Citrulline and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein: longitudinal markers of postweaning small intestinal function in pigs?

The objective of the current study was to investigate whether plasma citrulline or intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) concentrations might be used as longitudinal markers for small intestinal function in piglets after weaning. Plasma citrulline and I-FABP concentrations were measured longitudinally in weaned and unweaned piglets, and related to intestinal absorption values (i.e., plasma mannitol and 3-xylose concentrations in a sugar absorption test). Within each litter (n = 10), 2 piglets with a close-to-litter-average BW were selected. At 20.8 +/- 0.4 d of age, the selected piglets per litter were either weaned conventionally (CW) or remained with the sow (UNW). One day before, and 0.5, 2, 4, and 7 d after weaning of the CW piglets, the selected piglets of both groups were subjected to a sugar absorption test. After a 2-h fast, piglets were administered an oral dose of 2 mL/kg of sugar solution, containing 50 mg/kg of mannitol and 100 mg/kg of 3-xylose. One hour after administration, a blood sample was collected from a jugular vein for determination of plasma I-FABP, citrulline, mannitol, and 3-xylose concentrations. Plasma I-FABP concentration showed great variation within treatments, and no difference was observed in plasma I-FABP concentrations between the CW and UNW treatments (P = 0.63). The absorption of 3-xylose was not different between treatments (P = 0.83). Mannitol absorption, however, was less in the weaned CW piglets compared with the UNW piglets (P = 0.003), with the nadir on d 4 postweaning. Weaning also reduced plasma citrulline concentrations in the CW treatment compared with the UNW treatment (P < 0.001). On d 4 and 7 postweaning, plasma citrulline concentrations of CW piglets were less (P < 0.001 and P = 0.0013) than preweaning values. Furthermore, in the CW treatment, plasma citrulline concentrations correlated with plasma mannitol concentrations at d 4 postweaning (r = 0.89, P = 0.008) and overall (r = 0.76, P = 0.001). Based on these results, plasma citrulline concentration seems to be a possible marker for monitoring intestinal function in pigs after weaning.     

Increased small intestinal fermentation is partly responsible for the anti‐nutritive activity of non‐starch polysaccharides in chickens

1. The mechanism of the anti‐nutritive activities of soluble non‐starch polysaccharides (NSPs) in broiler diets was investigated with emphasis on the inter‐relationship between viscosity and fermentation along the gut. Isolated soluble NSP were added to a control diet to effect high gut viscosity, and in vivo depolymerisation of the NSP was achieved using a commercial glycanase.

2. Addition of soluble NSPs significantly (P<0.01) increased gut viscosity, reduced the AME of the diet and depressed the growth and FCE of the birds. Enzyme supplementation of the NSP‐enriched diet reversed the adverse effects, increasing (P< 0.01) weight gain, FCE and AME. Comparisons of the viscosities (mPa) in birds fed on the NSP‐enriched diet and the same diet supplemented with enzyme were respectively: 11–9 v. 2–3 in the duodenum; 78–3 v. 4–4 in the jejunum and 409–3 v. 10–8 in the ileum.

3. Caecal volatile fatty acid concentration was markedly (P<0.01) elevated by enzyme supplementation, whereas ileal fermentation was inhibited.

4. Microscopic examination revealed that, among birds fed on the NSP‐enriched diet, there had been extensive small intestinal fermentation, which was eliminated by the enzyme supplementation.

5. Addition of a synthetic antibiotic (Amoxil) had no beneficial effects.

6. The current study demonstrated that increased fermentation occurs in the small intestine when a large amount of viscous NSPs is present in the diet and this is detrimental to the performance and well‐being of poultry.     

Acute small intestinal obstruction associated with Parascaris equorum infection in young horses: 25 cases (1985–2004)

AIMS: To retrospectively evaluate the medical and surgical records of horses with acute small intestinal obstructions associated with Parascaris equorum infection; to describe the gastrointestinal lesions; and to determine the outcome of cases with such lesions.

METHODS: Records of 25 horses with acute small intestinal obstruction associated with P. equorum between 1985 and 2004 were reviewed to determine signalment, history, physical examination, surgical or post-mortem findings, and outcome.

