What are the benefits of adding citric acid to piglet feed?

Before the piglet weighs 30 kg, citric acid is added to the diet based on plant protein, which can effectively improve the digestibility of the feed and the production performance of the piglets. Trials have shown that adding citric acid to piglet diets has the following benefits.

1. Reduce the pH value in the gastrointestinal tract of piglets and reduce the incidence of diarrhea

The addition of 0.7% and 1% citric acid to the diet of 42-day-old pigs can reduce the pH of their gastric contents from 4.5 to 4.2 and 3.5, respectively, and can significantly reduce the number of gastrocolonal and rectal E. coli. At the same time, lactic acid bacteria and yeast grow in large quantities, which can effectively prevent digestive disorders and diarrhea caused by bacterial infections.

2. Improve the palatability of the diet and promote the growth of piglets

According to the test, adding 1% to 2% citric acid to the diet can increase the feeding volume of piglets by 5.2% to 19.8%, the daily weight gain of piglets by 9% to 38.67%, the feed conversion rate by 11% to 15%, and the addition of citric acid is better than the addition of other organic acids.

3. Regulate the emptying speed of the stomach and promote the digestion and absorption of nutrients

After adding 1% citric acid to the diet of piglets, the pH value in the stomach and intestines is reduced, and the acidic chyme enters the small intestine through chemical stimulation of the small intestinal wall to secrete enteratin, slow down the gastric emptying speed and the movement rate of food in the intestine, prolong the residence time of food in the stomach, and make the food fully mixed with saliva, gastric juice and other digestive juices, which is conducive to the digestion and absorption of nutrients in food. At the same time, citric acid can form chelates with essential mineral elements of piglets that are easily absorbed and utilized and have high biological potency, thereby promoting their absorption and retention.

4. Directly as a diet to promote piglet metabolism

The addition of citric acid in the diet can reduce the loss caused by gluconeogenesis and lipid hydrolysis in piglets, promote the activity of electron transport system and isocitric acid dehydrogenase when synthesizing ATP in vivo, and play an important role in the formation of ATP and the accumulation of biomass, thereby promoting the metabolism of piglets and enhancing the utilization rate of energy and amino acids in piglets.

5. Prevent feed oxidation and reduce weaning stress in piglets

Citric acid is a synergist of feed antioxidants, and its mechanism of action is to block the metal ions in the feed, so that it cannot play a role in catalytic oxidation reaction. At the same time, due to the small amount of food intake in early weaning piglets, the utilization rate of sugar and protein feed is low, and the incidence and mortality of diarrhea are high, the citric acid in the feed can promote the secretion of gastric juice and digestive enzymes, and effectively overcome the weaning stress of piglets.

Source: Agricultural Science and Technology Newspaper

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