Prevalence of enteropathogens in suckling and weaned piglets with diarrhoea in southern Germany

Faecal samples from suckling (n = 205) and weaned piglets (n = 82) with diarrhoea from 24 farms in Southern Germany were examined for shedding of important metazoic parasitic, viral and bacterial pathogens using culture, microscopic and electronmicroscopic methods. Escherichia coli isolates were tested further for the enterotoxin genes est-Ia and elt-I by colony blot hybridization. Isospora suis was diagnosed in 26.9% and Cryptosporidium parvum in 1.4% of the piglets investigated. The proportion of coronavirus-positive animals was 13.4% and 4% were positive for rotavirus. It was found that 17.6% of the animals were infected with enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC; 10.1% ETEC-ST-Ia and 8.6% ETEC-LT-I, respectively). The occurrence of the pathogens was significantly associated with the age of the animals examined (P < 0.001). Isospora suis was predominantly isolated from suckling piglets (in the second and third week of life), while in weaned piglets (fourth week of life) rotavirus and ETEC were most prevalent. On 22 of the 24 piglet production farms examined at least one of the investigated pathogens was detected. Coronavirus was diagnosed in 66.7%, I. suis in 62.5%, rotavirus in 20.8% and C. parvum in 8.3% of the farms. These results underline the fact that despite the hygienic, technical and immune preventive efforts during the last years, enteropathogens are still common in German piglet production units.     

断奶仔猪下痢的治疗方案和体会

断奶仔猪下痢的临床表现主要为：病猪精神倦怠，被毛逆立无光，粪便稀薄如水；有的拉稀呈喷射状，色为灰白至灰黑色不等；有的肛门周围粪便污染严重；有的虽未污染，但仔细观察，发现肛门松弛、发红，用手触摸方感到湿润。     

无抗条件下从肠道健康方面控制断奶仔猪腹泻的策略

在过去的几十年里,抗菌化合物已被用于预防亚临床和临床疾病,促进断奶仔猪生长等方面。但人们越来越关注细菌耐药性、耐药菌株及其相关基因对人类健康的潜在影响。欧盟从2006年1月1日起禁止在猪和家禽生产中使用抗生素作为生长促进剂。此外,高锌和高铜等矿物质也具有促生长作用,但饲料中添加高锌、高铜会严重污染环境。因此,在不使用抗生素的条件下,有必要制定相应的营养和饲喂策略,以便控制与断奶过渡有关的问题。本文综述改善胃肠道结构、功能,促进断奶后仔猪生长的营养策略,重点介绍益生菌、益生元、有机酸、微量元素来源及水平。     

Frequency of enteropathogen detection in suckling and weaned pigs with diarrhea in Japan.

Fecal samples from suckling (n=153) and weaned (n=116) piglets with diarrhea in Japan were examined for shedding of viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens using culture, microscopic, and polymerase chain reaction methods. In suckling piglets, diarrhea was attributed to infection with a single etiologic agent in 60.8% of cases and with combinations of agents in 22.2%. In weaned piglets, diarrhea was attributed to a single etiologic agent in 43.1% and to combinations of agents in 47.4% of cases. Rotavirus was the most prevalent agent in suckling (67.3%) and weaned (65.5%) piglets. The detection of other pathogens was associated with age of the animals examined. Coccidia were predominantly isolated from suckling piglets, whereas Escherichia coli was found predominantly in weaned piglets. Although a relationship was not observed between detection rate of rotavirus and age of piglets, a single group of rotavirus was detected in 87.5% of suckling piglets whereas multiple groups were detected in 51.6% of weaned piglets. The results of this study confirm that diarrhea in piglets can, to a variable degree, be causally associated with multiple agents. Additionally, these results suggest reasons why this syndrome can be difficult to control.     

Tannic acid extracted from gallnut prevents post-weaning diarrhea and improves intestinal health of weaned piglets

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of tannic acid (TA) on growth performance, diarrhea rate, nutrient digestibility and intestinal health in weaned piglets. A total of 180 weaned piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, 24 d of age, initial average BW = 7.77 ± 0.17 kg) were allotted to 5 groups (6 pigs/pen and 6 replicates/group) in a randomized complete block design according to their gender and body weight. Piglets were fed a basal diet, or the basal diet supplemented with 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2% or 0.4% TA for 28 d. The supplementary levels of TA in the diets were obtained by adding tannalbin containing 51% TA and 40.17% protein. The results showed that, compared with the CON group, dietary TA did not affect ADFI, ADG or F:G, and linearly reduced (P < 0.01) the diarrhea rate and diarrhea index of piglets. There were no significant effects on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) in the 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.2% TA groups, while negative effects (P < 0.05) on apparent digestibility of crude protein and gross energy were observed in the 0.4% TA group. In addition, the nutrient digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and gross energy linearly decreased (P < 0.01) with the increase of TA dosage. Supplementation of TA increased (P < 0.05) the villus height of the duodenum and jejunum, as well as increased (P < 0.05) catalase (CAT) activity in serum. Dietary TA improved (P < 0.05) the Bacillus counts in cecal digesta. Further, TA significantly improved (P < 0.05) Bacillus counts and reduced (P < 0.05) the Escherichia coli counts in colonic digesta. The concentration of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and isovaleric acid in cecal digesta were significantly increased (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression level of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), zonula occludens-2 (ZO-2), and claudin-2 (CLDN-2) in the jejunum were greater (P < 0.05) in TA supplemented groups. The study showed that, compared to the control, TA prevented post-weaning diarrhea and improved intestinal health of weaned piglets, and the appropriate level of TA supplementation would be from 0.1% to 0.2%.     

