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In order to evaluate the productive performance and production costs per weaned piglet and finished pig in swine farms with different PRRS virus vaccination protocols under field conditions, the indicators total piglets born alive, stillborn piglets, weaned piglets, birth and weaning weights, fattening days and final weight, as well as the costs per weaned piglet and finished pig of two farms under a semi-technification regime were analyzed: a) Protocol 1 (P1), a farm with vaccination of breeding sows and piglets; and b) Protocol 2 (P2), vaccination of breeding sows only. The productivity indicators up to weaning were evaluated with a Time-Repeated Measures Design, and the fattening indicators were evaluated with an analysis of variance with comparison of means. The costs were determined using the general cost formula. It was possible to observe differences in total number of piglets born and of mummies (P<0.05) in favor of P2, weaned piglets, as well as in birth and weaning weights in favor of P1, but no differences in the rest of the variables. Pigs finished in P1 resulted in 12 more days of fattening and a final weight of 3.13 kg more than P2. The costs per weaned piglet were $389.55 and $424.25 Mexican pesos, and the average cost per day of fattening were $10.01 and $11.43, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effect of efficient native Guantanamo microorganisms (MEAG) on bioproductive and hematological indicators of prefattening pigs, 60 pigs (Yorkshire-Landrace/Duroc), of 33 days old and average weight of 9.9 ± 1.31 kg, were used. They were distributed, according to a completely randomized design, into four groups, with 15 repetitions each. Treatments were control (without MEAG), and addition of MEAG, in doses of 1.0; 1.5 and 2.0 mL/kg of live weight/day, orally supplied. The experiment lasted 42 d. Final live weight, weight gain, daily mean gain, feed conversion, hemoglobin, hematocrit, total leukocyte, lymphocyte, eosinophil, neutrophil, monocytes, mortality and morbidity were evaluated. Final live weight of the animals that received 2.0 mL/kg of live weight/d was 3.09 kg higher than control (P <0.05), and did not differ between doses. For weight gain, mean daily gain and dietary conversion, differences were only found between the highest evaluated dose and the remaining treatments. Animals of this group were superior to control by 3.06 kg of weight gain and 72.86 g of mean daily gain. In addition, they improved dietary conversion in 1.02 kg of consumed food/kg of weight gain. Hematological values increased with increasing doses, but within the normal range. For morbidity, differences were found between control and treated animals, without differences among the latter. It is concluded that the use of MEAG as a feed additive improves the bioproductive and hematological indicators of pre-fattening pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, confer benefits to host health. Lactic acid bacteria are the most widely used, especially those of Lactobacillus genus. One of the species of this genus is Lactobacillus salivarius, capable of colonizing the digestive tract of humans and animals. It resists gastric barriers of acid pH and bile, and produces antimicrobial substances, such as organic acids and bacteriocins that inhibit different pathogenic microorganisms. This bacterium attaches to epithelial cells and stimulates the immune system. For these reasons, there is a lot of research aimed to evaluating the effect of Lactobacillus salivarius in monocultures or multi-strains, on microbiological, physiological, productive and health indicators in animals of zootechnical interest. There is evidence of the results of the selection process of strains from the digestive tract of animals, in which they are candidates for their in vitro and in vivo probiotic activity. This review has the objective of evaluating the probiotic potential of Lactobacillus salivarius and its effect on poultry, pig farming and calf rearing. In addition, some future considerations are recommended for its use as a probiotic additive in animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutamine is not considered an essential amino acid; however, it plays an important role in the health and growth of neonates and adults. In piglets, weaning generates atrophy of the intestinal villi and growth retardation. Several studies have shown that glutamine supplementation (0.2-2%) decreases the adverse effects of post-weaning stress in piglets. The aim of this article was to evaluate the effect size of glutamine supplementation on the productive performance of piglets, the consistency of their effect and the influence of other factors through the use of metaanalysis. The administration of glutamine improves the feed conversion (p <0.001), the piglets that receive glutamine convert the feed better when the supplementation lasted between 7 to 14 days (p =0.0023), since they require 121.6 g less of feed in comparison with the control group to make 1 kg of body weight. When the supplementation is done for a period of 15 to 30 days and 7 to 30 days, the saving of feed is 70.6 g (p <0.001) and 87.3 g (p <0.001) per kg of body weight, respectively. The daily weight gain is higher in 20.3 g=day (p= 0.0029) compared to the control group between 7 to 30 days of supplementation and 28.2 g=day (p = 0.0002) between 15 to 30 days. Age and weight of the piglet at the beginning of the supplementation, level of lysine, crude protein and the number of repetitions per treatment influence on the effect of glutamine on the variables evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Rectal digestibility of nutrients was determined in 16 crossbred pigs, castrated males and females in equal proportion, and averaging 115 kg live weight. The animals were allotted at random into two groups with an initial live weight of 67 kg and were fed, on an ad libitum basis, either 0 or 21% fresh paste of discarded entire avocados (Persea americana Mills) of Hass variety from Nayarit, Mexico, consisting of seeds, peels and pulp of discarded ripe fruits which were mixed and ground with the other ingredients of the diet. The fresh paste of discarded entire avocados contained 14.3 % crude fibre, 49.1 % crude fat and 9.0 % crude protein (Nx6.25) on a dry basis. The diet containing 21 % of avocados determined a significant (P<0.05) decrease of rectal digestibility of DM, organic matter and crude fibre (81.4, 83.9 and 27.4 %, respectively) with respect to the control diet (84.3, 86.9 and 36.4 %, respectively) but it was not true neither for rectal N digestibility (78.2 and 83.2 %; P>0.10) nor for acidified ether extract digestibility (65.3 and 83.0%; P=0.001). There was a significant (P=0.049) trend toward an increase in fecal output of materials (614 and 740 g fresh material/kg DM intake). The majority of digestive indices were significantly (P<0.05) correlated among them. A suggestion is made to study procedures allowing the increase in indices of rectal digestibility in pigs fed on fresh paste of discarded entire avocados. