Table 2.
General health parameters followed from birth until challenge.
| Groups | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | P-level treatments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treatments (number of animals) | CTRL/NV (n = 7) | CTRL/V (n = 6) | lcITF/V (n = 8) | lcITF/LaW37/V (n = 7) | |
| Farrowing room (prior to weaning and to vaccination) d0–23 | |||||
| Growth performance (g/day) | 256 ± 8 | 238 ± 9 | 242 ± 7 | 0.189 | |
| Health condition* (% of all scores > 0) | 7.7 ± 5b | 4.1 ± 3a | 6.7 ± 4ab | 0.029 | |
| First week post-weaning d24–30 | |||||
| Growth (g/day) | 49 ± 18 | 52 ± 20 | 86 ± 15 | 42 ± 11 | 0.215 |
| Feed intake (g/day) | 101 ± 15 | 93 ± 15 | 112 ± 12 | 86 ± 11 | 0.482 |
| Feed efficiency (g feed/g weight) | 0.60 ± 0.06b | 0.61 ± 0.08b | 0.82 ± 0.06a | 0.54 ± 0.06b | 0.034 |
| Faecal score** (% of piglets with soft stools to diarrhoea) | 23.6% | 20.5% | 10.3% | 13.8% | 0.1718 |
| Post weaning period until challenge d24–51 | |||||
| Health condition* (% of animals scoring > 0, with 0 the ideal state) | 17.3 ± 3a | 31 ± 3b | 34.9 ± 2b | 29.4 ± 4b | <0.0001 |
| Appetite*** (% of animals scoring > 0, with 0 the ideal state) | 20 ± 3a | 27 ± 3b | 31 ± 3b | 26 ± 4b | 0.004 |
| Faecal score** (% of piglets with soft stools to diarrhoea) | 22.9%a | 19.7%a | 12.2%b | 20.8%a | 0.0115 |
Different letters indicate significant difference between the groups (p < 0.05) when the general p value is below 0.05 as indicated in bold. Statistical significances were tested with a χ2 homogeneity test of the GENMOD procedure in SAS. CTRL = placebo control; NV = non-vaccinated; V = vaccinated; lcITF = long-chain inulin type fructans; LaW37 = L. acidophilus W37.
*Score 0 = good condition; 1 = below average; 2 = less optimal; 3 = meagre; 4 = dehydrated.
**Incidence of diarrhoea evaluated with faecal score 1 = soft; 2 = diarrhoea; 3 = severe dehydration.
***Score 0 = normal appetite; 1 = little appetite; 2 = no appetite.