Gluconic acid improves performance of newly weaned piglets associated with alterations in gut microbiome and fermentation

Table 1 Effect of diet on performance indices of piglets fed the experimental diets (n = 8)^ab

Item	Gluconic acid (g/kg)			SEM	P
Item	0	9	18	SEM	P
d 0–14
Initial BW (kg)	8.16	8.18	8.17	0.02	0.937
Final BW (kg)	9.49	10.07	9.9	0.11	0.061
ADG (g/d)	95	135	124	8	0.069
ADFI (g/d)	181^b	224^a	205^ab	7	0.028
F:G (g/g)	1.93	1.69	1.68	0.05	0.055
ADWI (mL/d)	596	675	627	21	0.355
W:F (mL/g)	3.3	2.9	3.1	0.1	0.095
d 14–28
Final BW (kg)	14.2	14.9	14.6	0.2	0.22
ADG (g/d)	323	337	331	7	0.756
ADFI (g/d)	429	474	469	10	0.146
F:G (g/g)	1.38	1.42	1.43	0.02	0.545
ADWI (mL/d)	1171	1298	1245	51	0.643
W:F (mL/g)	2.6	2.6	2.7	0.1	0.911
d 28–42
Final BW (kg)	21.3	22.6	22.2	0.3	0.157
ADG (g/d)	509	552	543	13	0.389
ADFI (g/d)	726^b	799^a	794^a	14	0.039
F:G (g/g)	1.43	1.44	1.46	0.01	0.58
ADWI (mL/d)	1843	2061	2078	86	0.507
W:F (mL/g)	2.5	2.6	2.7	0.1	0.831
d 0–42
ADG (g/d)	309	341	332	7	0.147
ADFI (g/d)	424^b	481^a	471^a	10	0.026
F:G (g/g)	1.47	1.46	1.48	0.01	0.834
ADWI (mL/d)	1157	1303	1245	49	0.532
W:F (mL/g)	2.7	2.7	2.7	0.1	0.955

^aBody weight, BW; average daily gain, ADG; average daily feed intake, ADFI; feed-to-gain ratio, F:G; average daily water intake, ADWI; and water-to-feed ratio, W:F
^bMeans within row without common superscript are significantly different, P < 0.05

ISSN: 2055-5660