Keywords

Herbal nutrition supplement, Newborn piglets, Perinatal mortality, Immunodeficiency.

INTRODUCTION

Immature immune system, hypothermia and immature gastrointestinal system at the time of birth are three important challenges for newborn piglets [1]. Weanling piglets are more at risk of retarded growth as well as an increase in both morbidity and mortality in pigs [2]. Piglets during weaning are exposed to a range of stressors like diet composition changes, environment and bacterial stress, contributing to digestive abnormalities and depressions in growth rate [3-6]. Newborn pigs are at risk of disease & a higher rate of preweaning mortality since these are born with low body-energy stores and without immunoglobulins. Perinatal mortality in modern pig production herds is relatively high (15 to 25%) compared with values for other production animal species [7]. At birth piglets are immunodeficient and for the supply of specific and non-specific immune factors they depend upon maternal colostrum and milk, this helps in the development and survival [8]. The thermoregulatory capacity is directly related to birth weight. Studies have shown that when the number of piglets increases, i.e. as litter size increases, the mean piglet birth weight decreases [9,10]. Body surface area of the lighter piglets in relation to its weight is more, and they are, therefore, more prone to hypothermia [11]. Colostrum provides energy essential for thermoregulation & to prevent hypothermia in piglets. The energy demand of piglets to combat hypothermia and for sustenance in first postnatal 24hrs can be met through external nutrient supplement source and it will allow colostrum to play an essential role in piglet survival. Herbs, Fat & protein rich nutritional supplements during the first 24-48 hrs post farrowing may allow utilization of colostrum to potentiate the immune response in piglets and acquisition of passive immunity12. This in turn improves vitality in piglets & reduces mortality rate.

Therefore, the objective of the current study was to determine the efficacy of AV/PES/12 (M/S Ayurvet Limited, India), a natural oral protein & energy supplement enriched with vitamins and minerals in emulsion form for providing a complete nutritional substitute to newborn piglets during crucial first post-natal 24-48 hrs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The field study was supervised by an animal ethics committee of the College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Maharashtra. The trial was conducted at the pig farm of Shirval.

Experimental design

The present study was conducted on newborn Large White Yorkshire piglets. The field study was conducted in two phases: Experiment I in healthy piglets and experiment II in weak piglets was carried out.

Experiment I

For Experiment I, 30 Healthy newborn Large White Yorkshire piglets were selected & were segregated into three groups at the time of birth. In the untreated control group T₀, the newborn piglets (n=10) were not offered any oral supplement. The treatment group T₁ newborn piglets (n=10) were supplemented with AV/PES/12 (M/S Ayurvet Limited, India) as per the regimen (AV/PES/12@ 2ml per piglet orally immediately after birth). The dose was repeated after 6 hours, Once). The treatment group T2 newborn piglets (n=10) were supplemented with AV/PES/12 (M/S Ayurvet Limited, India) as per the regimen (AV/PES/12@2ml per piglet orally immediately after birth. The dose was repeated after 12 hours, twice). The duration of the trial was up to 4 weeks (birth to weaning).

Experiment II

For Experiment II, 24 week small, chilled or scouring White Yorkshire piglets were selected & were segregated into three groups at the time of birth. The untreated control group T0 (n=6) weak/chilled/ scouring piglets were not offered any oral supplement. The treatment group T₁ newborn piglets (n=6) were supplemented with AV/PES/12 as per the regimen (AV/PES/12@2ml per piglet orally immediately after birth. The dose was repeated after 6 hours, thrice). The treatment group T2 newborn piglets (n=6) were supplemented with AV/PES/12 as per the regimen (AV/PES/12@2ml per piglet orally immediately after birth. The dose was repeated after 12 hours, thrice).

During the study period parameters: Piglet weight at birth, mortality from birth to weaning (per group record), Piglet weight at the time of weaning, the incidence of diarrhoea and incidence of any other disease [13,14] were recorded at weekly intervals, from birth upto weaning.

Statistical analysis

Statistical analysis of the scientific data collected during the experiment was done with the method described by Snedecor and Cochran [15]. Results obtained from the present investigation are presented herewith in the form of Mean ± SE and significant level at 5%.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Positive dietary treatment effects were observed in AV/PES/12 supplemented groups in comparison to an untreated control group.

Experiment I

The data on average weight gain before and after the treatment in all experimental groups of experiment I was presented in table 1.

Table 1: Average birth weight (g), average body weight at 4^th week (g) and average weight gain in healthy piglets exposed to different dietary treatments

In untreated control group T0, the average weight gain from the time birth to 4^th week of age was recorded to be 3804.60 g (n=10). In treatment group T₁, the average weight gain from the time birth to 4^th week of age was recorded to be 4312.60 g (n=10). This gain in weight was 508 g more than the average weight gain observed untreated control group T₀. Similarly In treatment group T₂, the average weight gain from the time birth to 4^th week of age was recorded to be 4304.10 g (n=10) and this gain in weight was recorded to be 499.5g more than the average weight gain observed untreated control group T0. The increase in the weight gain in treatment groups in comparison to untreated control was observed because of herbal natural essential proteins, vitamins, minerals and energy sources present in AV/PES/12. The similar growth, improvement findings on supplementation with herbal growth-promoters [16,17] were observed by Basmacioglu et al. (2004) and Mao et al. (2005). No incidence of diarrhoea/mortality was recorded in experiment I.

Experiment II

The data on average weight gain before and after the treatment in all experimental groups of experiment II was presented in table 2.

Table 2: Mortality, average birth weight (g), average body weight at 4^th week (g) and average weight gain in weak piglets exposed to different dietary treatments

In untreated control group T₀ two pigs out of six were dying within three days after birth. One case of prolapse of rectum was recorded in treatment group T2, which was diagnosed due to hereditary condition; was removed from the group and one piglet died on the fifth day, as crushed under the body of the mother. In untreated control group T₀, the average weight gain from the time birth to 4^th week of age was recorded to be 2684.84 g (n=6). In treatment group T₁, the average weight gain from the time birth to 4^th week of age was recorded to be 3320 g (n=6). This gain in weight was 635.16 g more than the average weight gain observed untreated control group T₀. Similarly In treatment group T₂, the average weight gain from the time birth to 4^th week of age was recorded to be 2815.5g (n=6) and thus gain in weight was recorded to be 130.66 g more than the average weight gain observed untreated control group T0. The similar findings regarding the improvement in the performance of piglets on different herbal supplements [18-20] like herbal extracts (containing cinnamon, thyme and oregano extract), Ruchamax® (a blend of herbal extracts from Adrographis paniculata, Phyllanthus emblica, Curcuma longa, Zingiber officinale and Allium sativum M/S Ayurvet, India) were observed by Namkung et al. (2004), Matysiak et al. (2012) and Lipiński et al. (2014). No incidence of diarrhoea or any other disease incidence was recorded during the experiment II.

CONCLUSION

Positive dietary treatment effect on growth performance was observed in pre weaning piglets. Supplementing the piglets during crucial first post natal 24-48 hrs with AV/PES/12 (M/S Ayurvet Limited, India) had a beneficial effect on the growth rate and survival of piglets. The results confirm the natural oral protein & energy supplementing activity of AV/PES/12.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Financial support, samples provided by Ayurvet Limited, Baddi, H.P., India and research facility provided by the College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Maharashtra is gratefully acknowledged.

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