Increasing diet viscosity using carboxymethylcellulose in weaned piglets stimulates protein digestibility

Ileal indigestible protein may be an important factor for the occurrence of post weaning diarrhoea in piglets. Depending on the quantity of indigested protein, an imbalance in the microbial community can occur, resulting in an overgrowth of pathogens. Diet viscosity may influence nutrient digestibility and substrate availability for microbial growth. Therefore, we examined the effect of dietary viscosity in piglet nutrition. Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) was added as a model substance in order to increase diet viscosity. The effect of 1% supplemented CMC on nutrient digestibility, morphological and physiological parameters was measured in piglets 3 weeks post weaning at 26 days of age. The main effects of inclusion of CMC were:

– A 10% slower gastric emptying rate (P = 0.18).

– An increased protein hydrolysis in the gastric fraction, measured as increased nitrogen concentration in the liquid phase of gastric contents (26% in control vs. 34% in experimental group; P = 0.13).

– An increased production of the protein hydrolysing enzyme amino-peptidase from 359 U/g protein for the control diet to 516 U/g protein for the experimental diet (P < 0.01).

– A numerical increase in apparent ileal protein digestibility by 6% from 75.2% to 79.5% (P = 0.22) and a significant increase in faecal protein digestibility by 5% (P = 0.044).

These results indicate that an optimized diet viscosity might be one factor exerting a beneficial influence on protein digestibility. We hypothesize that the effect of diet viscosity on gastric emptying rate is the major factor.     

在不同有效磷日粮中添加植酸酶对仔猪生产性能的影响

将体重相近的60头15kg左右的杜长大仔猪分为5个处理（对照组、AP降低0．1％、AP降低0．12％、AP降低0．1％＋酶、AP降低0．12％＋酶），每个处理3个重复，每重复4头仔猪。研究结果表明：曰粮有效磷水平和植酸酶对仔猪生长、料重比都有显著的影响（P〈0．05），与对照组相比，当日粮有效磷水平降低0．1％，仔猪体重、日增重会显著降低，而料重比显著上升；当有效磷降低0．1％添加植酸酶时，仔猪体重、日增重会显著增加，而料重比显著下降；当日粮有效磷降低0．12％时，不论加酶与否，其体重、日增重都会显著下降，而料重比会显著增加。     

仔猪钙磷缺乏症的病理学研究

试验用8周龄长白×雅南杂交断奶仔猪24头,分4组,分别喂给基础(低磷低钙)饲粮(Ca0.06％,P0.216％),低磷(Ca0.65％,P0.216％)、低钙(Ca0.218％,P0.55％)和正常对照(Ca0.65％,P0.55％)饲粮。低磷组病变表现为类骨组织大量增生,血清磷含量显著降低。低钙组和基础组表现为纤维性骨营养不良,并且长骨骺板下有出血、坏死和裂缝;甲状旁腺、甲状腺组织增生,血清钙含量明显下降。测基础组碱性磷酸酶活性时,有显著升高。发病各组胫骨的钙、磷及粗灰分含量均有显著性降低。并对甲状旁腺和胫骨骨骺进行了电镜观察。     

Gut ecology, feed digestion and performance in weaned piglets fed liquid diets

Gut environment and microflora, digestibility, and performance were studied in weaned piglets in Central Vietnam fed a dry control diet (CO), a naturally fermented liquid diet (FE), and a liquid diet with inclusion of rice distiller's residue (RDR). Digesta samples were collected at the start (day 0) and at the end of experiment (day 42). Diet FE had a lower pH than diet RDR, contained more organic acids, had the lowest counts of E. coli and total coliforms (P < 0.05), and the highest counts of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (P < 0.05). Piglets fed diets FE and RDR had lower pH (P < 0.05), and higher concentrations of organic acids in the stomach, ileum and mid-colon (P < 0.05) than piglets fed diet CO. Counts of LAB in stomach and ileum were higher in animals fed diets FE and RDR than CO (P < 0.05), while the number of E. coli and total coliforms along the gastrointestinal tract was reduced. The ileal digestibility of crude protein and organic matter was improved in piglets fed diet RDR (P < 0.05) compared with piglets fed diet CO. Piglets fed diet RDR had a higher weight gain (P < 0.05) and a better feed utilization (P < 0.05) than piglets fed the other diets. The present findings support the contention that fermented diets and/or fermented feedstuffs can be used for dietary manipulation to improve gut health and animal performance.     

