DISCUSSION
The results from both experiments show clearly that
clays reduce diarrhea in the face of an experimental
challenge with entero toxigenic E. coli as indicated by
reductions in both diarrhea scores and frequency of
diarrhea. These results are supported by observations
reported by Papaioannou et al. (2004) showing clinoptilolite
(natural zeolite) in the diet reduced diarrhea of
weaned pigs in normal conditions. Other research also
showed benefits of clays for humans suffering enteric
diseases (Madkour et al., 1993; Chang et al., 2007; Dupont
et al., 2009).
The effects of clays were not artifacts of the visual
diarrhea scores, as shown by changes in more objective
measures. For example, the proportions of β-hemolytic
coliforms in feces were consistently reduced in pigs fed