RESULTS: All horses except one were less than 12 months old. Standardbreds were over-represented in the population studied. Sixteen horses (72%) had been administered anthelmintics, including pyrantel (n=8), ivermectin (n=7), and trichlorphon (n=1), within 24 h prior to the onset of colic. Of the 25 cases reviewed, 16 had simple obstructive ascarid impactions (SOAIs), and nine had complicated obstructive ascarid impaction (COAI) including volvulus (n=6) or intussusception (n=3), both concurrent with ascarid impaction of the small intestine. Short-term survival (discharge from hospital) occurred in 79% of horses treated for SOAI, and was 64% for all horses. Long-term survival (>1 year) occurred in 33% of horses with SOAI, and the overall long-term survival was 27% for all horses. Formation of adhesions was the most frequent finding associated with death for horses that did not survive long-term.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The incidence of anthelmintic treatment within 24 h of the onset of colic in this study population (72%) was higher than that previously reported. Resistance of P. equorum to ivermectin recently reported in Ontario may be associated with increased ascarid burdens, predisposing horses to ascarid impaction. The long-term survival of these horses was better than that reported previously.     

Estimating sample size for a small‐quadrat method of botanical survey for application in mixed Bushveld

Abstract

Species density and grass density were measured using a small‐quadrat method in eight plant communities in the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, South Africa. The presence of new species in each additional quadrat was used to calculate sample size. A sample size of 20 quadrats of 0.25 m² per site was found to be sufficient to measure species richness and density, and grass density in most plant communities in Mixed Bushveld. A sample size of approximately 30 quadrats was found to be necessary to survey plant communities with a relatively high species richness.     

Utilization of substrates for testosterone and estradiol-17β production by small follicles of the chicken ovary

A study was conducted to characterize steroidogenesis in small ovarian follicles (1–10 mm in diameter) of the hen. The aims of our study were: 1) to determine basal estradiol-17β (E₂) production by different sizes of small follicles; 2) to determine the ability of intact small follicles to utilize exogenous substrates for testosterone (T) and E₂ production; and 3) to investigate the preferred steroidogenic pathway in small follicles. Small follicles which had not entered the hierarchy were isolated from ovaries obtained 2 hr after oviposition and divided into three groups: small white follicles (SWF; 1–2 mm in diameter), large white follicles (LWF; 2–4 mm in diameter), and small yellow follicles (SYF; 5–10 mm in diameter). Yolk and granulosa cells were removed from LWFs and SYFs and the remaining theca layer was called a follicle shell. Intact follicles or follicle shells (4/4 ml/tube) were incubated in avian Ringer's buffer supplemented with 10 mM HEPES and 0.1% BSA at 37°C for 3 hr with various treatments. Testosterone and E₂ were measured in the medium. The SYFs and their corresponding follicle shells produced the greatest amount of E₂ when E₂ production was expressed per follicle. Addition of 2 mM 8-Br-cAMP to the incubation medium stimulated E₂ production by all sizes of follicles and follicle shells. However, follicle shells produced lower basal- and 8-Br-cAMP-stimulated E₂ secretion compared to corresponding intact follicles. There was no significant difference in E₂ production in response to various concentrations of 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-OH-CHOL; 0–100 μM) by intact follicles and follicle shells. On the contrary, intact follicles and follicle shells produced T and E₂ in a dose-dependent manner in response to increasing concentrations (0–100 μM) of pregnenolone (P₅). Intact follicles also used progesterone (P₄) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) as substrates for T and E₂ production. DHEA was the preferred substrate for steroid production compared to P₄. In summary, we found that: 1) steroidogenesis in small follicles is regulated by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase A second messenger system; 2) adequate amounts of endogenous cholesterol are available for steroidogenesis; and 3) both Δ⁵ and Δ⁴ pathways are functional in small follicles and the Δ⁵ pathway may be the preferred steroidogenic pathway. pathway.     

Evidence for hepatic glucostatic regulation of food intake in the domestic chicken and its interaction with gastro‐intestinal control

1. Male birds of a laying strain had permanent catheters introduced into the hepatic portal vein via the coccygeo‐mesenteric vein.

2. Infusions of 5 ml of 40, 100 or 150 g glucose/1 solution over 2 min caused a non‐significant depression of food intake compared with a 9 g NaCl/1 control solution.

3. Infusions of a range of isotonic glucose solutions (0 to 60 g glucose/1, 300 mosm) at 1.4 ml/min over 3 h caused food intake depression within the 3‐h period (P<0.01) proportional to the logarithm of the dose.

4. This effect was not observed when 60 g glucose/1 was infused at the above rates into the jugular vein.

5. Starvation of the bird for 21 h accentuated the depressive effect of glucose load on food intake, especially when birds were not given food until after the 3‐h infusion.

