Performance and Intestinal Coliform Counts in Weaned Piglets Fed a Probiotic Culture (Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei CECT 4043) or an Antibiotic

The production of biomass and antibacterial extracellular products by Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei CECT 4043 was followed in both batch and in realkalized fed-batch cultures. Enhanced concentrations of biomass and antibacterial extracellular products were obtained with the use of the latter fermentation technique in comparison with the batch mode. The culture obtained by fed-batch fermentation was mixed with skim milk and used to prepare a probiotic feed for weaned piglets. To test the effect of the potentially probiotic culture of L. casei on body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion efficiency, and on fecal coliform counts of piglets, two groups of animals received either feed supplemented with the probiotic preparation or avilamycin for 28 days. The control group was fed nonsupplemented feed. At the end of the administration period (day 28), the groups receiving probiotic and avilamycin exhibited the highest average body weight gain values, although the mean feed intake and feed conversion eff...