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    Comparison of microbiological and fermentation parameters obtained with an improved rumen in vitro technique with those obtained in vivo

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    The aim of the present work was to develop and evaluate a rapid in vitro technique to study the activity of rumen micro-organisms and to estimate the nutritive value of feeds. The rumen culture apparatus described here is essentially a batch system, modified in order to obtain conditions of strict anaerobiosis and the balanced growth of all the microbial forms present in the mixed rumen inoculum. Validation of this technique was carried out by comparing studies run simultaneously in vivo and in vitro, analysing microbial flora composition, biochemical parameters of rumen fluid and feed degradability. At the different incubation periods studied, degradability and biochemical parameters had very similar trends in the two systems and the microbiological analysis did not show any significant (P>0.05) differences between the in vivo and the in vitro approaches. The in vitro system described showed the possibility to maintain, for the time studied, a balanced microbial composition, which represents the equilibrium found in the animals. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V

    Use of clinoptilolite in piglet diets as a substitute for Colistine

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    The effects of adding 2% of natural zeolite, containing a high percentage of clinoptilolite, to the diet of piglets was evaluated by monitoring growing performance and plasma parameters. The diet was also deprived of Colistine, an antibiotic usually added to piglet diets at subtherapeutic levels to prevent gastrointestinal pathology. Sixty-four piglets, weaned at 7.9 kg live weight, were divided in 2 groups of 32 each. The control group was given commercial piglet feedstuffs; for the treated group, 98% of the same feed, deprived of Colistine, was used, with the addition of 2% of a natural zeolite. The trial lasted 36 days. The piglets fed the control diet exhibited greater weight in the first three weeks, after which the differences were not significant. The average daily weight gain in the first week was higher in the control group (+37%; P<0.01) whereas at the end of the trial no differences were found. The feed intake did not show significant differences between groups and, as a result, the Feed Efficiency at the end of the trial was higher in the control group (532 vs. 491, P< 0.05). The plasmatic nitrogen parameters did not show significant differences between groups. Only in the first three weeks post-weaning the group fed the diet containing Colistine showed better ADG, subsequently it can be eliminated and clinoptilolite could favour growth
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