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Report no. 579


Christian Fink Hansen Helle D. Kjærsgaard Bent Borg Jensen
10.10.2002
Effect of a plant extract on Salmonella, gastro-intestinal health and productivity of finishers

Abstract
The effects of the feed’s form, coarsely ground meal feed versus finely ground, pelleted feed and addition of a plant extract from den lokale andel (dla) to pelleted feed were studied.

The effects were measured on Salmonella, productivity and the microbial ecosystem in the digestive tract of finishers. The trial comprised the following groups:

Group 1:

Heat-treated, pelleted feed, ground at a 2.5 mm hammer mill

Group 2:

As group 1 with addition of 0.5 kg/tonne plant extract from dla

Group 3:

Meal feed, ground at a 4.0 hammer mill

The trial was carried out at Experimental Station Grønhøj, which is a conventional herd with production of weaners and which had a prevalence of Salmonella at the start of the trial. The trial was a randomised block trial comprising 522 pigs, three test groups, and 17 replicates.

There was no significant effect of the plant extract from dla on the prevalence of Salmonella or productivity. Meal feed affected the productivity significantly negatively as seen in previous trials.

Contrary to other trials, it was not possible in this one to prove a significant reduction in the prevalence of Salmonella when coarsely ground meal feed was used. There was no significant effect on the microbial ecosystem in the stomach of any of the treatments. However, it did seem that meal feed and the plant extract from dla affected the microbial ecosystem in the caecum in the same direction. Both treatments seemed to result in an increased concentration of organic acids in the content of the caecum. A high concentration of organic acids is generally considered positive to the microbial ecosystem.

There were no differences between the groups in mortality, the number of pigs removed from the trial or the number of treatments for diarrhoea.
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