sows throughout the trial. Weaning was carried out at ~19 days of age at which time number of piglets weaned per litter, litter weaning weight was recorded for both groups.

RESULTS

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  • Average number of piglets born alive was conserved across both groups (14.61 vs 14.36 for Control and Orego-Stim® respectively).

  • At weaning, average piglet weight was similar but litter weight was numerically heavier for Orego-Stim® due to an increased number of piglets weaned.

  • Removals were significantly reduced with Orego-Stim® supplementation with an increased number of weaned piglets (by 11%) and a 2% reduction in pre-weaning mortality compared to the control.

  • These differences provide a significant benefit to piglets weaned per sow, providing a margin over feed value of £59 per sow per year.

CONCLUSION

Eubiotics such as Orego-Stim® provide a natural tool for the improvement of sow and progeny health and performance. Improving weaning performance and health which can have significant effects on lifetime performance and medication use.

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