Novel Feed Additives and Feeding Systems in Pig Production

Dear Colleagues,

In modern swine production, pig health, growth, reproduction and nutrient utilization are increasingly important. These improvements could be achieved by supplementing diets with feed additives. Traditional feed additives such as probiotics, prebiotics, exogenous enzymes, acidifiers, etc. have been used continuously in swine diets and a variety of research has been conducted to develop and evaluate feed additives that can be used as alternatives to antibiotics. In addition, novel feed additives such as bacteriophages, essential oils, cathelicidin, phytogenic feed additives and oligosaccharides have been developed with intensive research conducted to demonstrate their effects and modes of action in pigs for accurate and efficient use in swine diets. The importance of feeding systems, including the feeding type, feeding frequency and feeding pattern, have received increasing attention in the swine industry.

Feed additives and feeding systems are important factors affecting nutrient digestibility, swine growth and reproduction. Therefore, demonstrating the potential effects of these feed additives and feeding systems is of interest in swine nutrition. In-depth research not only evaluating the bioavailability of various feed additives and feeding systems in pigs but also finding interactions among different feed additives, feeding systems, and nutrients is necessary to provide scientific information and evidence and ensure pig health and wellbeing.

For this Special Issue, you are invited to submit either original research papers or review articles evaluating and summarizing the effects of feed additives and feeding systems on pig growth, nutrient utilization, reproduction and gut health. This Special Issue will provide all scientists and producers scientific results to understand the mechanisms of feed additives and feeding systems used for pigs and accumulate further evidence in swine nutrition beyond our current knowledge. It will help swine production and the feed industry to be sustainable.

Dr. Yan Lin
Guest Editor

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• pig/sow
• feed additive
• feeding system
• growth
• reproduction
• health