• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1147-1152
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• 2005

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary Biotite V (BV) supplementation on growth performance, nutrients digestibility and fecal noxious gas content in finishing pigs. In Exp. 1, a total of eighty pigs (initial body weight 88.0${\pm}$1.35 kg) were used in a 35-d growth trial. Pigs were blocked by weight and allotted to five dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design. There were four pigs per pen and four pens per treatment. Dietary treatments included: 1) Control (CON; basal diet), 2) 200 mesh BV1.0 (basal diet+200 mesh Biotite V 1.0%), 3) 325 mesh BV1.0 (basal diet+325 mesh Biotite V 1.0%), 4) 200 mesh BV2.0 (basal diet+200 mesh Biotite V 2.0%) and 5) 325 mesh BV2.0 (basal diet+325 mesh Biotite V 2.0%). Through the entire experimental period, there were no significant differences in ADG, ADFI and gain/feed among the treatments (p>0.05). With the addition of Biotite V in diet, DM and N digestibilities were increased significantly (p<0.01). Also, Ca and P digestibilities tended to increase in pigs fed Biotite V supplemented diet (p<0.01) compared to pigs fed control diet. Supplementation of Biotite V in diet reduced the fecal $NH_3-N$ and volatile fatty acid (VFA) compared to CON treatment (p<0.01). In Exp. 2, a total of sixty four pigs (initial body weight 84.0${\pm}$1.05 kg) were used in a 35-d growth trial. Pigs were blocked by weight and allotted to four dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design. There were four pigs per pen and four pens per treatment. Dietary treatments included: 1) LP (low protein diet), 2) HP (high protein diet), 3) LP+BV (low protein diet+325 mesh Biotite V 1.0%) and 4) HP+BV (high protein diet+325 mesh Biotite V 1.0%). Through the entire experimental period, ADG and gain/feed tended to increase in HP and HP+BV treatments, however, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) among the treatments. With the addition of Biotite V in diets, digestibilities of nutrients (DM, N, Ca and P) were increased significantly (p<0.01). The addition of Biotite V in diets reduced the ammonia emissions in feces (p<0.01). Supplementation of Biotite V in diets also reduced the fecal propionic acid, butyric acid and acetic acid (p<0.01) compared to pigs fed diets without Biotite V. In conclusion, supplementation of Biotite V can increase nutrients digestibility and reduce fecal $NH_3-N$ and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations in finishing pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.375-382
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary herbal plant mixture on growth performance, blood immunological parameters, fecal VFA and NH3-N concentrations in growing pigs. The dietary treatments were 1) NC (negative control; antibiotics-free diet), 2) PC (positive control; NC diet added 0.16% antibiotic), 3) NCK0.2 (NC diet added 0.2% herbal plant mixture (koppuul??)) and 4) PCK0.1 (PC diet added 0.1% herbal plant mixture (koppuul??)). Eighty crossbred (Landrace×Yorkshire×Duroc) pigs (16.35±0.05kg average initial body weight) were used for 42 days. The pigs were assigned to the treatments according to body weight and each treatment had 5 replicates of 4 pigs per pen in a randomized complete block design. During the whole experimental period, PCK0.1 and PC treatments had significantly higher ADG than NC treatment (P<0.05). Gain/feed of pigs fed PC diet was higher than that of pigs fed NC diet (P<0.05). For blood immunological parameters investigations, white blood cells (WBC) counts and IgG level increased in the pigs fed PC, NCK0.2 and PCK0.1 diets compared to pigs fed NC diet. In addition, higher (P<0.05) serum lymphocyte concentration was found in PCK0.1 treatment compared to NC treatment. NH3-N concentration in pigs fed NCK0.2% diet was lower than that in pigs fed PC and NC diets. There were no significant differences in DM and N digestibilities among the treatments. In conclusion, the results suggested that the dietary additions of herbal plant mixture or antibiotics increase ADG, the concentrations of WBC counts and IgG, lymphocyte, while decrease NH3-N concentration in feces.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.80-85
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• 2006