Dietary selection for lysine by piglets at differing feeding regimen

The aim of the present study was to investigate preferences of piglets for diets varying in lysine (Lys) concentration and whether those preferences are influenced by changing position of diets on offer in feeders. For this purpose, a feeding trial was carried out over a period of 5 weeks. Piglets (equal proportions of barrows and gilts) with an initial BW of 7.4 ± 0.9 kg were randomly subdivided into four groups of 12 pigs each and were housed in single pens. Two reference groups were fed diets containing either 0.7% Lys (low-Lys group) or 1.0% Lys (high-Lys group). Two other groups had the choice from two diets containing 0.7 or 1.0% Lys offered simultaneously in identical feeders. For animals of one of these choice groups (Lys-choice 1 group) the position of diets in the feeders remained unchanged throughout the experimental period, but for animals of a second choice group (Lys-choice 2 group) position of the diets on offer in the feeders was changed two times a week.Average daily feed intake and daily gain were greatly (p < 0.05) decreased in animals of the low-Lys group compared to other treatments, and feed to gain ratio was increased. Performance of animals in Lys-choice 1 group was numerically decreased compared to animals of Lys-choice 2 group. Chosen diets of Lys-choice groups 1 and 2 contained on average 31 and 19% feed with 0.7% Lys, respectively. Resulting Lys contents of total diets were 0.94 and 0.98% for Lys-choice groups 1 and 2, respectively, as a mean of the experiment. In week 1 animals of both Lys-choice groups met approximately 50% of total feed intake by consumption of the 0.7% Lys diet. Animals of Lys-choice 1 group lowered this portion to 20% in the last experimental week and animals of Lys-choice group 2 to 11%. Preference for the 1.0% Lys diet was evident (p < 0.05) from week 3 to 5 in Lys-choice 1 group and from week 2 to 5 in Lys-choice 2 group.Piglets are able to distinguish between diets differing in Lys content and to prefer a better balanced diet over a Lys-deficient one. Changing the position of the diets on offer in the feeders two times a week does not impair the ability to select for a diet more adequate in Lys concentration, but led in contrary to a slightly higher preference for Lys.     

Effect of dietary supplementation of fish oil for lactating sows and weaned piglets on piglet Th polarization

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of dietary fish oil supplementation on piglet T helper cells (Th) polarization in relation to its impact on piglet serum interferon γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) concentrations and splenic expression of Th1/Th2 characteristic genes. The diets of 18 gestating sows were supplemented with 7% lard (C) (n = 10) or 7% fish oil (T) (n = 8) from 10 d before parturition to weaning. At weaning, a split plot experiment was designed, 56 piglets, 28 each from sows fed with fish oil diet or lard diet, were divided into four groups of 7 replicates (one female and one castrated male per replicate) based on both sow diet during lactation and post-weaning piglet diet (C had 7% lard and T had 7% fish oil): CC, CT, TC, TT, and were fed the 7% fish oil or lard diet from day 35 to day 70. Serum concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-10, and Th1/Th2 related genes expression levels in spleen were measured and analyzed. The results showed that piglets fed with fish oil diet during post-weaning tended to have higher serum IFN-γ/IL-10 ratio (P = 0.09) than lard diet fed piglets. Lactation fish oil feeding increased splenic IL-12b, IL-12 receptor β2 (IL-12Rβ2), IL-2 and IFN-γ genes expression (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) and post-weaning fish oil feeding increased splenic IL-12b (P = 0.06), IL-2 (P < 0.01) and IFN-γ (P = 0.08) mRNA expression than that in lard diet fed piglets at the end of this experiment. On the other hand, IL-4 gene expression (P = 0.01) in spleen was lower in weaned piglet from fish oil diet fed sows than that from lard diet fed sows. However, post-weaning piglets fed fish oil diet had higher splenic IL-4 (P = 0.06), IL-6 (P < 0.01) and IL-10 (P = 0.05) mRNA abundances than that fed with lard diet. These results indicated that dietary fish oil during lactation could increase Th1 polarization and accelerate immune maturation; while 7% fish oil in weaned piglets' diet was likely to increase Th2 cytokines expression.     

Effect of adding Lactobacillus plantarum or a formic acid containing-product to fermented liquid feed on gastrointestinal ecology and growth performance of piglets

