The loss of effectiveness of antibiotics and restrictions on their use make it necessary to develop technologies to reduce their utilisation and maintain production efficiency.

Pronutrients are active molecules of plant origin that promote the physiology of their target cell. In the case of intestinal conditioner pronutrients, they act on enterocytes improving the structure and integrity of the intestinal mucosa and favoring the digestion and absorption of nutrients.

On the other hand, the cimenol ring is a natural compound of plant origin that acts synergistically with citric acid, providing a selective microbicidal activity against pathogens and broad-spectrum of action. This combination aims to have a fast and long-lasting fungicidal and bactericidal effect when mixed with raw materials and feed.

The combined use of intestinal conditioner pronutrients, as a natural growth promoter, together with the microbicidal activity at the digestive level of the cimenol ring, aim to maximize farm performance and reduce the use of chemicals.

The results obtained from the combination of the two solutions under commercial conditions are presented below.

Introduction

A trial in a commercial pig farm was carried out in order to evaluate the effect of the combined use of pronutrients and cimenol ring on production parameters and the replacement of antibiotics in fattening pigs.

The farm performs a withdrawal of antibiotics at 80 kg and aimed to improve intestinal welfare and control imbalances of the digestive microbiota with less dependence on antibiotics.

Experimental design

For the trial, 5033 pigs from the PIC line were used, which received:

• Pronutrients at 0.5 kg/t from25 kg to 100 kg.
• Cimenol ring at 0.5 kg/t from 25 kg to 80 kg live weight, and at 1 kg/t from 80 kg till slaughter.

The results were compared with the history of the farm, as well as with the standard established by the genetic line. Animals received bacitracin up to week 14 for growth promoting purposes, and other antibiotics for therapeutic respiratory purposes.  Compared to previous cycles, they did not receive enramycin (previously: continuous use as a promoter until week 21).

Results

It is a farm with very good records, above the standard determined by the genetic line, which manages to maintain the slaughter weight above 122 kg before day 164 during the trial, when the reference values of the genetic line are 116.5 kg per day 164.

The genetic company PIC indicates that the best farms in the country have a feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 2.44 at day 162. The farm had slightly higher FCR than the PIC value (FCR 2.488). Thanks to the combined use  of pronutrients and cimenol ring, the  best conversion ever recorded on the farm was reached, of 2.398.

The farm had previously reported problems with Clostridium  at the end of fattening, and had an average mortality of 1.3% and a percentage of pigs sold as laggards of 0.16%. With the combination of pronutrients and cimenol ring, mortality is reduced to 0.77%, a record on the farm, and 98% of pigs reach slaughter weight, with 0.32% of pigs sold as laggards.

Conclusions

This trial shows that natural solutions such as pronutrients and the cimenol ring are ideal tools to reduce the use of antibiotics and, at the same time, improve productive parameters, since they manage to improve FCR by 4% and reduce mortality by 40% compared to the historical parameters of the farm.

According to these results, for every 1000 kg of pig produced, it can be saved 98 kg of feed in the fattening phase.  The use of these products improves sustainability and, in addition, they do not leave residues in meat and do not generate bacterial resistance.

 

Intestinal conditioner pronutrients and the cimenol ring are solutions marketed by Biovet S.A. under the name of Alquernat Nebsui and Alquermold Natural, respectively, and are available in premix and liquid forms.