Effects of Dietary Green Tea Probiotics, Alisma canaliculatum (Alismatis rhizoma) Probiotics and Fermented Kelp Meal as Feed Additives on Growth Performance and Immunity in Pregnant Sows

Ki Soo Kim*, Gwi Man Kim, Hoon Ji, Sung Wook Park and Chul Ju YangDepartment of Animal Resource & Science, Sunchon National University, 413 Jungangno, Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, 540-742, KoreaABSTRACTAn investigation was done to evaluate the effects of adding green tea probiotics, Alisma canaliculatum probiotics and fermented Kelp meal on the growth performance and immune response in sows and piglets. A total of 32 pregnant sows were assigned to 4 treatments in 8 replications with 1 sow as a replicate in this experiment from 2 months before parturition to 28 days after parturition. Three hundred nineteen(319) piglets were produced from experimental sows after parturition. The dietary treatments were CON group(without antibiotics), GTP(basal+green tea probiotics, 0.5% of the diet), ACP group(basal+Alisma canaliculatum probiotics, 0.5% of the diet) and FKM group(basal+fermented Kelp meal, 0.5% of the diet). Litter size and body weight at birth and weaning size and body weight at weanling in piglets were greater in additives group compared to CON group but no statistical differences were found(P>0.05). Diarrhea score showed a decreasing tendency with three additives groups compared to CON group. The lymphocytes in blood of sows fed ACP and FKM group were significantly higher compared to CON group (P 0.05). Based on these observations, it can be inferred that the GTP and FKM may have such efficacy as antibiotics in growing pigs.(Key words : Green tea probiotic, Alisma canaliculatum probiotics, Fermented Kelp meal, Growth performance, Immunity)