The use of probiotic in animal nutrition has been identified as reducing mortality resulting from intestinal colonization by pathogenic micro-organisms, improving productive performance and characteristics, leaving no residue in meat. The experiment aimed to isolate lactobacilli from fecal samples of suckling swine, in order to be identified as probiotics. Ninety-two colonies were isolated; these pre-selected colonies were subjected to catalase analysis, for which 60 were negative. The 60 colonies were subjected to Gram-negative stain and evaluated for their morphology. Of these, 16 had forms of bacilli. These isolates were compared for their ability to resist pH 3.0, grow in the presence of bile salts, phenol, lysozyme, as well as their hydrophobicity and antagonistic abilities. Isolates L03, L04, L08 and L15 identified in this study showed better probiotic use, better performance under acidic conditions, growing in the presence of bile salts and phenol, with high percentage of hydrophobicity and in the presence of inhibiting Escherichia coli.
probiotic characteristics; gastrointestinal tract; piglets