US trial shows that oregano essential oil can improve pig unit throughput

A trial managed by Carthage Innovation Swine Solutions (CISS) in the US found that the 100 percent natural oregano essential oil (OEO) feed additive, Orego-Stim from Anpario, improved numbers of piglets weaned per sow through reduced mortality and removals in lactation. Supplementation of sow diets with the natural phytogenic was found to support sow performance, leading to more piglets weaned per sow and a potential increased profit margin of US$54 per sow.

A total of 200 sows from a commercial Midwest US herd were balanced for parity at service and fed either a control gestation and lactation ration or an Orego-Stim supplemented ration (500 g/tonne) until weaning. The total number of piglets born, numbers born alive and piglet birth weights were recorded for each sow.

The study concluded that at weaning, average litter weights were numerically higher from sows supplemented with Orego-Stim. There was also a reduction in the number of removals and a 2 percent reduction in pre-weaning mortality. This resulted in a substantial 11percent increase in the overall number of piglets weaned from litters of sows fed diets supplemented with Orego-Stim. Such improvements seen in overall performance during the study concluded that OEO supplementation resulted in a potential return of investment of 8:1 for this trial.

Laura Drury, Anpario’s monogastric technical manager, commented: “Previous findings have shown that dietary supplementation of oregano essential oil can decrease oxidative stress in sows and improve piglet pre-weaning and lifetime growth performance. These new trials show driving piglet performance through improved maternal nutrition is a cost-effective way to maximise health of growing piglets.”

Natural, non-synthetic, oregano essential oil has been shown to contain more than 100 beneficial compounds which work synergistically to offer a multitude of benefits. Compounds such as ρ-cymene, carvacrol and thymol are acknowledged to have a role in appetite enhancement, offer antibacterial and antioxidant functions, as well providing effective immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties.