The effects of dietary Biotite V supplementation as an alternative substance to antibiotics in growing pigs

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Biotite V supplementation on growth performance, nutrients digestibility and blood constituents and to evaluate whether Biotite V could replace an antibiotics in growing pigs diet. One hundred twenty pigs with initial body weight of 18.35 +/- 0.15 kg were used in a 28 days growth trial. Pigs were allotted to four treatments by sex and body weight in a randomized complete block design. There were six replicate pens per treatment and five pigs per pen, Four dietary treatments were: 1) NC (basal diet without antibiotics), 2) PC (basal diet+0.1% CTC), 3) NCBV (NC diet+0.5% 200 mesh Biotite V) and 4) PCBV (PC diet+0.5% 200 mesh Biotite V). Through the entire experimental period, ADG tented to increase in NCBV and PCBV treatments compared to NC and PC treatments respectively, but no significant differences were observed (p>0.05). ADFI was slightly lower in NCBV and PCBV treatments than that in NC and PC treatments without significant differences (p>0.05). Gain/feed in PC and PCBV treatments was improved significantly compared to NC treatment (p<0.05). N and Ca digestibilities were higher in PCBV treatments than those in PC treatment (p<0.05). DM and P digestibilities were not affected by the addition of Biotite V (p>0.05). RBC, HCT, Hb, lymphocyte and monocyte were increased numerically in NCBV and PCBV treatments compared to NC and PC treatments (p>0.05). WBC was lower in treatment groups than that in NC treatment, but no significant differences were observed (p>0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of Biotite V can better the gain/feed and some of the nutrients digestibilities in growing pigs. It has a possibility to replace antibiotics in swine diet.