Óleos essenciais na alimentação de leitões em fase de creche e seus efeitos no desempenho zootécnico e saúde intestinal

Abstract

The use of antibiotics in piglet feed is one of the most common ways to combat pathogenic microorganisms and promote good productivity. However, if used improperly, it can promote microorganisms that are resistant to its use and accumulate residues in the soil and water. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of a mixture of essential oils (EO) in the diet of piglets in the nursery phase on zootechnical rates, hematological and blood parameters, organ morphology and microbiology, and the influence on the length, pH, weight, and intestinal permeability of the animals. A total of 144 male piglets with an initial weight of 7.00 ± 0.50 kg were used. The experimental unit consisted of 3 animals per bay, with 12 replications. The experimental diets included a positive control CP – basal diet with the inclusion of antibiotics, a negative control CN – basal diet without the inclusion of additives and antibiotics, and two diets with the inclusion of a blend of 250g and 500g of OE/ton of feed. The diets were divided into three production phases: pre-initial I (7.78–9.13 kg), pre-initial II (9.13–14.37 kg), and initial I (14.37–22.84 kg). The data were submitted to analysis of variation, followed by Tukey's test at 5% probability. Zootechnical performance, occurrence of diarrhea, blood and hematological biochemical parameters, weight, length and pH of organs, intestinal microbiology and histomorphometry, intestinal permeability, and hepatic bacterial translocation were evaluated. The use of EO had a beneficial effect in reducing the occurrence of diarrhea in the Pre-Initial II phase, as well as in the Initial I phase (P<0.05) for animals that received the CN500 treatment in relation to the other diets tested, and also had an effect (P<0.05) on organ weight, without influencing the other parameters evaluated. The inclusion of 500 g of EO/ton of feed based on thymol, carvacrol, cineole, and cinnamaldehyde reduces the incidence of diarrhea without impairing the performance and intestinal health of the animals.