Óleos essencias e ácidos orgânicos na alimentação de leitões na fase de creche

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the potential of essential oil (EO) and organic acid (OA) blends on the zootechnical performance and intestinal health of piglets in the nursery phase as an alternative to antibiotics. Ninety-six entire male piglets, hybrids of a commercial lineage, with an average initial body weight of 7.56 ± 0.47 kg, weaned at 27 days of age, were distributed in a randomized block experimental design consisting of four treatments, eight replicates, and three piglets per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of a control diet (CN); a positive control (CP) (CN + 200 mg halquinol/kg diet); additive I, composed of a blend of essential oils (thymol, cinnamaldehyde, carvacrol, and eugenol, 2% to 4%) and organic acids (fumaric acid 20%, lauric acid 10%, malic acid 10%, and citric acid 10%); and additive II, similar to additive I, with lauric acid replaced by phosphoric acid. Additive I (BLEND 1) and additive II (BLEND 2) were included at 200 mg/kg diet. The basal diets were divided into three experimental phases (pre-starter I, pre-starter II, and starter). Zootechnical performance variables were evaluated throughout the experimental period. At the end of the pre-starter II and starter phases, blood samples were collected from two animals per experimental unit to assess biochemical and hematological profiles, and, in the starter phase, antioxidant parameters, immunoglobulin G, and intestinal permeability. At the end of the experiment, six animals per treatment were slaughtered to evaluate organ weight and length, intestinal pH, cecal microbiology, microbiological translocation, and intestinal morphometry. In the pre-starter I + II, starter, and total phases, pigs fed the CN diet showed better feed conversion (FC) compared with pigs receiving BLEND 2 (P<0.05). The inclusion of essential oils and organic acids increased superoxide dismutase activity (P=0.001) and colonic pH (P<0.05). The other evaluated parameters were not affected by the treatments (P>0.05). In conclusion, the addition of the EO and OA blend to nursery piglet diets positively influenced antioxidant status without impairing diarrhea occurrence, blood biochemical and hematological profiles, intestinal morphometry, morphology, and microbiology, as well as relative organ weight, length, and content pH, with BLEND 1 representing a viable alternative to antibiotics without compromising zootechnical performance.