Nutritional evaluation of egg byproducts in diets for early-weaned pigs

A total of 272 Cotswold pigs (17 +/- 1 d) were utilized in three experiments to evaluate the nutritive value of spray-dried egg proteins for early-weaned pigs. In all experiments, pigs were stratified by sex and initial BW and then assigned randomly to experimental diets. In Exp. 1, four corn-soybean meal-based diets containing 7% of either spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP), spray-dried technical albumen (SDTA), SDTA stored at 70 degrees C for 3 d (SDTA-ht), or spray-dried whole egg (SDWE) were assigned to five pens each with four pigs for a 3-wk study period. Average daily gain, ADFI, and gain:feed ratio (G:F) were determined. At the end of wk 3, five pigs per treatment were killed to determine ileal AA and energy digestibilities, as well as Enterobacteriaceae counts. Compared with the SDPP diet, ADG and G:F were lower (P < 0.05) for SDTA-, SDTA-ht- and SDWE-containing diets. Apparent ileal digestibilities of cystine, histidine, isoleucine, methionine, and threonine in the SDPP diet were lower (P < 0.05) than in diets containing spray-dried egg products. Ileal digestible energy content did not differ (P > 0.05) in all diets (3.1 to 3.2 Mcal/kg). Enterobacteriaceae counts were lower in the SDTA-ht diet than in either the SDTA or SDWE diets (P < 0.05). In Exp. 2, the effect of substituting SDPP with varying levels of SDTA was investigated. Diets were randomly assigned to five pens (except for the 100% SDTA diet, which had four pens), each with four pigs. Average daily gain, ADFI, and G:F decreased linearly as the level of SDTA was increased in the diet (P < 0.05). Replacing SDPP with SDTA at 25 or 50% had no effect on pig performance (P > 0.10). In Exp. 3, phase I diets containing 0, 25, or 50% SDTA in place of SDPP (7% of the diet) were each assigned at random to eight pens each with four pigs for a 14-d period, after which all pigs were switched to a common phase II diet lacking both SDPP and SDTA for another 14 d. Average daily feed intake and ADG did not differ among all diets in phase I and II and overall (d 0 to 28). Pigs fed the diet containing 50% SDTA in phase I had lower (P < 0.05) G:F than those fed the SDPP diet. The results indicate that technical albumen can replace 25 to 50% of SDPP in early-weaned pig diets without compromising performance, and further suggest that heat-treated SDTA may affect intestinal microbial population in pigs.     

Response of early-weaned pigs to an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (K88) challenge when fed diets containing spray-dried porcine plasma or pea protein isolate plus egg yolk antibody,zinc oxide,fumaric acid,or antibiotic

The effect of feeding diets containing either spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) or pea protein-isolate (PPI) supplemented with either egg yolk antibodies (EYA) from hens immunized with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) (K88 and F18) antigens, ZnO, fumaric acid (FA), or carbadox (AB) on pig performance, incidence of scours, and gut morphology was studied in a 14-d experiment. Ninety 10-d-old weaned pigs were assigned to six dietary treatments in a completely randomized design to give five pens per treatment with three pigs per pen. The diets were SDPP without EYA (SDPP - EYA), PPI without EYA (PPI - EYA), PPI with EYA (PPI + EYA), PPI with ZnO (PPI + ZnO), PPI with FA (PPI + FA), or PPI with AB (PPI + AB). Diets were formulated to similar nutrient levels, with AB, EYA, FA, and ZnO at 0.25, 0.5, 2.0, and 0.4% of the diet, respectively. Pigs were weighed and bled on d 0, 7, and 14 to determine plasma urea N (PUN). Pigs were orally challenged with a 6-mL dose of 10(10) cfu/mL ETEC (K88) on d 7. On d 14, three pigs per treatment were killed to obtain sections of the small intestine for histological measurements. Weekly feed intake, BW changes, and gain:feed were determined. Incidence of scours and scour scores were monitored and fecal swabs were taken before and after ETEC challenge for PCR test to detect ETEC (K88). Feeding SDPP or supplementing PPI-based diets with EYA, ZnO, FA, or AB did not affect (P > 0.05) ADG, ADFI (as-fed basis), or gain:feed throughout the study. However, pigs fed PPI - EYA tended to have lower (P = 0.08) ADFI during wk 2 (137.9 g/d) and lower (P < 0.10) ADG from d 0 to 14 (100.1 g/d) than those fed the SDPP - EYA (156.6 g/d), PPI + EYA (151.2 g/d), PPI + ZnO (158.9 g/ d), PPI + FA (155.4 g/d), and PPI + AB (152.6 g/d) diets. Although scours was evident in all pigs 8 h after the ETEC challenge, it lasted only 3 to 5 d in pigs fed SDPP or PPI supplemented with EYA, ZnO, FA, or AB. Pigs fed PPI - EYA continued to have severe diarrhea, resulting in 40% mortality vs. 13% or less in the other groups. The PCR results showed that 81% of PPI-fed pigs continued to shed ETEC K88 7 d after ETEC challenge. Pigs fed PPI-EYA had shorter villi (P < 0.05), reduced villi:crypt ratio (P < 0.003), and higher intestinal pH (P < 0.001) and PUN (P < 0.001) than those fed SDPP or PPI supplemented with EYA, ZnO, FA, and AB. In conclusion, SDPP, EYA, ZnO, FA, and AB may have provided passive control to ETEC (K88) infection and potentially enabled young pigs to efficiently utilize a PPI-based diet.     

