Modern pig production is unthinkable without the use of various growth promoters, especially in young animals with not yet developed digestive and immune systems. This topic became especially trending after the EU’s ban the use of subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics as growth stimulants. Assessing the importance of the problem, over the last ten years, scientists around the world have focused on the search for new “natural”, “safe” and environment-friendly growth stimulants, substitutes for the nutritional antibiotics used so far. The abundance of unique herbs in our country provides for the opportunity to manufacture feed additives, applicable in livestock breeding, which can successfully substitute for the already banned antibiotics, used for many years as growth stimulants.
The aim of this research is to determine the effect on productivity of pigs, when supplemented with the biologically active herbal feed additive VemoHerb V-GroW to compound feed.
The series VemoHerb is a feed additives line produced by VEMO Corp., Sofia, Bulgaria and is a mixture of biologically active natural compounds. The product contains saponins, sterols, flavonoids, tannins, polyphenols and others and has been tested in a series of experiments in starter and grower pigs. The trials with pigs have been conducted in the experimental site of the Institute of Stock-Breeding Sciences, Konstinbrod, Bulgaria.
Results and Discussion
The trial is held in a pig farm and it involved 153 male and female castrated pigs of two-line hybrid Landrace x Large White in weight period of 6 to 20 kg included immediately after weaning the animals.
The first is a control group and the animals received compound feed with added antibiotics. For the second group, the feed formula is enriched with a test product VemoHerb V-GroW and the third group is with an acidifier. The obtained results are shown in the following table:
| Groups Parameters | Control + antibiotic | Control + VemoHerb V-GroW | Control + acidifier |
| Total number of pigs | 51 (3×17) | 51 (3×17) | 51 (3×17) |
| Period, days | 68 | 68 | 68 |
| Body weight, kg – at the beginning – at the end | 6.58 19.97 | 6.10 22.0 | 6.02 20.59 |
| Growth, g/day – % compared to Control | 197±70.6c* 100.0 | 234±68.4c* 118.8 | 214±62.9 108.6 |
| Feed intake: – Intake/day/g – for 1 kg gain, kg – % compared to Control | 570±10.3cd* 2.895±1.35ab* 100.0 | 585±34.0ce* 2.503±0.98a* 86.4 | 542±37.9de* 2.528±1.0b* 87.3 |
*The value marks of the same letters are significant at: a, b – P < 0.05; c – P < 0.01; d, e – P < 0.001
The amount of the feed per day of one pig in groups is 570 g, 585 g and 542 g. Pigs in the second group accepted three percent more feed than the control animals, while in the group receiving acidifiers, the assumed feed is fairly lower. The addition of VemoHerb V-GroW has a positive effect on the growth of pigs. The average daily gain for animals from the second group is 234 g or 18.8% higher compared with the control animals – 197 g. In pigs from the third group that have received the acidifier also achieved better growth by 8.6% compared to the control animals – 214 g, although the difference is not statistically proven.
The average daily gain in groups that have received VemoHerb V-GroW and acidifier is 8.5% higher in the group with addition of VemoHerb V-GroW compared to the group with the acidifier.
Analogical results are observed in feed intake. The best conversion of the feed is reached in the second group – 2.5 kg, followed by a third group – 2,53 kg compared with control animals – 2,9 kg. The mortality rate in pigs in the control group and the group with the addition of acidifiers was practically the same, while in the group with addition of VemoHerb V-GroW it was four points lower.
The next trial is held with 24 male castrated and female grower pigs from, “Dunabe byala” breed divided into four groups. The aim of this research is to determine the effect from the addition of VemoHerb BP compared to the recommended dosage of 150 g/t feed. The obtained results are presented in the following table:
| Groups Parameters | Control without VemoHerb V-GroW | ІІ group with VemoHerb V-GroW 75 g/t feed | ІІI group with VemoHerb V-GroW 150 g/t feed | ІV group with VemoHerb V-GroW 225 g/t feed |
| Total number of pigs | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Trial period, days | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 |
| Body weight, kg – at the beginning – at the end | 31.16±1.03 56.78±2.65 | 29.92±1.34 56.62±1.20 | 30.67±1.22 59.83±1.31 | 28.18±1.54 57.470±1.78 |
| Growth, g/day – % compared to Control | 610±0.04ab* 100.0 | 636±0.02cd* 104.03 | 694±0.02ac* 113.7 | 697±0,02bd* 114.2 |
| Feed intake: – Intake/day/kg – % compared to Control – for 1 kg gain, kg – % compared to Control | 1.98±0.06abc* 100 3.248±0.18 100 | 2.095±0.02a* 2105.7 3.296±0.18abc* 101.4 | 2.125±0.01c* 107.3 3.061±0.08a* 94.2 | 2.109±0.01b* 106.5 3.024±0.07b* 93.1 |
*The value marks of the same letters are significant at: a, b, c, d – P < 0.05.
The experimental data shows that for the period from 42 days, the pigs have better intensity in growth, the average daily gain is from 610 g to 696 g/day. Compared with control animals, in pigs of II, III and IV groups, increasing the dose with addition of VemoHerb V-GroW increases the yield, respectively, with 4%, 13.7% and 14.2% compared with the control group.
At a 50% lower participation rate of the test product compared with the recommended optimal dose of 150 g/t, growth in pigs reduces by around 9%. Compared with pigs from the control group, the animals from the third and fourth group have the same intensity in growth and FCR, which shows that the increase of the dosage of VemoHerb V-GroW does not lead to a significant increase in growth in pigs. Therefore, the recommended dosage of 150 g/t feed is optimal.