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the physicochemical, biological and organoleptic indicators in green banana silage (Musa sapientum) for use in pig feeding, four silages with waste banana were carried out. The treatments were: natural yogurt (NYGB), whey (WGB), whey and 5 % molasses B (WGBMB5) and whey and 10 % molasses B (WGBMB10). The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized single design. The means were contrasted with the Duncan test (P <0.05). The variables temperature, pH, fungi, yeasts, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Clostridium spp., Salmonella spp., odor, color and consistency at 1, 4, 8, 15, 30 and 60 d were studied. With respect to temperature, on day one, the treatments NYGB and WGBMB5 showed the highest value (P < 0.05) (22.50 °C; 22.51 °C). On the day four, the silages NYGB and WGB had the highest value (P < 0.05) (22.49 °C - 22.48 °C). From day eight, to day 60, in the WGBMB10 the highest temperature was reached (22.83 - 22.53 °C). Regarding pH, on day one, there were no differences (P> 0.05) between treatments: NYGB (4.39), WGB (4.33), WGBMB5 (4.36) and WGBMB10 (4.35). At day four, the pH was proportionally reduced in the silages, and was higher in treatment 1_NYGB, in 0.31 units. Then, the pH was stabilized in all silages. The NYGB treatment had the lowest value (P <0.05) (4.00 - 4.02). Fungi and yeasts were on day one, and then absent. During the study there were no total coliforms or Escherichia coli. Neither Clostridium spp. nor Salmonella spp. The silages showed odor (fermented sweet), color (yellowish coffee) and consistency (semi-hard). The physicochemical, microbiological and organoleptic indicators of silages, up to day 60, had a right performance, suitable for their use in pig feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study shows the main results achieved in recent years in processing and preserving alternative feeds for its conservation for months, in order to use them later, so as to avoid deficiencies in the feeding of domestic animals. It also analyzes the creation of a new alternative feed for pigs in silage shape, produced from a mixture of B molasses from sugar cane, tubers and roots, saccharomyces cream and vinasse from alcohol distilleries. The importance of this feed for tropical areas, where there is not an efficient production cereals, is valued, so that their partial or total substitution as an energy source results in economic and environmental benefits. This study may contribute to spread the results and to increase the efficiency of pork production in tropical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate growing doses of a microbial preparation (milk whey 33 %, molasses 20 %, urea 1 %, mineral salt 1 %, and water 45 %) on the productive performance, and the presence of diarrheas in post-weaning pigs, a completely randomized design was applied, with five treatments and four repetitions: T1 concentrate, T2, T3, T4 (concentrate plus 5 mL kg LW-1, 10 mL kg LW-1, and 15 mL kg LW-1 of the microbial preparation, respectively) and T5 (concentrate plus commercial probiotic). A total of 200 pigs from the crossing of Landrace x Large White with Belgium White x Pietrain were used, with 28 d old and 6.99 kg LW ± 0.18 kg. The highest final weight and the best total and daily weight gain (P < 0.01) were obtained in pigs fed with concentrates, and 15 mL kg LW-1 of the microbial preparation was added. Values of 25.78 kg, 18.78 kg and 447.25 g were obtained, respectively. The most efficient values, according to the conversions of dry matter, protein and energy (P < 0.01), were obtained in the treatment with 15 mL.kg LW-1 of microbial preparation, with 1.68 kg DM.kg-1, 351.16 g.kg LW-1, and 24.54 MJ.kg LW-1, respectively. The lowest presence of diarrheas (P < 0.01) was obtained in animals fed with the concentrate plus 15 mL kg LW-1 of the microbial preparation, and an incidence of 12 diarrheas. The use of the microbial preparation (15 mL kg LW-1) improved the nutritional value of the concentrates, the best parameters were obtained and the appearance of diarrheas was reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management before slaughtering is known to affect pork carcass and meat quality. The aims of this study were: a) to evaluate the animal handling and stunning practices, defects of pork carcass and meat quality, through conducting farm and plant audits; b) and to correlate them in order to establish corrective actions. Two hundred pigs were evaluated during 4 wk (50 pigs per week). The audits were applied at the farm (loading and transport) and during the slaughtering process (unloading, stunning, bleeding and scalding). Carcass traits such as pH and temperature (at 45 min and 24 h), water holding capacity, drip loss and color were evaluated. It was found that 46.5 % of the pigs were stunned incorrectly, and 53.0 % of the animals showed signs of sensible at sticking. Seven canonical correlations were obtained between two groups of canonical variables ("carcass" and" slaughter"); of those, the first two correlations explaining a variance between variables of 61.64 % (P<0.05). It was found that electrode position, blinking, vocalization, and righting reflex of head were highly correlated with canonical variables "carcass"; while, pH45min and pH24h showed the highest correlation with canonical variables "slaughter". It was found that the critical phase during the entire process was the stunning process, in which electrode position and blinking were highly associated with pork quality defects. The audit programs in meat processing plants are a helpful tool to detect failure in the production process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]