Response of early-weaned pigs to spray-dried porcine or animal plasma-based diets supplemented with egg-yolk antibodies against enterotoxigenic Escherichia colil

Two experiments involving 168 10-d-old weaned pigs were conducted to compare growth-promoting properties of dietary spray-dried animal plasma (SDAP), spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP), and chicken egg-yolk antibodies (EYA) or egg-yolk powder (EYP, contains no specific antibodies) from d 0 to 14 postweaning. In Exp. 1, 96 pigs (3.2 +/- 0.2 kg BW) were used to test the hypothesis that the superior performance of piglets fed SDPP-based diets was partly due to the presence of specific antibodies against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), which could be replaced with EYA. Four experimental diets in a completely randomized design and arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial (SDPP without or with autoclaving [AuSDPP] and without [EYP] or with supplementation of EYA) were used. Autoclaving SDPP at 121degrees C for 15 min completely destroyed anti-K88/F18 antibodies. Overall feed intake and gain:feed ratio were similar (P > 0.05) among treatments and averaged 122.7 g/d and 0.688, respectively. However, pigs fed AuSDPP+EYP diets had poorer (P < 0.001) ADG compared with those fed SDPP+EYP or SDPP+EYA from 0 to 14 d. Scours were four times higher (P < 0.05) for treatment AuSDPP+EYP compared with all other treatments. Plasma urea nitrogen concentration was higher (P < 0.05) in AuSDPP+EYP- and AuSDPP+EYA-fed pigs. Also twice the number of piglets fed AuSDPP+EYP appeared unhealthy compared with piglets on treatment AuSDPP+EYA. In Exp. 2, 72 10-d-old weaned pigs (3.5 kg BW) were used to compare the effect of EYA supplementation and oral challenge of ETEC strain F18 on performance and visceral organ weights. The experimental diets consisted of SDAP+EYP, SDAP+EYA, SDPP+EYP, and SDPP+EYA. From d 0 to 7, and the entire experimental period, dietary treatment did not influence (P > 0.05) growth rate and feed consumption. Plasma urea N concentration was higher (P < 0.05) in piglets fed the SDAP+EYP diet before and after the oral challenge. Gain:feed ratio, organ weights, villi heights, and crypt depths were not affected (P > 0.05) by dietary treatments. The results indicate that SDPP contains specific anti-ETEC antibodies, which is one of the factors responsible for its superior growth-enhancing effects. Spray-dried animal plasma, SDPP and EYA have similar growth promoting effect in early-weaned pigs.     

T-shaped malformation of the ventral colon in a Thoroughbred filly with colic

A 4-month-old Thoroughbred filly presented for abdominal pain was diagnosed with a T-shaped malformation of the ventral colon at exploratory laparotomy. Following resection and anastomosis of the large colon, no further episodes of abdominal pain occurred during a 12-month follow-up. Acute dehiscence of the linea alba occurred as a complication of the initial laparotomy, but was successfully managed following additional surgical repair. T-shaped malformation of the ventral colon has not previously been reported and is considered a congenital malformation of mesocolon formation.     

