LAUSR

BACKGROUND Probiotics have been suggested as desirable antibiotic alternatives to pigs by improving gut health and growth performance. However, limited studies of the effectiveness of E. faecium in weaning pigs, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of E. faecium DSM 7134 supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant parameters, volatile fatty acids concentration, intestinal histomorphology, and diarrhea score in weaning pig. RESULTS E. faecium supplementation linear increased (P<0.05) average daily gain, gain:feed, apparent total tract digestibility of nitrogen and energy, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyrate acid concentration, villus height, and fecal Lactobacillus counts. Malonadialdehyde concentration, crypt depth, fecal E.coli counts, and diarrhea score were linear decreased (P<0.05) by E. faecium supplementation. CONCLUSION Dietary supplementation of E. faecium DSM 7134 improved growth performance, VFAs concentration, the maturation of intestinal structure by increasing villus height and decreasing crypt depth, alleviated antioxidant status by increasing superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione, as well as decreasing malonadialdehyde concentration, shifted microbiota by increasing fecal Lactobacillus and decreasing E.coli counts, as well as decreased diarrhea score in weaning pigs.