Following acclimatisation, piglets were then fed with a supplemented diet. Each pen was equipped with a feeder and
water supply from a water tray and from a nipple. Pens, feeders and water trays were cleaned on a daily basis. Pigs were
fed commercial unmedicated pelleted pig feed (mainly based on wheat, soya bean, barley and rapeseed meal; Lillico Attlee,
Wm. Lillico & Son Ltd), according to their daily requirements (ASU Unit, AHVLA) and water was provided ad libitum. Any
uneaten feed was weighed every morning to determine the feed intake. One group (PRE) was fed the prebiotic lactulose
at 1% (w/w) of the feed on a daily basis mixed into the feed. A further group (PRO) was fed probiotic L. plantarum B2984
(resuspended in 0.1M pH 7.2 PBS) which was diluted in sterile water and mixed with ∼150 g of feed for each pig to receive
∼1×1010cfu/pig/day. The Lactobacilli were found to be viable when cultured from the feed and the full dose was received
by the pigs. A third group (SYN) was treated with both the prebiotic and probiotic and a final control group (CTR) had no
prebiotic or probiotic treatment.