Effect of Feed Supplemented With Vitamin C on Microbial Flora of Swine Faeces and Blood Morphology

The studies involved gilts 6 weeks pre-partum allocated into the control and experimental groups. The experimental group received vitamin C at the dose of 2.5g/100 kg b.w./day. Faeces for analyses were collected for 3- and 6- week period of vitamin C dietary inclusion. The faecal material underwent quantitative and qualitative bacteriological evaluation. The count of Enterobacteriaceae was evaluated. The qualitative examination of these bacteria was made using the micro-plate method API 20E. Feed supplemented with vitamin C contributed to a statistically significant decline of the total bacterial count of Enterobacteriaceae in faeces. The qualitative bacterial analyses showed the presence of E. coli, Providecia sp., Proteus sp., and Salmonella sp. in the control and experimental groups. Enterobacter sp. was recovered only in the control group, while Lactobacillus sp. in the experimental group. The dietary administration of vitamin C significantly decreased the number of the studied bacterial species, except Salmonella rods. No statistically significant differences in the number of most blood morphotic elements following the 6- week supply of vitamin C were found; only the granulocyte count significantly increased, while lymphocyte numbers declined. Ascorbic acid inhibited the growth of pathogenic intestinal flora and reduced the pathogenic and relatively pathogenic bacteria count in the gastrointestinal tract and notably contributed to enhanced growth of beneficial bacteria.