Inclusion of probiotic (Lactobacillus plantarum) in high and low nutrient density diets reveals a positive effect on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gas emission, and blood profile in growing pigs

A total of 160 growing pigs (24.69 1.89 kg) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial design with two different levels of nutrient density diet with or without 0.3 % probiotic (Lactobacillus plantarum). Each treatment has 8 replicates with 5 pigs (3 gilts and 2 barrows) per pen. At the end of the trial, pigs fed 0.3% probiotic supplement has significantly increased the body weight, while average daily gain and gain to feed ratio was significantly increased in both probiotic and high nutrient density (HD) diet. The nutrient digestibility of dry matter was significantly increased in pigs fed HD diet whereas, nitrogen and energy digestibility and blood characters immunoglobulin and lymphocyte counts were significantly increased in both HD and probiotic groups. Inclusion of HD diet with 0.3% probiotic had significantly decreased NH3 and H2S gas emission. Moreover, nitrogen and energy showed a significant interaction between probiotic and density diet. In summary, dietary probiotics with HD diet had positively enhanced the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile and reduced gas emission. We suggest that 0.3% probiotic with HD diet could serve as an alternative feed additive to enhance the growth performance of growing pigs.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author