Comparative assessment of dietary sorbents effect on pig growth performance

Abstract

Mycotoxin contamination of feed represents a significant challenge in pig production, negatively affecting animal health, growth performance, and economic efficiency. The aim of this growth performance trial was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of several mycotoxin sorbents of domestic and foreign origin in pig feeding under commercial production conditions. A 26-day trial was conducted using 52 pigs (Large White × Landrace hybrids) divided into four groups (n = 13): one control group received the basal diet, whereas three experimental groups received the same diet supplemented with one of three selected sorbents differing in their principal components, each administered at a dosage of 2 kg per ton of feed. Growth performance indicators, feed conversion ratio, and estimated economic parameters were analyzed. At the end of the trial, pigs receiving diets supplemented with sorbents tended to show higher body weight compared with the control group. The largest differences were observed in the P-exp and C-exp groups, where mean body weight reached 155.31 kg and 157.23 kg, respectively, compared with 140.92 kg in the control group. A similar tendency was noted for feed conversion ratio, which was comparatively lower in the P-exp (2.28) and C-exp (2.21) groups compared with the control group (3.96). These trends were also reflected in the calculated economic indicators, where lower estimated costs of weight gain and higher profitability were observed in the corresponding experimental groups. The present results have shown that the effect of mycotoxin sorbents may vary depending on their composition and functional components. Further research is required to evaluate the detailed mechanisms of individual components and to assess their effect under different feeding conditions and production systems.