A unique microbiological approach to piglet management in the farrowing room

When animals have a good rest… so do the farmers!

A clean and healthy farrowing pen is key for the welfare and health of newborn piglets.

As part of its animal environment range, Lallemand Animal Nutrition has developed a bacterial-based solution designed to positively influence the microbial ecosystem within animal environment: EAZYBED PRO.

We’ve seen in a previous issue its benefits in dairy farms. Recent trials in pig farms in France and Ireland showed great value. By maintaining the quality of the piglet and sow environment, we observed that piglet performance and health parameters are favored.

What is EAZYBED PRO?

EAZYBED PRO is live bacteria (Pediococcus spp. and Bacillus spp.) and enzymes association on a carrier made up of vegetal and mineral ingredients. It helps promote the development of beneficial microorganisms in the animal environment and dries the environment thanks to its high water retention capacity, which will have subsequent benefits on maintaining animal well-being.

It is a ready-to-use solution. It can be applied on any housing areas such as stalls, bedding, and all floors, exercise areas, piglet nest, etc.

It can be used in all animal species. In piglets, in particular, it can be applied to the piglet resting areas, or directly to the piglets as a drying powder.

Benefits on pig farms

When EAZYBED PRO is used as a bacterial drying powder during the farrowing period, it brings two main benefits:

A recent commercial trial was conducted in a farrow-to-finish French farm. The trial followed 32 sows during two batches. EAZYBED PRO was tested versus a nonbacterial bedding conditioner (plant and mineral based), which was considered the control group.

To enhance the positive microbial inoculation of the piglet bedding, EAZYBED PRO was applied before sows enter the farrowing room (at 200 g/pen). For dosage maintenance at farrowing, the product was applied at 400 g/ pen. Then, until weaning, EAZYBED PRO was applied at 200 g/pen/week.

The data collected showed that, within the EAZYBED PRO group, overall piglet health parameters were better compared to the control, for the two batches. Indeed, by maintaining microbial quality and nest dryness, we observed a reduction in the incidence of arthritis (5.91% vs. 4.37%), improved survival (14.78% vs. 11.65%) and reduced diarrhea when using EAZYBED PRO (10.84 vs. 0.49%, P<0.05).

As a result, by maintaining the bedding quality, EAZYBED PRO had a significant positive impact on piglet performance (Figure 1) and health parameters when compared to conventional piglet drying powder/conditioner.

Figure 2: Piglet weight at weaning (d28). Control vs. EAZYBED PRO