Effects of composite antimicrobial peptide on growth performance and health in weaned piglets

Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of composite antimicrobial peptide ( CAP ) on growth performance and health status in weaned piglets. Over 28 days, 36 weaned piglets (body weight, 10.58 ± 0.99 kg) underwent three treatments: negative control ( NC , basal diet), positive control ( PC , basal diet + 20 mg/kg colistin sulphate + 50 mg/kg kitasamycin), and CAP treatment ( CAP , basal diet with 400 mg/kg CAP ). Average daily gain of piglets fed the CAP diet was greater ( P < 0.05) than that of piglets fed the PC or NC diet during days 1–7, 8–14 and 15–21. Diarrhea rates of piglets fed the CAP or PC diet were lower ( P < 0.05) than those of NC ‐fed piglets during days 1–7. Apparent total tract digestibility for dry matter and crude ash in CAP ‐fed piglets was greater ( P < 0.05) than that of NC ‐fed piglets. In the CAP group, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium counts were greater ( P < 0.05) and Escherichia coli counts were lower ( P < 0.05) than numbers for the NC group. Our results indicate that dietary CAP had beneficial effects on growth performance and health status in weaned piglets.