Effect on weaner pig performance and diet microbiology of feeding a liquid diet acidified to ph 4 with either lactic acid or through fermentation with pediococcus acidilactici

Tina M. Geary, Peter H. Brooks*, Jane D. Beal, Alastair Campbell

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The effect of feeding newly weaned pigs acidified liquid diets was investigated. The control diet was acidified to about pH 4 with lactic acid (LA). A second diet of the same formulation was acidified to about pH 4 by fermentation with Pediococcus acidilactici (PA). Forty-eight weaner pigs (weight 7 kg ± 1 kg, age 24 ± 4 days) were allocated to the two dietary treatments according to a randomised block design and fed ad libitum for 28 days. Food intake, daily gain and water intake were recorded, and a microbial assessment of the liquid diet was conducted. Reducing pH < 4.0 in either of the liquid diets was effective in eliminating coliform bacteria. There were no significant differences in any of the performance parameters measured. The average daily liveweight gain overall was 474 and 496 ± 17.8 g d-1 for PA and LA, respectively, with a feed conversion ratio overall of 1.15 and 1.11 ± 0.025 for PA and LA, respectively, Fermentation of liquid diets for newly weaned piglets could provide a more cost effective means of acidifying diets than the use of organic acids. Reducing the pH of the liquid diet to 4.00 by fermentation with Pediococcus acidilactici was a cost effective method of eliminating enteropathogens and spoilage organisms from the diet.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)633-640
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
Volume79
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1999

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Food Science
  • Agronomy and Crop Science
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

Keywords

  • Feed microbiology
  • Feeding systems
  • Fermentation
  • Lactic acid
  • Liquid feeds
  • Pediococcus acidilactici
  • Pigs
  • Weaners

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