Abstract: [Objective] This study was conducted to assess the effects of dietary supplementation of honeybee peptide on growth performance, diarrhea rate and economic benefits of weaned piglets. [Method] A total of eighty 21-day-old crossbred （Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire） weaned piglets with similar body weights were randomly allocated into four dietary treatment groups, including a control group and three experimental groups （Ⅰ-Ⅲ）. There were two replicates in each group and ten piglets in each replicate. The piglets in control group fed a basal diet, and those in experimental groups Ⅰ-Ⅲ fed the same basal diets supplemented with 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg of a commercially available honeybee peptide, respectively. The feeding experiment consisted of a 7-day preparatory trial and a 28-day formal trail. The piglets were weighed at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. The feed intake and the number of piglets with diarrhea during the experiment were recorded. Subsequently, the average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake and diarrhea rate were calculated. In addition, the economic benefits were estimated according to the diet cost and weight gain of the piglets. [Result] Compared with the control group, the experimental groups Ⅰ-Ⅲ had significantly （P<0.05） elevated final weights, average daily weight gain and average daily feed intake, and had significantly （P<0.05） reduced feed to gain ratio and diarrhea rate. Compared with the experimental group Ⅰ, the experimental groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ had significantly （P<0.05） higher final weights, average daily weight gain and average daily feed intake, and had significantly （P<0.05） lower feed to gain ratio and diarrhea rate. The experimental group Ⅲ had superior final weights, average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake, feed to gain ratio and diarrhea rate to experimental group Ⅱ, while no significant （P>0.05） differences were observed. The individual profits of the experimental groups Ⅰ-Ⅲ were 11.926, 23.986 and 27.224 Yuan higher than the control group, respectively, and the best economic benefit was observed in experimental group Ⅲ. [Conclusion] Dietary supplementation of honeybee peptide has significant effects on improving growth performance, reducing diarrhea rate, and increasing economic benefit of the weaned piglets. The addition level of 600 mg/kg is recommended.

Key words: honeybee peptide, weaned piglet, growth performance, diarrhea rate, economic