Abstract:
Oregano oil and multi-component carbohydrases as alternatives to antimicrobials in nursery diets
Darryl Ragland, DVM, PhD; Deborah Stevenson, RVT; Michael A. Hill, BVetMed, MS, PhD
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Objective: To evaluate the growth-promoting potential of oregano oil and multi-component carbohydrases individually and in combination.
Materials and methods: One hundred eighty 21-day-old Yorkshire-Landrace pigs were randomly assigned to five treatments. Treatments were the unsupplemented, unmedicated basal diet (Control) and the basal diet supplemented with either 4.41 g per tonne flavomycin (Huvepharma, Inc, Peachtree City, Georgia; Flavomycin), 1.5 kg per tonne oregano oil (Van Beek Scientific, Orange City, Iowa; Oregano), 50.1 g per tonne multi-component carbohydrase (Van Beek Scientific; Carbohydrase), or a combination of 750 g per tonne oregano oil and 50.1 g per tonne carbohydrase (Oregano oil-carbohydrase).
Results: Pigs fed the Flavomycin diet achieved the highest (P < .05) final bodyweights, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake (ADFI). Pigs fed the Oregano oil-carbohydrase diet exhibited better feed efficiency than pigs fed the Control, Flavomycin, and Oregano diets (P < .05). Average daily gain of pigs fed the Control diet and Carbohydrase and Oregano oil-carbohydrase diets did not differ (P > .05). Pigs fed the Control diet had higher ADFI than pigs fed the Oregano, Carbohydrase, or Oregano oil-carbohydrase diets (P < .05).
Implications: Under the conditions of this study, oregano oil and multi-component carbohydrases, fed individually or in combination, are inferior to flavomycin as growth-promoting supplements for nursery pigs. diets (P < .05).
Keywords: nursery, oregano oil, multi-component carbohydrases, flavomycin
Cite as: Ragland D, Stevenson D, Hill MA. Oregano oil and multi-component carbohydrases as alternatives to antimicrobials in nursery diets. J Swine Health Prod 2008;16(5):238-243.
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