RT Journal Article T1 Performance and intestinal coliform counts in weaned piglets fed a probiotic culture (Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei CECT 4043) or an antibiotic A1 Fajardo Bernárdez, Paula A1 Fuciños González, Clara A1 Méndez Batán, Jesús A1 Pastrana Castro, Lorenzo Miguel A1 Pérez Guerra, Nelson K1 31 Ciencias Agrarias K1 3104 Producción Animal K1 3104.08 Porcinos AB 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 efficiency values were not different among the groups (P > 0.05). For the entire experimental period (42 days), the control group exhibited the lowest feed intake value, the probiotic group exhibited the highest feed conversion efficiency value, and the antibiotic group exhibited the highest body weight gain (P < 0.05). Interestingly, no significant difference in body weight gain was observed between the probiotic and the control groups by day 42 (P > 0.05). Fecal coliform values decreased (although not significantly) by day 28 in the three groups. However, the mean counts returned to pretreatment levels by day 42 in all groups. PB Journal of Food Protection SN 0362028X YR 2008 FD 2008-09 LK http://hdl.handle.net/11093/5873 UL http://hdl.handle.net/11093/5873 LA eng NO Journal of Food Protection, 71(9): 1797-1805 (2008) NO Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria | Ref. CAL01-045-C2-2 DS Investigo RD 04-dic-2024