6. The infusion of solutions of sodium chloride (1.0 to 13.0 g/1, 33 to 433 mosmoles/kg) at. 1.4 ml/min over 3 h stimulated food intake within the range of 3 to 7 g NaCl/1 (100 to 233 mosm) but suppressed intake outside this range. This can be interpreted as a possible interaction with water intake control.

7. Infusion of 20 ml of glucose solution (0, 18 or 54 g/l) over 5 min into the crop and 0, 3.75 or 60 g glucose/1 at 1.4 ml/min over 3 h into the hepatic portal vein, caused an additive, linear depression of food intake.     

Interaction between probiotic lactic acid bacteria and canine enteric pathogens: a risk factor for intestinal Enterococcus faecium colonization?

Selected probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been shown to elicit positive health effects particularly in humans. Competitive exclusion of pathogens is one of the most important beneficial health claims of probiotic bacteria. The effect of probiotic LAB on competitive exclusion of pathogens has been demonstrated in humans, chicken and pigs. In this study we evaluated the ability of certain LAB strains (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12, Lactobacillus pentosus UK1A, L. pentosus SK2A, Enterococcus faecium M74 and E. faecium SF273) to inhibit the adhesion of selected canine and zoonotic pathogens (Staphylococcus intermedius, Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028, Clostridium perfringens and Campylobacter jejuni) to immobilised mucus isolated from canine jejunal chyme in vitro. Adhesion of C. perfringens was reduced significantly by all tested LAB strains, between 53.7 and 79.1% of the control without LAB, the LAB of canine origin yielding the best reduction. The adhesion of S. Typhimurium and S. intermedius were not significantly altered by any of the LAB included in the study. Both enterococci tested significantly enhanced the adhesion of C. jejuni, to 134.6 and 205.5% of the control without LAB. E. faecium may thus favor the adhesion and colonization of C. jejuni in the dog's intestine, making it a potential carrier and possibly a source for human infection. Enhanced C. jejuni adhesion is a new potential risk factor of enterococci. Our results further emphasize the importance of safety guidelines to be established for the probiotics intended for animal use.     

TSE eradication in small ruminants--quo vadis?

The term of 'TSE infections in small ruminants' summarises BSE as well as classical and the recently discovered atypical scrapie infections in sheep and goats.There are fundamental differences between the TSE infections in small and large ruminants. Other than in bovines the TSE pathogenesis in small ruminants implies that various peripheral tissues become infectious long before the onset of clinical symptoms. At least in sheep, classical scrapie is efficiently transmitted horizontally within affected flocks. On the other hand, BSE poses a distinctly higher zoonotic risk than scrapie. Therefore, regulatory measures for the protection of animals and humans from a BSE infection must be substantially different for large and small ruminants. While culling of the birth and feeding cohort of a BSE affected cattle is considered to be effective to prevent any further BSE cases in the affected herd, an effective BSE and classical scrapie eradication programme in small ruminants requires a much more stringent eradication strategy and the rendering of all susceptible animals. The situation became even more complicated when atypical scrapie cases with divergent transmission and pathogenesis characteristics and with a novel biochemical phenotype of the infectious agent came into play. The discovery of these atypical scrapie cases has initiated a discussion about the suitability of the current TSE eradication measures in sheep (which are selective breeding and genotype based culling), in particular when such cases were also found in sheep carrying the believed scrapie resistant genotypes.     

Management to ensure effective population size in a breeding programme for the small Norwegian horse breeds – a simulation study

Abstract

A simulation study relevant for the Norwegian horse populations (D?le, Fjord and Nordland/Lyngen), compared with how the effective population size per generation is affected by: the population size, the proportion of offspring from three-year-old sires, performing phenotypic selection of sires at three years of age and random selection amongst these at four years of age (mating for 4 years). The distribution of family size (number of mated mares per sire) was as observed in the D?le. The population size had the largest effect on the effective population size per generation, and therefore at least 200 foals should be born and registered per year. The second most limiting factor was the proportion of young sires, where higher effective population size could be obtained by having more offspring from three-year-old sires (allowing more sires selected). Omitting selection only had a minor effect on the effective size.     

Biology and pathology of the intestinal M‐cell. A review

Summary

The literature of the intestinal M‐cell, which is part of the epithelium covering the gut‐associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), is reviewed. Attention is paid to the localization, structure, origin and function of this cell, under both normal and pathological conditions.     

