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Liquid feeding appears to have a very positive effect on the gut health of pigs as a trial has shown they were better able to resist infection with salmonella.
The research looked at the effects of giving pigs dry or wet feed in either fully-slatted or straw-bedded housing, with particular reference to gut health and food safety.
Participants were SAC, Craibstone, Aberdeen; VLA, Bury St Edmunds; VLA New Haw, Surrey, and Meat and Livestock Commission, Milton Keynes (Hillman, Hunt, Davies and Gill).
1056 Landrace x Large White pigs were used in the study and offered dry or wet feed of the same specification. Accommodation was either total slats or straw-bedded.
Samples were taken throughout the trial of feed and feed components, water, straw, dust, faeces and slurry. Intestinal samples (ileum, caecum and colon) were taken from two pigs per room at entry and six pigs per pen at slaughter.
Blood samples were taken from all pigs and examined for Salmonella antibodies at slaughter. Detailed microbial analysis of samples was conducted throughout the trial.
Results showed that liquid feed generated a resilient intestinal micro-flora, better able to resist infection with Salmonella species. The higher microbial load of the liquid feed did not appear to affect the intestinal micro-flora of pigs adversely. Liquid-fed pigs carried reduced bacterial numbers.
From a bacteriological standpoint the study showed that a combination of liquid feed and full-slatted housing, provided the safest environment for both growing pigs and food safety.
The trial was funded by DEFRA and BPEX/MLC and is part of the Finishing Pigs Systems Research Programme that is co-ordinated by MLC.
Results were presented to the British Society of Animal Science Annual Conference, 5-7 April, York.