Ninety six crossbred pigs (Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire${\times}$Duroc) were used to determine the effects of essential oils (Fresta F $Conc^{(R)}$) supplementation on growth performance, immune response and fecal noxious gas of weaned pigs. Treatments were 1) NC (negative control; basal diet without antibiotics), 2) PC [positive control; basal diet+CSP (CTC+Sulfathiazole+Penicillin) 0.1%], 3) NCF (basal diet+Fresta F $Conc^{(R)}$ 0.03%) and 4) PCF [basal diet+CSP (CTC+Sulfathiazole+Penicillin) 0.1%+Fresta F $Conc^{(R)}$ 0.02%]. From d 0 to 14, ADFI was increased in pigs fed PCF diet (p<0.05). From d 14 to 28, pigs fed PCF diet had greater ADG and ADFI than pigs fed NC diet (p<0.05). From d 28 to 49, ADG and ADFI in pigs fed PCF diet were higher than in pigs fed NC diet (p<0.05). Through the entire experimental period, ADG and ADFI in pigs fed PCF diet were the highest compared to pigs fed NC and PC diets (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in fecal consistency score among the treatments (p>0.05). No statistical differences (p>0.05) were found in red blood cells (RBC) counts, white blood cells (WBC) counts, lymphocyte counts, total protein and albumin. Serum IgG concentration of PCF treatment was greater than that of other treatments (p<0.05). From d 0 to 14, there was no significant difference in digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen among the treatments (p>0.05). From d 14 to 28, digestibility of dry matter in pigs fed PC, NCF and PCF diets was higher than that of pigs fed NC diet (p<0.05) and treatments with added essential oils were higher than other diets on digestibility of nitrogen (p<0.05). Also, from d 28 to 49, digestibility of nitrogen in pigs fed PCF diet was the highest among others (p<0.05). On d 14 and 28, no statistical differences (p>0.05) were found in volatile fatty acid (VFA), ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) and hydrogen sulfide ($H_2S$) concentrations among treatments. On d 49, there was no significant difference in VFA concentration among the treatments (p>0.05). $NH_3$-N concentration in pigs fed PCF diet was lower than in pigs fed other diets (p<0.05). $H_2S$ concentration in pigs fed diets with added essential oils was lower than others. In conclusion, the results suggest that the dietary addition of essential oils and antibiotics into diets for weanling pigs improved growth performance, IgG concentration and nitrogen digestibility and decreased noxious gas concentration. Essential oils can be used to partly replace antibiotics in diets for weaned pigs without negative affects on growth performance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.690-700
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• 2012

The experiment was conducted by in vitro fermentation and bacterial community analysis to investigate the reduction of odorous compounds in response to the use of feed additives (FA) during carbohydrate overload in growing pigs. Soluble starch at 1% (control) and various FA at 0.1% Ginseng meal (FA1); Persimmon leaf (FA2); Gingko nut (FA3) and Oregano lippia (FA4) were added to fecal slurry and incubated anaerobically for 12 and 24 h. In vitro parameters and microbial diversity of the dominant bacteria following fermentation were analyzed using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE), band cloning and sequencing of the V3 region. Results showed that total gas production increased with the advancement of incubation (p<0.05). pH values of FAs and control groups were decreased except the FA4 group which increased somewhat from 12 to 24 h (p<0.05). Ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) and $H_2S$ gas concentrations were comparatively lower in both stages in FA4 treatment than in the other groups (p<0.05). Hence, $NH_3$-N concentrations in liquid phases were increased (p<0.05) from 12 to 24 h, but the trend was lowest in FA4 than in the other groups at both stages. The total VFA production was comparatively lower and butyrate levels were moderate in FA4 group than in the the other groups during both stages (p<0.05). Indirect odor-reducing compounds such as $NO_2$, $NO_3$ and $SO_4$ concentrations were higher in the FA4 and FA3 than in the other groups at 24 h (p<0.05). After fermentation, ten dominant bands appeared, six of which appeared in all samples and four in only the FA4 treated group. The total number of DGGE bands and diversity was higher in the FA4-group compared to other groups. Additionally, similarity indices were lowest (71%) in the FA4, which represented a different bacterial community compared with the other groups. These findings indicate that $NH_3$-N, $H_2S$ and VFA production was minimal, and pH was also better in the FA4 group than in the other groups. Furthermore, the conversion of odor-reducing indirect compounds or their intermediates was higher in the FA4 group in compared to the other groups. FA4 group generated less odorous products and more indirect products by in vitro fermentation at 24 h, and their microbial pattern appeared to differ from that of the other groups. These findings suggest that this particular FA could change the microbial population, which may have a beneficial effect on odor reduction. It is recommended that the oregano lippia may be supplied to growing pigs as FA along with excess carbohydrate sources to reduce the production of odorous compounds.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.503-512
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary Lactobacillus brevis (3.4×108 CFU/g) supplementation on growth performance, DM and N digestibilities, blood cell counts and fecal odor emission compounds in growing pigs. Ninety six crossbred [(Landrace×Yorkshire)×Duroc] pigs with an initial BW of 24.60±1.28kg were used for 42-d feeding trial according to a completely randomized design. Three corn- soybean meal based dietary treatments included: 1) CON (basal diet); 2) LB1 (basal diet + Lactobacillus brevis 0.2%) and 3) LB2 (basal diet+Lactobacillus brevis 0.4%). There were three dietary treatments with eight replicate pens per treatment and four pigs per pen. Through the entire experimental period, ADG, ADFI and gain/feed had no significant differences among treatments(P>0.05). Nitrogen digestibility was increased in LB1 and LB2 treatments compared to CON treatment (linear effect, P<0.05), however, DM digestibility had no significant difference among all the treatments (P>0.05). The WBC, RBC and lymphocyte concentrations in whole blood were not affected by treatments (P>0.05). Fecal NH3N and H2S concentrations were significant decreased in LB2 treatment compared to CON treatment (linear effect, P<0.05). Fecal VFA (acetic acid and propionic acid) concentration was also reduced in LB2 treatment compared to CON treatment (linear effect, P<0.05). In conclusion, Lactobacillus brevis (3.4×108 CFU/g) supplementation at the level of 0.4% can improve nitrogen digestibility and decrease the concentrations of fecal odor emission compounds in growing pigs.