The effects of feeding increasing dietary organic acids on performance and diahrrea incidencefor piglets from 21 to 49 days old were evaluated. The treatments were constituted of a basal diet and three groups supplemented with 0.78, 0.84 and 0.90% of organic acids in the 21 to 35 days period and 0.59, 0.63 and 0.66% in the 36 to 49 days period, basedoin lactic acid. Average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily weight gain (ADWG), feed:gain ratio (F/G) and diarrhea scores were evaluated. The ADFI and the ADWG did not differ among the organic acids proportions in the evaluated periods. The FCR of piglets fed diet with 0.84% of organic acids was better than those fed basal and 0.90% diets, in the 21 to 35 days period. The piglets fed diet with 0.84% of organic acids showed lower diarrhea score than those fed 0.9 %. Blood samples were collected to dose lactic acid concentration in plasma of piglets at 35 days old. The plasma lactic acid concentration of the animals fed diet with 0.90% of acid increased 60.61% in relation to the basal diet. Bacterias were isolated from animals feces to microorganisms identification. The 0.84 and 0.63% organic acids proportion, in the period form 21 to 35 days and from 36 to 49 days old, respectively, were more efficient considering that the E. coli a-hemolytic and Streptococcus sp bacterias was not isolated. The 0.84% organic acids level in the piglet diets provide better F/G in the period from 21 to 35 days old and better diarrhea score and E. coli a-hemolytic and Streptococcus sp control supplementing 0.84% of acids in the period from 21 to 35 days old and 0.63% from 36 to 49 days.
diarrhea; lactic acid; nursery
