Growth performance
Supplementation of both the source of probiotics improved (p<0.05) FBW, FI, ADG (g/d) and FCR in crossbred grower pigs (Table 2). The average feed intake (g/d) was higher (p<0.05) in TPedic group compared to control, where TLacto group showed comparable values with control groups. Grower pigs fed with different source of probiotic showed positive effects on FBW, FCR and ADG.
Meng et al., (2010) reported that increased ADG and ADFI similar study with
Balasubramanian et al., (2016 ) and
Upadhaya et al., (2015), by dietary supplementation of probiotics (
Bacillus subtillis and
Clostridium butyricum endospores) throughout the experiment but FCR was not increased in the finisher phase. Positive effect on growth and feed conversion efficiency was observed in grower pigs with supplementation of probiotic strains of
Bacillus subtillis (6×10
11 CFU/ml)
Saccharomyces boulardi (6×10
10 CFU/ml) and
L. acidophilus C3 ( 5×10
9 CFU/ml)
Giang et al., (2011). Difference within the result of these studies maybe explained by several factors including the age of the pigs, strain of bacteria, the level of probiotic, diet ingredients, feeed and interection within the environment.
Shon et al., (2005) revealed that feeding of 0.2% probiotics (
L. reuteri,
L. salivarius,
L. plantarum and yeast complex) did not show any significant effect in growth performance in grower- finisher pigs.
Nutrient digestibility
During metabolism trial, the average metabolic body weight and dry matter (DM) intake (kg/kg metabolic body weight) were similar between the treatment groups. However, the digestibility of crude protein (CP) and nitrogen retention was superior (p<0.05) in pig fed
P. acidilactici FT28 compared to control. T. Lacto group (
L. acidophilus NCDC15) showed comparable results with TPedic and control (C) groups. The probiotic,
P. acidolactici FT20 isolated from piglets faeces increased nutrients digestibility but not
L.acidophilus NCDC 15 which was of dairy origin indicating that a culture from the host animal is more effective probiotic as compared to the culture from other sources.
Shon et al., (2005) reported that addition of swine based probiotics (
L. reuteri, L. salivarius, L. plantarum) showed higher digestibility of DM and N in grower and finisher pigs. Similarly, Feeding of LAB complex (
E. faecium, L. acidophilus, P. pentosaceus and
L. plantarum) increased CP, CF and OM digestibility after weaning
Giang et al., (2010). The isolated
P. acidilactici FT28 from gut microflora might have propagated quickly in GIT to a very stable population and increased number of LAB in the gut was responsible for better nutrient utilization in pigs.
Blood biochemical profile
Serum profile are affected by age, heredity and various disease. The amount of serum glucose, cholesterol, total fat, triglycerides, albumin and globulin under different group has been presented in Table 4. The lower blood glucose level observed in present experiment in treatment group (T
1 and T
2) group which might be due to fact that
Lactobacillus stimulates the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 7 gene that stimulate the B cells of pancreas to secrete the insulin resulting in lowering the glucose
(Nourazarian et al., 2012; Zenga et al., 2011), this is having similarity in the investigation of
Cui et al., (2013). The serum protein concentration at any given time is in turn a function of hormonal balance, nutritional status, water balance and other factors affecting the state of health. The serum protein level indicates the balance between anabolism and catabolism protein in the body. However, the concentration of serum total protein and albumin was not differed among the treatment groups. The serum globulin and albumin-to-globulin (A: G) ratio were significantly higher (p<0.05) in TPedic groups by supplementing
P. acidilactici FT28 in grower pigs compared to other treatment groups. Serum concentration of triglycerides and cholesterol was lower (p<0.05) in TPedic group animals in comparison to control and TLacto groups. Cholesterol concentration in blood serum was differed significantly (p<0.05) among the treated animals. A positive effect was observed on serum globulin and A: G ratio without showing any significant effect on serum protein and albumin due to the supplementation of
P. acidilactici FT28 in growing crossbred pigs (Table 3). In the present study, serum total proteins, albumin and globulin remained within normal range
