An experiment was conducted with the objective of evaluating the effects of different levels of benzoic acid (Vevovitall) on the performance and intestinal morphology of the duodenum in piglets from 28 to 70 days of age. One hundred and sixty Dalland × Penarlan piglets weaned at 21 day old, separated by sex, were used. The experiment was divided into pre-initial 1 (28 to 35 days), pre-initial 2 (36 to 46 days) and initial (47 to 70 days) phases. A randomized complete block design was used with 5 treatments and 8 replications, totaling 40 experimental units. Four levels of benzoic acid (0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75%) were used and a control with acid fumaric in the diets. Two animals were slaughtered per replication at 70 days of age to collect duodenum samples to study the intestinal morphology and one animal per replication to study gastric lesions. The following characteristics were assessed: performance (weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion) for each phase and the entire period. The following were assessed as morphological characteristics the villous height, duodenum crypts depth and the villous height/duodenum crypt depth ratio. Diarrhea incidence was also evaluated. The use of benzoic acid improved performance and reduced diarrhea incidence of piglets from 28 to 70 days of age, with the best results obtained by using 0.50 and 0.75%. Animals fed with the diets containing benzoic acid presented greater villous height and crypt depth.
intestinal morphology; organic acids; swine; wean
