Objectives

Piglet diarrhea is a problem in pig breeding worldwide. It occurs after weaning - a drastic and traumatic event in the life of a piglet. Separated from the mother and without maternal antibodies, the piglets have to deal with new food, new intestinal flora and sometimes pathogens that put their digestive system to the test. In addition, they are in a new environment with new conspecifics. These conditions weaken the piglets, and they often develop diarrhea - usually in the first ten days after weaning. The origin of this diarrhea is not always infectious, but the most common cause is enterotoxic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Weaning diarrhea causes economic losses, on the one hand through the costs of veterinary measures and on the other hand through the mortality of the piglets. In a study on 20 piglets, Agroscope researchers investigated the capability of Onobrychis (Onobrychis viciifolia), a tannin-rich feed plant to fight diarrhea in piglets.