Effect of Probiotics on Blood Biochemical Profile, Immunity and Small Intestine Morphology in Growing Finishing Pigs

An experiment was conducted to study the effects of probiotics (Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCDC 49 and Lactobacillus acidophilus-15) on blood biochemical profile, immunity and small intestine morphology in growing finishing pigs, weaned at 28 days of age. Thirty-six cross-bred (Landrace X Desi) piglets were allocated to three treatments on the basis of the body weight in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was comprised of four replicates with three piglets in each. The three dietary treatments were: basal diet without any probiotic (Control), basal diet where 10 % of feed was replaced by feed fermented with S. cerevisiae NCDC 49 with the count of 3–5 × 106 cfu/g (SC) and basal diet with 10 % of feed fermented with L. acidophilus-15 with the count of 2–3 × 109 cfu/g (LA). The results showed that probiotic supplementation had no effect (P > 0.05) on blood biochemical profile. Antibody titre against 20 % SRBC injection was significantly higher in probiotic-supplemented groups than control. Villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio of jejunum were increased (P < 0.01) in SC and LA groups as compared to control. It is concluded that inclusion of probiotics at 10 % level of the basal diet improved the immunity and intestinal morphology of growing finishing pigs weaned at 28 days of age.