Kaneko et al., (2008) and did not differ significantly among different dietary treatments. This may be due to improvement in animal appetite and feed utilization by the animals
Kumar et al., (2012). The finding was also in harmony with that recorded by
Bakr et al., (2009) who reported no significant difference in the levels of serum globulin in probiotic fed calves; however, they observed a significant increase in the blood serum levels of total proteins. Cholesterol and triglyceride levels in piglet blood are affected by age, heredity, nutrition and various diseases.The positive effect of
P. acidilactici FT28 was consistent with decreased concentration of serum triglycerides. In a previous study,
Dowarah et al., (2018) also observed lower serum triglyceride level by supplementing species-specific
P. acidilactici and
L. acidophilus in grower-finisher pigs. Another study revealed that bile salt hydrolase activity of gut-associated LAB, which may be responsible for de-conjugation of bile salts and results in decreased blood cholesterol. Therefore, this may also account lower serum concentration of cholesterol in
P. acidilactici FT28 (fecal origin)-fed animals in comparison to control and
L. acidophilus. Similar to our result,
Dhruw et al., (2015) observed lower total blood cholesterol level by supplementing
L. acidophilus NCDC15 and curd in weaning piglets, which was also confirmed by incorporation of probiotic in broilers. This may be due to the probiotic exerts their action by the activity of lactic acid bacteria, production of enzymes, disintegrating bile salt and de-conjugating them, as well as decreased intestinal pH and simultaneously, they are absorbed less from the intestine and are excreted more in feces (
Klaver and Van der Meer, 1993).
Faecal microbiota
Supplementation of
L. acidophilus NCDC-15 and
P. acidilactici strain FT28 reduced (P<0.001) the fecal counts of
E. coli and
clostridia (harmful microbes) which was more (P<0.001) evident at 30 day of feeding (Table 5). Whereas, population size of LAB and
bifidobacteria (beneficial microbes) were increased (P<0.001); but LAB count was more (P<0.001) improved at 60 and 90 day of feeding.Pig gastrointestinal microbiota majorly balance between beneficial and harmful microbes reflects health status of the animal. In the present study, by feeding both the source of probiotics, there was increased in beneficial bacteria and reduction in harmful bacteria making GIT healthier in grower-ûnisher pigs
Ohashi et al., (2007) also observed stimulation of indigenous
lactobacilli in cecum by continuous feeding of
L. bulgaris strain 2038 in the form of yoghurt for two weeks to pigs. Similarly,
Giang et al., (2011) also reported an increase (P<0.05) in fecal LAB and decrease (P<0.05)
E. coli counts by feeding
B. subtilis and LAB in growing pigs. Feeding of B. subtilis increased
Lactobacillus and decreased faecal
E. coli.
Immune profile
The antibody titre reached at the maximum on 14 d post inoculation, thereafter declined at day 21 post inoculation. The probiotics fed groups showed higher (P<0.001) antibody titre in comparison to control animals, further T2 where
P. acidilactici FT28 was fed exhibited highest antibody titre.
The findings concerning to the CMI in terms of DTH response to PHA-p showed a significant (P<0.001) improvement in skin indurations in terms of skin thickness in T1 and T2 groups as compared to T0 (control), however, T2 was higher (P<0.01) than T1. Feeding of probiotic play an important role in the initiation of the mucosal immune response, as they represent the first line of defense against pathogens and toxic agents eventually reaching the intestinal disease by manipulating humoral and cell mediated immunity (Erickson and Hubbard, 2000). Probiotics facilitate the suppression of lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production by T cells which down regulates the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α
(Isolauri et al., 2001). The humoral immune response was significantly improved by supplementation of probiotics (live
S. cerevisiae @ 2-3×10
6 cfu/g) when piglets were weaned at 42 days of age
(Kumar et al., 2012). (Dong et al., 2013) also reported that serum level of IgM concentration was increased with supplementation of probiotics in basal diet of pigs. Here again, the immunity status of the animals fed on diet supplemented with swine origin probiotic (
P. acidilactici FT28) was stronger than dairy origin probiotics indicating that host origin probiotic is superior than the probiotic from other source.
