Centro de Investigaciony Estudios Avanzadosen Salud Animal (CIESA), Facultad de Medicina Veterinariay Zootecnia, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Carretera decuota Toluca-Atlacomulco, Kilometro 15.5 C.P. 50200, Toluca, Mexico.
*Correspondence author e-mail: jcvch@yahoo.com
Effect of a diet supplemented with probiotic live yeast (Sc47 strain) on growth-performance, peripheral blood leukocytes (lymphocytes and monocytes) and Saccharomyces Cerevisiae bacteria (CFU) counts in weaned Yorkshire-Landrace piglets was evaluated. Pigs were divided into two groups; the experimental group was fed with a yeast-supplemented diet (3×109 CFU live yeast/kg) for four weeks, whereas the control group received a yeast-free diet. Neither of the groups was given antibiotics as growth promoters. Animals in the experimental group showed better growth-performance, exhibiting faster weight gain than control animals. Supplementation with Sc47 strain did not induce important changes on total leukocyte counts but reduced number of fecal coliform bacteria more than a ten-fold in comparison to the reduction control group (P > 0.05). These results demonstrated that Sc47 strain supplementation reduced coliform bacteria levels in pigs in the absence of growth-promoting antibiotics. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the benefits conferred by dietary supplementation with live yeast.
Coliforms, Growth-performance, Leukocytes, Piglets, Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
