Productive and economic parameters of pigs supplemented from weaning to finishing with prebiotic and probiotic feed additives

Practical evidence suggests possible beneficial effects with the combined use of prebiotics and probiotics which can improve production parameters. The objective of the study was to investigate the addition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) as prebiotic and the combination of Lactobacillus spp. (L), Bacillus spp. (B) as probiotics on productive parameters and economic feasibility. Four hundred male pigs, hybrids of commercial genetic lines (Pietrain), were used: T1 = control group, T2 = 4 kg/tonne SC, T3 = 0.8 kg/tonne feed L and B, T4 = 4 kg/tonne SC + 0.8 kg/tonne L and B. Productive parameters were recorded in the treatment groups for four periods. Then, the viscera of five pigs per treatment were collected after slaughter to evaluate the histological changes and cytokine concentrations in the ileum. The weight gains of groups at 70–100, 100–125 and 125–150 days in the T4 group showed statistically increases (p