Failure of passive transfer in foals: incidence and outcome on four studs in New South Wales

Objective To determine the regional incidence and effectiveness of treatment of failure of passive transfer (FPT) in foals. Design A study of disease incidence. Animals Eighty-eight foals and 57 mares from four studs in the practice area of the Rural Veterinary Centre were tested. Procedure Foals were tested for their serum IgG and total serum protein (TSP) concentration within the first 72 hours of life. Colostrum was collected from mares and specific gravity determined. FPT and partial failure of passive transfer (PFPT) of immunoglobulins was diagnosed when serum IgG concentrations were < 4 g/L and 4 to 8 g/L respectively. Owners of foals diagnosed with FPT were offered treatment with 1 to 2 L plasma (TSP > 70 g/L); 9 (64%) of the affected foals were treated. Results Fourteen foals (16%) had FPT whereas 15 (17%) had PFPT. There were significant differences between the mean TSP concentration in foals with FPT (42.6 ± 4.2 g/L), PFPT (48.1 ± 3.9 g/L) and those acquiring adequate passive immunity (58.9 ± 5.5 g/L) (P < 0.01). Sixteen (29%) mares had pre-suck colostral specific gravity < 1.060 and 12 (71%) foals raised by these mares had FPT or PFPT. The incidence of severe disease (categorised by a sepsis score > 11, positive culture of bacteria from blood or disease requiring hospitalisation) in all foals in the first 2 months of life was 10%. However, none of the nine foals with FPT that received plasma experienced severe disease. In contrast, foals with PFPT had an increased susceptibility to severe disease (P < 0.001) when compared with normal foals. Conclusion Treatment of foals with FPT may reduce the subsequent incidence of severe disease. Pre-suck colostral specific gravity and foal TSP may be used to predict the likelihood of FPT and PFPT. Even though the number of foals studied is small the results highlight the importance of optimal management practices in reducing the incidence of FPT and disease associated with this process.     

Immunolocalization of Aquaporins 1 and 9 in the Ram Efferent Ducts and Epididymis

Aquaporins (AQPs) are essential membrane protein channels for the transport of water across membranes. Fluid movement in the epididymis is important for modulation of the luminal environment, in which sperm mature and reside. This study was designed to understand the morphology and localization of AQPs in ram efferent ducts (ED) and epididymis. For this purpose, the epididymis of seven animals were removed for histologic and immunohistochemical analyses. AQP1 immunoreactivity was observed in the apex of the ED, and AQP9 was found adjacent to the nuclei of the epithelial cells of the ED. The epithelial lining of ram epididymis is pseudostratified columnar and presents principal, basal, apical and narrow cells. In the initial segment (IS), a moderate reaction for AQP1 was observed in the apical cytoplasm of epithelial cells. An intense reactivity for AQP1 was noted over the microvilli of principal cells and in spermatozoa in the caput. In the corpus and cauda, AQP1 was noted only over the endothelial cells of vascular channels located in intertubular spaces. A weak‐to‐moderate reaction for AQP9 was observed in the nuclei of epithelial cells in the IS, caput and corpus of the epididymis. In the cauda, an intense reaction to AQP9 was observed in the epithelial border. In the IS, caput and corpus, the reactivity for AQP9 differed from those observed in domestic animals. The cauda showed a pattern similar to that previously described. These results indicate that AQPs 1 and 9 have reversed locations and roles in rams, suggesting activity variations related with fluid and solute absorption throughout the epididymis.     

Effects of formulating growing pig diet with increasing levels of wheat‐corn distillers dried grains with solubles on digestible nutrient basis on growth performance and nutrient digestibility

Formulating swine diets containing fibrous coproducts based on net energy (NE) and standardized ileal digestible amino acid (SID AA) values is recommended for optimizing pig performance. However, the effects of applying this approach to diets with increasing dietary levels of wheat‐corn‐derived distillers dried grains with soluble (wcDDGS) on pig performance have not been evaluated. Thus, 48 pigs with an average body weight [BW] of 25.5 kg were used to determine the effects of increasing wcDDGS (1:1 wheat to corn ratio) content in grower diets on performance and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of energy and nutrients. Pigs were housed in pens of either 2 barrows or gilts balanced for BW and fed 4 diets within sex for 42 days. Diets were a nutrient adequate corn–barley–soybean meal‐based diet with 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% wcDDGS, and were similar in calculated NE and SID AA values. Acid insoluble ash was used as the indigestible marker. Final BW and overall average daily gain (ADG) linearly decreased (p < 0.05) and feed efficiency tended to decrease (p = 0.07) with increased dietary wcDDGS. Overall average daily feed intake was not affected (p > 0.10) by dietary treatment. The ATTD of dry matter and energy linearly decreased (p < 0.01), whereas the ATTD of neutral detergent fibre linearly increased (p < 0.01) with increasing dietary level of wcDDGS. Increasing dietary wcDDGS content did not affect (p > 0.10) ATTD of Ca and P. In conclusion, increasing dietary wcDDGS content reduced growth performance and ATTD of energy in growing pigs. Thus, the risks of high dietary wcDGGS content may not be completely alleviated by formulating growing pig diets on the basis of NE and SID AA systems.