STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF A COMBINED PREPARATION CONTAINING ENTEROCOCCUS-FAECIUM M-74 AND MANNAN-OLIGOSACCHARIDES IN DIETS FOR WEANLING PIGLETS

The effect of mannan-oligosaccharides (BIO-MOS) and Enterococcus faeci um M-74 (Lactiferm L 50), separately applied to COS feed mixtures, was studied in feeding comparative and metabolic trials on piglets-crosse s of Large White x Landrace breeds at the age of 28 days; the effect o f a combined probiotic preparation containing Enterococcus faecium M-7 4 and mannan-oligosaccharides was also examined as exerted on performa nce and nutrient digestibility parameters in weanling piglets. Four ex perimental groups were used in feeding comparative and metabolic trial s: (a(0)) control - diets without any additives, (a(1)) COS feed mixtu re containing 1.5 x 10(6) Enterococcus faecium M-74 bacteria (3 g of L actiferm L 50) per 1 g feed, (a(2)) COS feed mixture with 200 g of BIO -MOS preparation containing mannan-oligosaccharides extracted from the cellular membrane of a selected strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cer evisae, (a(3)) CO feed mixture with an addition of 3 g of Lactiferm L 50 and 200 g of BIO-MOS preparation. Piglets of group (a(3)), which re ceived COS feed mixture with a combined addition of mannan-oligosaccha rides (BIO-MOS) + Enterococcus faecium M-74, had the highest live weig ht in comparison with control (a(0)), + 8.21%. The live weight of pigl ets of group (a(1)), receiving feeds with Enterococcus faecium M-74, w as higher by 5.75%, while that of piglets receiving feeds with BIO-MOS addition (a(2)), was higher by 4.51% than in control (a(0)) An especi ally high effect of biological preparations was recorded for average d aily weight gain of piglets. The groups of piglets (a(3)), (a(2)) and (a(1)) had higher daily weight gains by 14.97%, 8.50% and 8.84%, respe ctively, than control (a(0)) The difference between the groups was sta tistically significant at P < 0.1 (a(0) < a(1), a(2) < a(3)) The diffe rence between (a(1)) and (a(2)) was not significant. Feed consumption in kg per 1 kg of weight gain was lowest (-20.92%) in groups receiving COS feed mixtures which contained both Enterococcus faecium M-74 bact eria and BIO-MOS (a(3)). The feed consumption per 1 kg weight gain in the group of piglets (a(1)), COS feed mixtures + Enterococcus faecium M-74, and in the group of piglets (a(2)), COS feed mixtures + BIO-MOS, was lower by 16.72% and 14.85%, resp., than in control (a(0)) No stat istically significant effects on N, fat and fiber digestibility were d etermined. The experimental groups had higher average values of fiber digestibility in both cases when BIO-MOS (a(2)) and Enterococcus faeci um M-74 (a(1)) were used. The group of piglets (a(3)), which received diets with applications of mannan-oligosaccharides and Enterococcus fa ecium M-74, had the highest average fiber digestibility (+7.85% agains t the control). This group also had higher average fat digestibility.