Mitigating the negative impact of Lawsonia intracellularis to improve intestinal resilience and pig performance.

Enteric disorders caused by L. intracellularis are often the source of reduced and heterogeneous weight gain, decreased feed efficiency, diarrhea, and even sudden death in pigs. Such disorders cause significant economic losses to the pork industry worldwide, even when no clinical signs of this condition are visible. At the same time, our knowledge of L. intracellularis is improving with nutritional solutions gaining attention as a means of boosting swine performance and well-being on farms which are exposed to L. intracellularis. In addition, in the context of rising worldwide concerns over antimicrobial resistance, finding alternatives to antimicrobial substances has become an on-the-ground need. 

L. intracellularis is ubiquitous on swine farms, often circulating easily among herds. Ultimately, almost all pigs on a L. intracellularis-positive farm will come into contact with the bacteria during their lifetime, often during their grower-finisher stage. Once in the intestine, the bacterium damages the intestinal wall. The gut microbiome balance is affected, nutrient absorption is damaged and resistance to other pathogenic threats are compromised. Phileo has confirmed, however, that the yeast-based solution Safglucan has great potential to improve intestinal resilience and pig performance, thus limiting the need for antimicrobials.

Phileo has shown that supplementing feed with Safglucan during the growing and finishing phases significantly improves growth and reduces the proportion of slow-growing pigs. In addition, a favorable shift in the microbiome has also been observed in supplemented pigs. Intestinal resilience was significantly improved as shown by a reduction in average L. intracellularis shedding and/or the decreased prevalence of pigs shedding high numbers of bacteria. 

Safglucan is a yeast (1.3)(1.6) beta-glucan extracted from a selected proprietary yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae and achieved through a unique and controlled manufacturing process. It is heat-resistant and can be used in pelleting and mash feed. Safglucan has a proven track record concerning the improvement of microbiota balance and resilience to pathogenic attacks. 

Safglucan is a promising complementary tool within the animal care arsenal, fitting perfectly into the pork industry’s drive to reduce antimicrobial usage, while also helping to secure improved animal performance and welfare. 

For more information, please download the guide on L. intracellularis management

a, b: different letters indicate statistical significance (p< 0.05)