2.1. Animals, diets and experimental locationA total of 576 weaned piglets [(Landrace × Large White) × Pietrain, 28 d of age, average initial body weight (BW)7.1 ± 1.1 kg] were randomly allotted to 4 treatments, so that each treatment started with the same initial BW. There were 6male and 6 female replicates per treatment with 12 piglets per replicate. Experimental diets were fed in 4 phases, prestarter(28–42 d of age; Table 1), starter (42–70 d of age; Table 1), grower (70–120 d of age; Table 2) and finisher (120–182 d ofage; Table 2). Piglets were fed diets containing standard level of energy or a reduced level of energy (∼3% less in calculatedNE) and 0 or 400 mg/kg of the Bacillus-based probiotic in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The experimental diets were fed in a pelletform from weaning at 28 d of age to slaughter at 182 d of age.