Source: Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE, 6/1/15


Seeking an alternative to conventional antibiotics to counter post-weaning diarrhea in piglets (caused largely by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, or ETEC), Chinese researchers have found that curcumin – the main active compound of turmeric – may hold promise.

The researchers are reporting in the April edition of International Immunopharmacology that adding 300-400 milligrams per kilogram to the feed helped reduce the inflammation associated with E. coli.

Fifty piglets, weaned at around 21 days old, were randomly allotted five treatments for 21 days. The researchers, based at the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences and Hainan University, found that curcumin may be used as a potential feed additive replacing quinocetone in weaned piglets.

“Curcumin and the quinocetone have similar effects in improving piglet growth, but dietary addition of 300 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg curcumin was more effective than quinocetone in improving intestinal mucosal barrier integrity, morphology, and immune status of weaned pigs,” they wrote.

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