EFFECTS OF YEAST-BASED NON-NUTRITIONAL ENHANCERS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF WEANLING PIGS

The study was conducted to determine the effects of yeast-based non-nutritional enhancers (mannoproteins, betaglucans and nucleotides) (YNE) on the growth performance of weanling pigs. Eighty crossbred weanling pigs (40 males and 40 females) with 7-8 kg initial weight were placed in groups of five pigs per pen and randomly distributed to four dietary treatments: 1) basal diet (BD) + 0 % YNE; 2) BD+ 0.05 % YNE; 3) BD + 0.15 % YNE; and 4) BD + 0.30% YNE. The treatments were arranged following a randomized complete block design with sex of the animals as the blocking factor. The weanling pigs were fed with booster diet for five days and pre-starter diet for 25 days. Results showed that feed intake increased (P<0.05) only at 0.30 % YNE inclusion rate. The average daily gain increased (P<0.05%) at 0.15 % and 0.30 % YNE inclusion rates. However, feed conversion efficiency did not differ (P>0.05) among the treatments. Higher inclusion rate of YNE in the diet reduced the scouring incidence and increased the livability rate of weanling pigs. The addition of 0.30 % YNE in the basal diet was the most practical to use among treatments