Effects of the lactoferrin (LF) on the growth performance, intestinal microflora and morphology of weanling pigs

A total of 90 weanling pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) at an average initial body weight of 6.1 ± 0.8 kg were used in a 30-day growth trial to investigate the effect of lactoferrin on growth performance, on intestinal microflora and on intestinal morphology. The pigs were allocated on the basis of weight and litter to three dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design. There were three replicate pens per treatment and pigs were grouped with 10 pigs per pen. The dietary treatments were: (1) basal diet, (2) basal diet + 20 mg/kg flavomycin + 110 mg/kg aureomycin, and (3) basal diet + 1.0 g/kg lactoferrin. Six randomly selected pigs from each treatment (two piglets per pen) were slaughtered for the intestinal microflora and intestinal morphology at the end of the experiment. Supplementation with LF improved growth performance, significantly increased the ADG by 34.0% (P<0.01) and ADFI by 17.0% (P<0.05), decreased the F/G by 12.8% (P<0.05) and the diarrhea by 66.2% (P<0.05). Reducing the total viable counts of Escherichia coli and Salmonella (P<0.05), enriched the colonic Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium (P<0.05) in the small intestine. The villus height was increased (P<0.01) and crypt depth decreased (P<0.05) at the small intestinal mucosa as compared with the control. Supplemental antibiotic also increased ADG and ADFI (P<0.05), decreased diarrhea (P<0.05) and reduced the total viable counts of some pathogenic bacteria (P<0.05), but not significantly affected beneficial bacteria and intestinal morphology. The use of lactoferrin as an additive to improve growth performance, prevent diarrhea, and affect on the intestinal microflora and morphology of weanling pigs would be good a method of defending weaned pigs from infections and weanling stress.