Effects of Dietary Potassium Diformate Supplementation on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Gastrointestinal pH, Jejunal Morphology, Digestive Enzyme Activity, and Antioxidant Status in Weaned Piglets

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of dietary potassium diformate supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gastrointestinal pH, jejunal morphology, digestive enzyme activity, and antioxidant status of weaned piglets in a 28-day trial. Twenty-four weaned piglets were selected and, after a 4-day adaptation period, randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups (n = 6). The dietary treatments included a control diet (basal diet) and 3 diets supplemented with 0.6%, 1.2%, or 1.8% potassium diformate in the basal diet. The results indicated that the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of piglets was reduced by all three potassium diformate supplementation levels compared to the control group (p p p p p p p p p < 0.05). Collectively, dietary supplementation with 1.8% potassium diformate reduced FCR of weaned piglets, which was associated with enhanced nutrient digestibility, reduced pH in the anterior gastrointestinal tract, and improved jejunal morphology.