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Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a dietary two-strain probiotic on sows, and the subsequent effects on litter quality and piglet performance. The total trial duration was 32 d and started 7 d before farrowing. A total of 160 sows (DanBred x Duroc) were assigned into two dietary treatment groups (80 sows each), considering their body weight, body condition score, and parity (Ø 2.4). Sows in the control group received a basal pelleted diet lacking probiotic supplementation, whereas sows in the probiotic group received an identical diet but supplemented 7 d pre-partum and 25 d post-partum with a two-strain probiotic (total inclusion rate: 1.5 x 109 CFU/kg of feed, 0.3 x 109 CFU/kg CFU/kg of B. coagulans DSM 32016 and 1.2 x 109 CFU/kg of B. licheniformis DSM 33806) produced by Biochem Zusatzstoffe Handels- und Produktionsgesellschaft mbH, Germany. Within 24 h after birth, the litters of all sows in the trial were standardized to 13 piglets by removing weak and low weight individuals (≤ 0.7 kg). Cross-fostering was restricted to the experimental group. Data were subjected to t-Test or non-parametric Mann-Whitney-U-test, P ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The results indicate a significant reduction of dead-born piglets (P = 0.01), increase of daily litter weight gain (P = 0.002), improvement of piglet weaning weight (P = 0.01), and increase of the total number of weaned piglets (P=0.001) in the probiotic group compared with the control group. Furthermore, the individual daily weight gain (P = 0.003) and final weight of piglets at weaning (P 0.001) were significantly improved by probiotic supplementation. The body weight loss of sows and feed intake were not statistically different (Table 1). In conclusion, the probiotic combination of Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus coagulans fed to sows improved litter quality and piglet performance.
Alvarenga et al. (Wed,) studied this question.