Effects of β-alanine on intestinal development and immune performance of weaned piglets

Beta-alanine is an important amino acid involved in several metabolic reactions in the body. The study aimed to investigate the effect of β-alanine supplementation on intestinal development and the immune performance of weaned piglets. Thirty-two 21-day-old healthy weaned piglets(half female and half male; Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) with an initial body weight of 8.11 ± 0.21 kg were randomly divided into 4 groups with 8 replicates of 1 pig each. The control group was fed a basal diet and the ...     

Dietary organic acids ameliorate high stocking density stress-induced intestinal inflammation through the restoration of intestinal microbiota in broilersOA

Background:High stocking density(HSD) stress has detrimental effects on growth performance,intestinal barrier function,and intestinal microbiota in intensive animal production.Organic acids(OA) are widely used as feed additives for their ability to improve growth performance and intestinal health in poultry.However,whether dietary OA can ameliorate HSD stress-induced impaired intestinal barrier in broilers remains elusive.In this study,a total of 528one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were ran...     

Practical aspects of genetic management of small populations – The Olkuska sheep example

Abstract

The study aimed to identify important factors threatening genetic diversity within small sheep populations, and to propose sustainable management strategies. Demographic evolution, genetic diversity and current genetic management practices were analyzed in a population of Polish Olkuska sheep. Unbalanced contributions of individual rams to the next generation were observed due to differences in the period of their utilization, the number of progeny and the number of daughters used in reproduction. Matings between closely related animals were common. Pedigree completeness was satisfactory and inbreeding coefficient was high, 11.71% for lambs born in 2012. Relatively high values of potential and realized coancestries within flocks showed the importance of keeping more than one ram. The genetic conservation index and average relatedness coefficient, and their comparison between regions was helpful in considering management options. The information on genetic relationships and genetic conservation parameters of rams should be provided to breeders with simple interpretations.     

Selection of indigenous lactic acid bacteria to reinforce the intestinal microbiota of newly hatched chicken – relevance of in vitro and ex vivo methods for strains characterization

Based on the natural benefits of the indigenous microbiota, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from poultry origin were isolated from hens and broilers intestine, and their probiotic potential was further studied. The tolerance to digestion, adhesion, capture of a mannose-binding lectin, absence of virulent factors and antibiotic resistances were studied. Different in vitro and ex vivo assays were performed to select tolerant and adherent strains because standardized protocols have not been defined. Fourteen strains highly tolerant to gastrointestinal digestion were genetically identified. Hydrophobic surfaces were not required for the bacterial adhesion and only nine strains adhered ex vivo to the intestinal mucosa. Three strains captured a lectin of the same specificity of Type-1 fimbriae. Virulence factors were absent but some strains evidenced multiple antibiotic resistances. These results provide bases for a future standardization of methods for the selection of probiotic strains intended to reinforce the microbiota of newly hatched chickens.     

Influence of diet on the intestinal microflora and meat flavour of intensively‐reared broiler chickens

1. An attempt has been made to modify the composition of the gut flora of broiler chickens by dietary means in order to determine any concurrent changes in meat flavour.

2. Birds given a diet containing an increasing proportion of whole wheat supplemented with fresh green vegetable matter (special diet) were compared with conventionally‐fed controls. At 12 weeks of age those receiving the special diet had 10 to 100‐fold higher counts of Escherichia colt and faecal streptococci in the duodenum and lower small intestine and showed differences in the intestinal incidence of species and biotypes of lactobacilli.

3. Evaluation of cooked breast‐meat samples by a trained sensory panel showed a significant difference in flavour (P < 0.01) between conventional and special‐diet birds which varied from perceptually very slight to slight. The main terms used in distinguishing special‐diet birds from conventional controls included ‘richer’, ‘meatier’ and ‘sweeter’.

4. Storage of plucked, uneviscerated birds at 4 °C for 8 d maintained the flavour difference between the dietary groups but the effect of storage on flavour was greater in both groups of birds than the influence of diet alone. The likely influence on flavour of autolytic changes occurring in the muscle during storage of the birds is discussed.     

Alterations in intestinal microbiota composition coincide with impaired intestinal morphology and dysfunctional ileal immune response in growing-finishing pigs under constant chronic heat stressOA

Background: Previous studies had shown that short-term acute heat stress(HS) affected the host’s metabolism and intestinal microbiota independent of feed intake(FI) reduction, and long-term calorie restriction caused intestinal morphological injuries and gut microbial alterations. However, research on the effects of constant chronic HS on intestinal microbial composition and the roles of FI reduction played in is limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 7-day constant chronic HS o...