EN
The aim of this experiment was to examine the effect of medium- and short-chain fatty acids (Selacid preparation) on piglets’ health, body weight gains, changes in intestinal microflora and intestinal wall morphology. The amount of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, yeasts and moulds, the acidity and the content of volatile fatty acids (VFA) of digesta were estimated. The effect of these acids was compared with the effect of the traditional acidifier i.e. fumaric acid. The experiment involved 183 piglets allocated to 3 experimental groups, 6 litters in each. Group I (control) was fed with the standard mixture with no supplement. Group II received the same mixture supplemented with 1.5% of fumaric acid and group III received feed mixture supplemented with 0.5% of the Selacid preparation. Experiment was completed at the 84th day of the piglets’ life. Selacid improved the piglets’ body weight gains when compared to the control group (283 and 268 g, respectively) but this difference was not significant. Body weight gains of piglets receiving fumaric acid (269 g) did not differ from the control ones (268 g). Selacid had a moderate antibacterial effect: it lowered the number of Clostridium in small intestine digesta by 33%. Fumaric acid significantly lowered the amount of Escherichia coli. Acids had no effect on yeast and mould population. Piglets receiving fumaric acid had higher intestinal villi than those receiving Selacid and the control ones (302, 257 and 233 µm, respectively) but that had no effect on their body weight gains. The content of volatile fatty acids and the acidity of intestinal digesta were also similar in all groups. It is concluded that medium-chain fatty acid contained in the Selacid preparation can improve piglets’ health and performance though this improvement is not related to changes in microflora or the structure of intestine mucosa in the scope of this research.