How to treat nutritional diarrhea in weaned piglets? A detailed explanation of prevention and treatment methods
Do you know how to treat the problem of nutritional diarrhea in weaned piglets?
1 Causes of nutritional diarrhea in piglets
1.1 Digestive physiological deficiencies. During the weaning stage, the digestive organs of piglets are still in the developmental stage, and the volume and weight of the organs are relatively small. The secretion of digestive enzymes and bile acids in weaned piglets is severely insufficient. In piglets weaned at 21 days of age, within 1 week after weaning, the lipase activity of pancreatic tissue decreases, while pepsin is not affected by weaning stress and increases with age and feed intake.
1.2 Low immunity. Early-weaned piglets are affected by factors such as weaning stress and environmental changes, resulting in low immunity and disease resistance. Piglets only begin to formally establish their own immune system at 3 weeks of age, and the speed is relatively slow. By 4 to 5 weeks of age, antibodies can reach a certain quantity and produce an effective immune protective effect. However, weaning stress also reduces circulating antibody levels and inhibits cellular immune capacity.
1.3 A stable intestinal microbial flora has not been established. The types and quantities of bacterial flora in the intestinal microbial flora of weaned piglets are prone to change. At this time, the microbial flora is very fragile and susceptible to imbalance. After weaning, because feed brings in a large number of bacteria and fungi, and at the same time the relatively high pH of the gastrointestinal tract jointly lead to the destruction of the stable microbial flora, harmful bacteria begin to increase, ultimately leading to diarrhea.
1.4 Feed factors. The formula of weaned piglet feed is the most important factor affecting nutritional diarrhea in piglets. In order to meet the nutritional needs of piglets, formulators usually design weaned piglet feed with high energy and high protein, but under the combined effect of excessive energy and protein and the piglets' underdeveloped digestive system, piglets are very prone to diarrhea.
2 Measures to prevent nutritional diarrhea in weaned piglets
2.1 Reasonably formulate the diet. The formulation of the diet for weaned piglets should conform to the physiological characteristics of weaned piglets. In addition to meeting their nutritional needs, palatability and digestibility should also be high. At the same time, a reasonable amount of crude fiber in the diet plays an important role in the normal development and function of the piglets' gastrointestinal tract and other digestive organs and in maintaining a normal microbial flora, but too much will instead lead to the occurrence of diarrhea.
2.2 Add emulsifiers. Emulsifiers can emulsify fat-soluble substances in the diet, thereby making them easier to digest by lipase in the piglets' bodies. Studies have shown that the addition of bile acids can not only play the role of an emulsifier, but also activate lipase, enhance lipase activity, and promote the digestion of fat by animals. At the same time, bile acids actively combine with fatty acids to form bile acid-fatty acid complexes, which are recognized by the small intestinal villus membrane and then enter the interior of the villus membrane to complete the process of fat absorption.
2.3 Add probiotics. The addition of probiotics increases the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestine, allowing beneficial bacteria to occupy a dominant position in competition with other bacteria. At the same time, the products of probiotics in the intestine inhibit the reproduction of harmful bacteria and reduce the incidence of diarrhea in weaned piglets.
2.4 Others. In order to better reduce diarrhea in weaned piglets, in addition to taking the above steps, adequate supplementary feeding before weaning and changing the feeding method of weaned piglets should also be carried out. When feeding, try to use the methods of small and frequent feeding and wet feeding of cooked feed to reduce the impact of feed changes on the animal's intestinal tract.
If pig farms want to obtain higher economic benefits, they must reduce the diarrhea rate of weaned piglets. Only by fully understanding the physiological functions of weaned piglets and providing a healthy and reasonable diet is an effective way to reduce nutritional diarrhea in piglets.