Author : Conejos, Jay Ronel V.

Summary : A total of 12 male weanling pigs (initially 30 kg), Landrace-Large White X Duroc-Pietrain strain, were used to determine the comparative effects of mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) from yeast cell wall and doxycycline (antibiotics) on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology of swine from starter to finisher stage. The treatments were (1) control or commercial diet (2) commercial diet with 0.30% MOS and (3) commercial diet with 0.15% MOS. Results showed slight increases in the apparent coefficient of digestibility for the protein, fats, fiber, nitrogen-free extract as well as energy upon the addition of MOS, but did not vary significantly among treatments. ADG, ADFI, and FE were not also significantly different among treatments in all periods. The increase on the villi height of the animals upon addition of MOS was not correlated with the performance of the animals. Hence, addition of either MOS or doxycycline in the diet was an added cost in swine production during starter to finisher periods.