Effect of feeding treated peat as supplement to newborn piglets on the growth, health status and occurrence of conditionally pathogenic mycobacteria

The first purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effect of peat fed as a supplement and ad libitum on the growth and health of piglets aged from 5 to 23 days. The second purpose was to assess the risk of the occurrence of conditionally pathogenic mycobacteria (CPM) in peat treated with ionizing radiation (group PI) or per acetic acid (group PP) and fed as a supplement to piglets. No significant differences in the average body weight were detected between control and experimental groups. Levels of selected biochemical (total protein, albumin, glucose, cholesterol, Ca, P, Fe and I) and haematological (erythrocytes, leukocytes and immunoglobulin) variables were comparable in all the three groups. Mycobacteria were detected in one diet sample, in all 10 peat samples and in 4 samples of biofilm from the drinking water pipeline system in the stables. In 15 slaughtered pigs, no gross lesions that would give evidence of tuberculosis were found either in lymph nodes or parenchymatous organs. Mycobacteria were detected in tissues from 2 control piglets, 4 PI piglets, and in all 5 PP animals. High positivity for CPM in both types of treated peat caused disseminated infection of the digestive tract of PI and PP piglets. Feeding peat treated with ionisation or per acetic acid may be risky.