Effect of Prosaf® a premium yeast extract on zootechnical performance of weaned piglets

Nutritional strategies to minimize weaning negatives impacts on piglet’s health and performance are quite as important at piglet’s production system. At this stage, they are vulnerable to stress consequences caused by nutritional, environmental, social and immunological changes. The negative impacts of the weaning on performance are related with intestine villous injuries and subsequent decrease on nutrients digestibility causing diarrhea increase. The interest of viable alternatives of functional protein for piglet diets is continuously growing. Prosaf® is a yeast extract from a primary yeast fermentation which guarantee the product total traceability. It has a unique characteristic of high digestibility and palatability, and good amino acid profile. The high digestibility of amino acids may allow for a reduction of CP in the prestarter diets. A trial was conducted on farm to measure the benefits of Prosaf® on zootechnical performance of weaned piglets.

Weaning is one of the most critical periods for piglets. Often, piglets are subjected to a risk of severe anorexia, increasing susceptibility to digestive disorders and microbial infections. As the economic losses can be considerable, farmers are looking on feed highly palatable and digestible. Furthermore, being under pressure to reduce ZnO or antibiotics to control post-weaning diarrhea. Alternative as a reduction of protein level are tested. In this trial, we observed that Prosaf® as a highly palatable product allowing to preserve and increase zootechnical performance. A dose effect is clearly observed. Due to amino acids profile and the size of peptides, Prosaf® is a source of high biological value protein which can help to accelerate the development of the young piglet intestine contributing to the piglet better performance and immune response.