The improvement in growth rate and feed efficiency exhibited by pigs offered the diet supplemented with 0.5% sericite may have been related to the concomitant improvements in apparent total tract nutrient digestibility and/or to a possible improvement in gut function and general health indicated by the changes in E. coli and Lactobacillus counts and in blood IgG, Lymphocytes and monocyte counts respectively elicited by inclusion of sericite in the diet