Interpretive Summary: Influence of yeast-based pre- and probiotics in lactation and nursery diets on nursery pig performance and antimicrobial resistance of fecal Escherichia coli

By: Jenna A Chance, Joel M DeRouchey, Raghavendra G Amachawadi, Victor Ishengoma, Tiruvoor G Nagaraja, Robert D Goodband, Jason C Woodworth, Mike D Tokach, Qing Kang, Joseph A Loughmiller, Brian Hotze, Jordan T Gebhardt

Feeding sows a diet containing live yeast and yeast extract from day 110 of gestation through weaning resulted in progeny that were heavier at weaning and had increased average daily gain and average daily feed intake throughout the nursery period. However, feeding yeast additives to pigs only in the nursery tended to reduce average daily gain. Fecal E. coli isolates from offspring that were fed yeast showed tendency towards antimicrobial resistance among fecal E. coli isolates to nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin. Yet, feeding live yeast and yeast extracts in the nursery phase may reduce the antimicrobial resistance of fecal E. coli to azithromycin and chloramphenicol.

Read the full article on the Journal of Animal Science.