A study was carried out to investigate whether adding a starter culture or a formic acid containing-product to fermented liquid feed of suboptimal microbial quality could improve the characteristics of the mixture and the gastrointestinal ecology and growth performance of piglets. Four experimental diets were prepared: Feed and water were mixed in the ratio 1:2.5 (w/w) in four closed tanks. Diet 1) Three times daily, 50% of the mixture stored in the tank was removed and then replaced with an equal amount of fresh feed and water, (FLF), positive control; Diet 2) Three times daily, 95% of the mixture stored in the tank was removed and then replaced with an equal amount of fresh feed and water. Escherichia coli K12 (1 × 10⁶/g) was added every morning (COLI); Diet 3) as the COLI treatment and added Lactobacillus plantarum VTT E-78076 (1 × 10⁶/g) every morning (+PLANTARUM); and Diet 4) as the COLI treatment and added 0.26 g AIV/KemiSile 2 plus/100 g mixture three times daily (+ACID). One hundred and sixty weaners were used. On day 14, one littermate from each pen was killed and the gastrointestinal tract removed. The remaining piglets were used to measure the effect of the experimental diets on growth performance during the first six weeks post-weaning. The +ACID diet had lower numbers of lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae, higher numbers of yeasts, and lower concentration of lactic acid and acetic acid than the COLI and +PLANTARUM diets. Feeding the +PLANTARUM and the +ACID diets increased daily weight gain during the six weeks post-weaning (P ≤ 0.02) compared to feeding the COLI diet. The +ACID group showed the highest numerical daily feed intake in all periods. The gain/feed during the six weeks post-weaning tended to be lowest in the COLI group (P < 0.10). The counts of lactic acid bacteria able to grow at 20 °C were lowest in the stomach (P ≤ 0.003) and distal small intestine (P ≤ 0.06) of the +ACID group. The counts of yeasts able to grow at 37 °C in the stomach were highest in the +ACID (P ≤ 0.01) and FLF groups (P ≤ 0.09). The number of yeasts able to grow at 20 °C in the stomach and distal small intestine was highest in the FLF fed piglets, followed by the +ACID group. This study showed that addition of L. plantarum VTT E-78076 or AIV/KemiSile 2 plus to fermented liquid feed of suboptimal microbial quality improved growth performance without affecting the gastrointestinal ecology of piglets substantially.     

Ileal digestibility of protein and amino acids from canola meal in weaned piglets and growing pigs

Two experiments were conducted to measure the apparent ileal digestibility coefficients (AID) of protein and amino acids from canola meal (CM) and a pelleted canola meal (PCM) and their effect on specific activity (SA) of pancreatic proteases in weaned piglets and growing pigs. In experiment one, 24 piglets weaned at 17 days and weighing 5.5 kg were used. Treatments were a reference diet with 200 g of crude protein (CP) kg^− 1 elaborated with casein (C) as the sole protein source, a diet containing C–CM and a diet containing C–PCM. These diets were obtained using the reference diet plus 100 g kg^− 1 of CM or PCM that substituted an isoproteic mixture of casein and maize starch from reference diet, so that the AID coefficients for their protein and amino acids could be calculated by difference. In experiment two, nine castrated pigs weighing 39.5 kg were used. Treatments were a reference diet with 160 g of CP kg^− 1 elaborated with casein (C) as the sole protein source, diet C–CM and diet C–PCM. These diets were obtained using the reference diet plus 300 g kg^− 1 of CM or PCM that substituted an isoproteic mixture of casein and maize starch from reference diet. In piglets, the AID coefficients for casein were highest (P < 0.05), those of PCM were intermediate, and those of CM were the lowest. In older pigs, the AID coefficients for casein were highest, and those of CM and PCM were similar (P > 0.05). The SAs of chymotrypsin, trypsin and carboxypeptidases A and B were lower in piglets than in heavier pigs. Moreover, the SAs of trypsin, chymotrypsin, and carboxypeptidase B were lower (P > 0.05) in animals fed casein. The results showed in piglets that whereas CM was less digestible, pelleted canola meal improved protein and amino acid ileal digestibility, resulting in similar AID coefficients to those of growing pigs.     

壳聚糖对仔猪生长性能及血清中类胰岛素生长因子-Ⅰ和生长激素水平的影响

本文旨在研究日粮中添加不同剂量壳聚糖对仔猪生产性能及血清中类胰岛素生长因子-I(IGF-I)和生长激素(GH)水平的影响。试验选择60日龄大白×长白×VI系杂交仔猪96头,随机分为4个日粮处理组,每个处理3个重复,每个重复8头,进行为期21 d的饲养试验。4种日粮分别是在基础日粮中添加0、0 .01 %、0 .05 %、0.1 %的壳聚糖配制而成。结果表明,壳聚糖对仔猪生长性能的影响呈二次剂量依赖关系,添加0 .01 %~0 .05 %壳聚糖能够提高仔猪平均日增重、平均日采食量及增重耗料比,并可提高仔猪血清中IGF-Ι和GH含量。而添加更高水平时生长性能却有下降趋势。因此,在本试验条件下初步得出,0 .01 %~0 .05 %为壳聚糖在仔猪日粮中的适宜添加量。     

几种仔猪肠道损伤模型的建立及肠道损伤生物标志物的研究进展

肠道不仅是所有营养物质消化吸收的最终场所,也是动物体内最大的免疫器官,是机体防御体系的第一道屏障,维护动物肠道健康对保障养猪生产至关重要。肠道是机体应激反应的中心器官,各种应激因素致使肠道结构损伤与功能紊乱,从而导致仔猪健康不良与生长受阻。因此,建立稳定可靠的肠道损伤模型是研究仔猪肠道损伤机制及营养干预的关键,本文主要介绍了本实验室成功建立的几种仔猪肠道损伤模型,筛选了几种肠道功能紊乱的标志性分子,为猪和人类的肠道功能障碍研究及营养干预提供参考。