Abstract

CARCELEN C, Fernando et al. Effect of the inclusion of different levels of probiotic on the productive parameters and intestinal morphology in fattening guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). Rev. investig. vet. Perú [online]. 2020, vol.31, n.3, e18735. ISSN 1609-9117.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15381/rivep.v31i3.18735.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing levels of probiotic as zinc-bacitracin substitutes in the productive performance and intestinal morphology of fattening guinea pigs. Fifty weaned male guinea pigs were randomly distributed into five treatments consisting of supplementation with 0, 1, 2 and 3 ml of the probiotic "Guinea Pig Biomodulator" and an additional treatment with zinc-bacitracin. Body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion during 70 days of growth, and intestinal morphology variables: villus length and width, Lieberkühn crypt depth, and villus length/crypt depth ratio were evaluated in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Increasing probiotic levels linearly improved (p=0.008) feed conversion rate but had no effect on the other productivity components. In the intestine, only the length/depth relationship in the ileum was positively affected (p=0.026) by the probiotic. It is concluded that there is no consistent effect of the probiotic on weight gain or on the intestinal morphology of fattening guinea pigs.

Keywords : probiotic; productivity; intestinal morphology; guinea pig; Perú.

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