Effect of a mixture of amoxicillin and norfloxacin in piglets feeding on productive performance and clinical signs

TL;DR

This study evaluates how different levels of a combined amoxicillin and norfloxacin formula in piglet feed affect growth, health, and cost efficiency, finding that a specific dosage improves overall performance and health status.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the optimal dosage of amoxicillin and norfloxacin mixture for enhancing piglet growth and health during post-weaning.

Findings

500 g Respirend per tonne improved health status (21-35 days)

This dosage increased final weight and growth rate (21-42 days)

It optimized the cost:benefit ratio for piglet production

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding post-weaned piglets different levels of a commercial amoxicillin plus norfloxacin formula (Respirend) on the performance, clinical evidence of sickness, and the cost:benefit ratio. 454 PIC x Camborough female and castrated male, weaned at 21 d of age, with an average initial weight of 6.19 kg, were used in this experiment. Treatment 1 consisted in feeding a basal diet supplemented with 1000 g of a commercial tilmicosin product (Pulmotil) per metric tonne of feed (control group, from 21 to 35 d of age) and Treatments 2), 3) and 4) consisted in feeding the basal diet supplement with 500, 300 y 100 g of Respirend per metric tonne of feed, respectively, from 21 to 42 d of age. The results did not show significant differences (P<0.05) in mortality nor in parenteral medicine administration cost in none of the periods. Nevertheless, 500 g of Respirend per metric tonne of feed improved significantly (P<0.05) the general health status in the period between 21 and 35 d of age. For the whole evaluation period (21 to 42 d of age), this level improved significantly (P<0.05) the final body weight, the average daily weight gain, the average daily feed intake, the feed:gain ratio and optimized the cost:benefit ratio.