Yeast Components

THE POWER OF YEASTS

Weaning is the most important stress in the pig farming industry, and it deeply affects gut health and the immune system. During the first weeks after weaning, piglets need to adjust to solid feed. As a consequence, weaning may result in decreased feed intake, and piglets may undergo serious diarrhea and immune dysfunction. In weaned piglets, environmental factors can also result in oxidative stress. When the environment changes, the balance between oxidation and antioxidation is disturbed, resulting in mass production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body, eventually leading to oxidative stress.3 It should be noted the oxidative stress occurs in every species of livestock and is multifactorial in origin. Heat prostration in broiler barns for example causes increased oxidative stress. Something as simple of calves being dehydrated causes this same effect. Yeasts are often used in antibiotic free production systems to mitigate such adverse affects of stress.