Growing consumer concerns and increased frequency of resistant pathogens are two reasons why the animal protein industry continues to explore options beyond antibiotics to address gut health challenges.
Phytobiological products continue to spark interest among veterinarians, says Andrew Bents, swine technical veterinarian for Hubbard Feeds.
“Polyphenols are a part of the innate immune system of many plants,” Bents wrote in his latest blog. “Disruptions of the plant cell integrity release these polyphenols, which interact with intercellular fluids and enzymes to produce molecules that form protein cross-linkages that seal the injury site, interfere with microbial growth and neutralize toxins that may delay the healing of the injured site. These interactions also take place when certain plant polyphenols interact with the epithelial cells in the intestinal tract and skin of swine.”
Because of this, plant polyphenols offer an alternative to addressing skin issues or enteric challenges in pigs, he says.
To learn more about polyphenols, Hubbard Feeds conducted a trial in partnership with Precision Health Technologies in Brookings, S.D., a company that seeks to improve implementation and delivery techniques to maximize the potential benefits of plant polyphenols in livestock production.
A Look at the Study
The goal of the study was to evaluate the effect of a proprietary blend of plant polyphenols on the performance of piglets in a relatively high-health farrowing environment. The trial was conducted at a 340-head farrow-to-finish family operation in southwest Minnesota and included all litters from two consecutive batches weaned in September and October 2022.
At processing, piglets were individually ear-notched, weighed, sorted by sex and randomly assigned to treatment or control groups so that both treated and untreated pigs were present in every litter. Treated pigs were administered 1 mL of PhytoCare GI-Revive orally, a product that emerged as a result of Hubbard Feeds’ partnership with Precision Health Technologies. Meanwhile, the control pigs received no additional treatment.
After weighing and allocating piglets into study groups, all pigs went through a standard processing procedure of an oral E. coli vaccine and a 200-mg injection of iron fortified with ampicillin. As well, tails were docked and boars were castrated. Four percent of piglets also showed signs of mild scouring at this time, so rectal swabs were collected for the further diagnosis of any pathogens present at the time of processing, Bents explains. The farm staff were unaware of which piglets were treated and which were in the control group in each litter.
The treatment protocol for scours on the farm included the application of a proprietary powder product on the mat at the first sign of scours, continuing for up to three days or until the scours had subsided. Besides the injection of fortified iron, no additional antibiotics were given to the piglets until they were creep-fed for the last five days before weaning.
Pigs were cross-fostered at 24 to 48 hours of age using the standard farm protocol to average the number of pigs per litter and were moved only once, if at all, he notes. The creep feed, which consisted of Hubbard Feeds’ Powerstart Solo pellets containing 50 g/ton Mecadox, started being fed five days prior to weaning.
“The diagnostic results of the rectal swabs that were collected identified multiple non-hemolytic, non-Shiga-producing E. coli, along with Clostridium perfringens type A. PCR-testing for porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) and rotavirus types A and C came back negative, and the processing fluids also tested negative for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS),” Bents says.
Polyphenols Showed Greatest Return in Lightweight Piglets
The study evaluated the GI-Revive product in all pigs as part of the processing protocol. Bents says they wanted to dig deeper to evaluate where the maximum benefits were realized.
“The greatest advantage was seen in pigs that weighed 2.5 pounds or less at processing. A significant return was achieved, and there were also nine fewer grade-out light pigs at weaning in the treated group as a result of this gain,” Bents says. “There was also a slightly higher advantage seen in the gilt and young sow litters.”
The scouring pigs recovered well on their own, so the advantage in that category was somewhat muted in that situation, he points out.
“Bear in mind that these are the results in otherwise healthy pigs; we have seen very positive responses in maternal litters, young sow litters and startup/repop herds, cross-fostered pigs, low-birthweight pigs, and particularly in the presence of rotavirus A and C, as well as some positive early results reported in the presence of coccidia and the emerging Sapovirus as well,” Bents says. “Based on our understanding of the way polyphenols are proposed to work in the gut, the expectation is that the pigs will continue to gain and maintain body condition throughout the challenge — but they cannot “cure” the scours.”
More from Farm Journal’s PORK:
Water-Based Foam Shows Promise as a Method for Swine Depopulation
Over-the-Counter Antibiotics: What You Need to Know Before June 11
5 Perspectives on Emerging PRRS Virus Strains
