Abstract
Probiotics are believed to be beneficial for the host through the improvement of the microbial environment in the intestine. Reduction of flatulence is considered to be one of the effects of probiotics. We examined the effect of a commercial mixture of live lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on gas production by pig intestinal digesta aiming at the estimation of its effect on flatulence. Eight castrated male pigs (average B.W. 12 kg) were randomly divided into two groups, which consumed a diet with or without LAB. After 15 days of oral administration of the mixture (Biofermin S, 0.1 g/kg B.W.), the whole digesta from the jejuno-ileum, cecum, gyri centripetales and gyri centrifugales was removed. Moisture, pH and organic acid concentration of the digesta were not affected in most cases by LAB, although a decrease in acetate/propionate was observed (p < 0.05) in the cecum and gyri centripetales. In vitro incubation of these digesta showed a significant reduction in gas production (p < 0.05) by LAB. The reduction was mainly caused by a decrease in carbon dioxide. In contrast to that, hydrogen sulfide was significantly increased (p < 0.05, except for in the jejuno-ileum), by LAB. A negative correlation was seen between hydrogen sulfide and methane production.