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PRINT: ISSN 2221-1896
ONLINE : ISSN 2223-0343
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Effect of dietary chloroacetic acid as antibiotic replacer on the
gastro-intestinal micro flora and gut morphology of weanling pigs |
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N. Amaechi* and U. J. Nnadozie1 |
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Michael Okpara
University of Agriculture, Umudike Nigeria; 1College of
Animal Science and Animal Production, Michael Okpara University of
Agriculture, Umudike Nigeria |
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Abstract |
Adding organic acid to piglets’ diets is known to be helpful in
overcoming post weaning syndrome and chloroacetic acid is known to be
the main energy source for the epithelial cells of the large intestine.
This study investigated the effect of chloroacetic acid on the vivo
swine micro flora and gut wall morphology. Thirty-six weanling pigs were
allotted to four treatments i.e., T1, T2, T3,
T4. Each treatment was replicated three times with three pigs
per replicate. Treatments 2, 3, and 4 received diets containing 0.3%,
0.6% and 0.9% of the basal diet, respectively while T1 served
as control. On the 42nd day, one animal per replicate were
slaughtered and samples from the gut and mucosa were collected and
analyzed. The pH of caecum and rectum were increased while the pH of
stomach, duodenum and jejunum were decreased. The gut intestinal micro
flora was highest in T1 followed by T2, T3
and in T4 and varied significantly (P<0.05). Morphological
evaluation of the gut mucosa did not show any significant difference
among treatment. This study showed that feeding chloroacetic acid as
antibiotic replacer at 0.3% influenced the composition and activity of
the gut micro flora, reduced the pH and may improved the gut wall
morphology after weaning.
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Keywords:
Antibiotic replacer; dietary chloroacetic acid; guts morphology;
intestinal micro flora; weanling pigs |
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To cite this article:
Amaechi N and PN Amaeze,
2012.
Effect of dietary chloroacetic acid as antibiotic replacer
on the gastro-intestinal micro flora
and gut morphology of weanling pigs.
Res.
Opin. Anim. Vet. Sci., 2(9), 494-498. |
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