Feehan, Brandi J.2022-06-142022-06-142017-01-17https://hdl.handle.net/2097/42270A total of 315 nursery pigs (200 × 400; DNA, Columbus, NE; initially 13.6 lb BW) were used in a 44 d study to determine the effects of experimental probiotics on the growth performance of nursery pigs. Pigs were weaned at 21 d of age (d 0 of the experiment) and randomly assigned to 1 of 9 treatments with 5 pigs per pen and 7 pens per treatment based on gender and BW. Dietary treatments consisted of: 1) a control diet without antibiotic or probiotic; 2) the control diet with an antibiotic (Mecadox 10; 50 g/ton of diet); 3) the control diet with a commercial probiotic (Bioplus 2B; 1 lb/ton of diet); and 4-9) the control diet containing 1 of 6 experimental probiotics (DSM probiotic products 1-6; 4 lb/ton of diet). Dietary treatments were fed for 44 d with pen and feeder weights collected on d 0, 11, 18, 25, 32, 39 and 44. Pigs fed Mecadox had increased (P<0.05) average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and final body weight (BW) compared to all other treatments but no evidence for differences were found in feed efficiency (F/G; P>0.05). Pigs fed DSM probiotic product 4 had greater (P<0.05) ADG and ADFI than pigs fed the control diet and also had similar (P>0.05) ADG and ADFI compared to those fed Bioplus 2B. No difference in d 44 BW was observed among any DSM probiotic product relative to the control, but pigs fed Mecadox or Bioplus 2B had increased (P<0.05) d 44 BW compared to those fed the control diet. In conclusion, adding an antimicrobial (Mecadox) to the diet resulted in the best growth performance. Pigs fed a commercial probiotic and one of the experimental probiotics had intermediate performance compared with the control and Mecadox fed pigs.© The Author. This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).Text