EFFECT OF SALINOMYCIN ON IN-VITRO CECAL FERMENTATION IN PIGS

The effect of salinomycin was investigated in anaerobic incubations of the pig caecal contents collected at slaughter, diluted with buffer a nd either supplied with starch or nor. Salinomycin was present in cult ures at 0, 2, 5 and 10 mg/l. In the whole range of concentrations that were tested, salinomycin significantly increased the production of pr opionate at the expense of acetate and butyrate. At 5 and 10 mg/l, the se fermentation shifts were accompanied by a significant decrease of t he total VFA, gas and methane production. The formation of molecular h ydrogen which was low in control incubations without substrate (0.20 m mol/l), was increased in the salinomycin-treated cultures with starch (1.30 mmol/l). Salinomycin tended to decrease the synthesis of microbi al protein, bur its effect was not significant. The metabolic hydrogen recovery was significantly increased in salinomycin-treated cultures, indicating a partial inhibition of acetate formation from CO2 and H-2 .