As growing-finishing pigs have a mature GIT, with high digestive enzyme activity, immune
capacity and disease resistance, the influence of LAB in growing-finishing pigs is relatively limited.
Supplementation of a LAB mixture (based on Bacillus lichenformis and B. subtilis, probiotic application group fed a basal diet with LAB mixture vs. control group fed a basal diet with antibiotic
used as) improved weight gain and reduced mortality of growing-finishing pigs [28]. Ohashi et al. [29]
evaluated the effect of feeding yoghurt, prepared with L. bulgaricus strain 2038 (three female pigs
fistulated at the cecum were fed 250 g of this yoghurt for 2 weeks; the whole experiment was divided
to pre-administration period, administration period and post-administration period), on indigenous
lactobacilli in the pig cecum and found that continuous consumption of this strain will stimulate the
growth of some indigenous lactobacilli and alter the composition of the lactobacilli. L. plantarum
ZJ316 (the control group was fed a diet supplemented with the antibiotic mequindox, three groups with
different L. plantarum levels and a group with a mixture of mequindox and L. plantarum) was also
found to improve pig growth and pork quality. The probiotic mechanism was related to the inhibition
of the growth of opportunistic pathogens and promotion of increased villus height [30]