Vitamin Supplementation Offers Option for Protecting Piglets from Diarrhea

Research conducted by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and CDPQ indicates the use of vitamin supplementation offers an alternative to address diarrhea in piglets. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in collaboration with CDPQ and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine is exploring the potential of providing supplemental dietary vitamins to the sow during gestation along with a commercial vaccine to stimulate maternal antibody production in hopes of passing increased immunity to neonatal and postweaning diarrhea.

Hannah Burlet, a graduate student with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, says the pressure to find alternative methods to protect piglets from diarrhea is mounting.

Quote-Hannah Burlet-Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada-Western College of Veterinary Medicine:

Both neonatal diarrhea and post weaning diarrhea are umbrella terms that we use to refer to diarrheal diseases impacting newly born and newly weaned piglets respectively.Both are caused by a range of different bacteria and viruses which are mostly opportunistic pathogens.

The incidence of this disease can vary from farm to farm and year to year.Vitamins are natural products that do not cause any harm to animals when used within certain limits and, therefore, provide a healthier alternative to improve animal health, in contrast to the use of antibiotics or high levels of zinc oxide, which may potentially cause environmental and public health issues with the rise in development of antibiotic resistance.

Using vitamins does not generate such a problem.Additionally, the approach was designed to be easily applicable without a large financial investment.The cost of making the switch to the higher vitamin diet would not be prohibitive and should provide a healthy return on investment.

Burlet says sow and piglet performance data is now being analysed and she plans to present findings during the upcoming Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium in November.