[Quantitative makeup of the gastrointestinal flora of piglets in the 1st 2 weeks of life. 2. The development of the gastrointestinal flora in primary specific-pathogen-free piglets].

Quantitative germ flora analyses were applied to 22 SPF piglets, aged between four hours and 14 days, to follow up the development of their gastro-intestinal flora. The development of a fairly stable gastro-intestinal flora was delayed. Escherichia coli strains were isolated from SPF piglets which had died following diarrhoea and septicaemia, but they did not fall in those E. coli sero-groups known for pathogenicity to swine. The outcome of raising was greatly stabilised and amounted to about 70 per cent by administration of something between 80 ml and 100 ml of radiation-sterilised sow colostrum.