September 12, 2023

 

Phileo: Mitigating impact of Lawsonia intracellularis to improve intestinal resilience, pig performance

 

 

Phileo by Lesaffre has shown that feeding the company's Safglucan to pigs can help them cope better with the negative effect of enteric disorders caused by Lawsonia intracellularis.

 

This would help the pork industry achieve profitable production while also reducing antimicrobial usage, the company said.

 

Enteric disorders caused by L. intracellularis are often the source of reduced and heterogeneous weight gain, decreased feed efficiency, diarrhea and sudden death in pigs. Such disorders cause significant economic losses to the pork industry worldwide, even when no clinical signs of this condition are visible.

 

At the same time, Phileo's knowledge of L. intracellularis is improving, with nutritional solutions gaining attention as means to boost swine performance and well-being on farms which are exposed to L. intracellularis.

 

According to Phileo, L. intracellularis is ubiquitous on swine farms, often circulating easily among herds. Ultimately, almost all pigs on a L. intracellularis-positive farm will come into contact with the bacteria during their lifetime, often during their grower-finisher stage.

 

Once in the intestine, the bacterium damages the intestinal wall. The gut microbiome balance is affected, nutrient absorption is damaged and resistance to other pathogenic threats are compromised.

 

Phileo has confirmed, however, that yeast-based solution Safglucan has great potential to improve intestinal resilience and pig performance, thus limiting the need for antimicrobials.

 

The company has shown that supplementing feed with Safglucan during the growing and finishing phases significantly improves growth and reduces the proportion of slow-growing pigs.

 

Furthermore, a favorable shift in the microbiome has also been observed in supplemented pigs. Intestinal resilience was significantly improved as shown by a reduction in average L. intracellularis shedding and/or the decreased prevalence of pigs shedding high numbers of bacteria.

 

Safglucan is a yeast (1.3)(1.6) beta-glucan extracted from a selected proprietary yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae and achieved through a unique and controlled manufacturing process. It is heat-resistant and can be used in pelleting and mash feed. The product has a proven track record concerning the improvement of microbiota balance and resilience to pathogenic attacks.

- Phileo by Lesaffre