Effects of Antimicrobial Administration Route on Growth and Antimicrobial Resistance in Weaned Piglets

Abstract

This study aimed to determine how the route of antimicrobial administration affected the growth performance of weaned piglets. Additionally, we aimed to investigate potential differences between antimicrobial resistance developed by antimicrobials administered orally through drinking water, and those administered through feed, in weaned piglets. The research was undertaken on a farm housing 500 sows and involved 150 weaned piglets at 21 days of age. These piglets were evenly distributed into three groups of equal size: water, feed, and control. Antimicrobials were administered through drinking water and feed in the water and feed groups, respectively, while the control group received no antimicrobial treatment. The observation of piglets continued until they reached 70 days of age. The feed conversion ratio in the water group (1.7 ± 0.78) was significantly higher than in the control (2.4 ± 1.77) and feed (2.7 ± 1.68) groups. Additionally, the route of administration did not affect antimicrobial resistance rates. Based on these results, it can be inferred that administering antimicrobials through drinking water is advantageous for pig farming.

Keywords: Escherichia coli; administration route; antimicrobial resistance; average daily gain; swine.

Figure 1

(a) Average daily gain and (b) feed conversion ratio in weaned piglets depending on the antimicrobial administration route. Water: group in which antimicrobials were administrated through drinking water; feed: group in which antimicrobials were administrated through feed; control: group which was not treated with antimicrobials. Data are expressed as means ± standard deviations. Different superscript letters (a and b) refer to statistically different groups, according to the analysis of variance (p < 0.05).