Effects of auditory, visual and chemical stimuli on the ingestive behavior of newly weaned piglets

Auditory, chemical and visual stimuli were used in a factorial trial in an attempt to stimulate feeding in newly weaned piglets. Ninety-six crossbred piglets weaned at 28 d of age were assigned to groups containing four littermates. Each group was placed in a 1.2-m X 1.2-m pen in an isolated room for 48 h. Pens were equipped with nipple waterers and trough-type feeders. The auditory stimulus was piglet and sow nursing vocalizations. A visual stimulus was provided by a lamp that illuminated the feeding area. Auditory and visual stimuli were presented for 5 min once an hour for 48 h. The chemical stimulus consisted of 60 ml of evaporated milk sprayed over the surface of the feed once every 12 h. Water was used in place of milk in control treatments. Piglets were videotaped for 48 h. Frequency and duration of feeding, drinking and lying were recorded for two piglets out of each pen. Auditory stimuli increased (P less than .05) the number of drinking bouts per day from 16.3 to 19.2 and the number of drinking bouts associated with stimulus presentation from 6.2 to 8.0. There also was an auditory X day interaction effect on total time spent feeding. On d 2 postweaning piglets in the auditory treatment group spent more (P less than .05) time feeding than did those without auditory stimulation (127.1 vs 104.2 min, respectively). The relatively simple visual and chemical stimuli tested had no significant effects on ingestive behavior.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of drinker type on water intake and waste in newly weaned piglets

During the first few days after weaning, pigs often experience BW loss as they adapt to eating solid food. During this time period, they are also known to drink excessively and develop abnormal oral behavior such as belly nosing. The excessive drinking may stem from the piglets' attempt to satiate hunger through gut fill from a familiar ingestive source. Gut fill through water intake may affect the establishment of feeding behavior. Using drinker devices other than the standard nipple drinker may ease the piglets' transition at weaning by facilitating the initiation of feeding and preventing the development of behavioral problems such as excessive drinking and belly nosing. In this experiment, we examined the effect of drinker type on water and food intake, growth rates, and belly nosing in newly weaned piglets. Eighteen pens of 15 piglets each (270 piglets total) were weaned at 18.1 +/- 0.1 d of age and housed in pens containing 1 of 3 drinker devices (standard nipple, push-lever bowl, and float bowl). Piglets' water and feed intake, water use, BW, and behavior were examined on a pen basis through 2 wk after weaning. Piglets with nipple drinkers wasted more water than the other piglets (P < 0.001; float, 295 +/- 70 mL x pig(-1) . d(-1); nipple, 1,114 +/- 63 mL x pig(-1) . d(-1); and push-lever, 186 +/- 63 mL x pig(-1) . d(-1)), whereas piglets with float bowls consumed less water than the other piglets (P < 0.001; float, 475 +/- 81 mL . pig(-1) x d(-1); nipple, 870 +/- 76 mL x pig(-1) . d(-1); push-lever, 774 +/- 76 mL x pig(-1) . d(-1)). Drinker type affected feeding behavior (P = 0.02); piglets with push-lever bowls spent less time at the feeder than the other piglets, although no difference was detected for feed intake (P = 0.64) or overall ADG (P = 0.16). Piglets with push-lever bowls also tended to perform less piglet-directed nosing behavior than piglets with the float bowl (P = 0.04). Piglets appear to use more water during the first 2 d after weaning with certain drinker devices. However, piglets do not appear to attain satiety through water consumption because most of the water used during the first few days after weaning is wasted. This excessive drinking and water wastage can be abated through the use of push-lever drinkers without negative implications for feed intake or growth rates.     

粗纤维浓缩物对断乳仔猪生长性能及腹泻率的影响

选取120头28日龄断乳、体重相近的"杜长大"健康仔猪作为试验动物,根据体重相近、公母各半的原则将其随机分为对照组和试验组,每个组设4个重复,每个重复15头,研究添加日粮中添加粗纤维浓缩物对仔猪生长性能和腹泻率的影响。结果表明,与对照组相比,日粮中添加1%的粗纤维浓缩物,有降低仔猪腹泻率的趋势,但对仔猪的日增重、料重比和日采食量没有明显的影响(P>0.05)。     

In vitro modulating effects of porcine immunoglobulin G on mitogens-induced lymphocyte response in precolostral, suckling and weaned piglets

The influence of allogeneic IgG on in vitro reactivity of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of neonatal colostrum-deprived piglets as well as of suckling and weaned piglets was studied. PBL were preincubated with purified allogeneic IgG for 24 h before their ability to respond to PHA, Con A or PWM was tested. PBL of precolostral piglets pretreated with allogeneic IgG exhibited higher response to PHA (P less than 0.01) than untreated control cells. An increased response of PBL treated with IgG was also observed in suckling piglets as compared to their respective control cells (P less than 0.01). Responsiveness of PBL treated with IgG to PWM was suppressed. No differences in response to Con A regardless of the sources of lymphocytes was observed as compared to IgG untreated controls. The results suggest that pretreatment of lymphocytes of piglets with allogeneic IgG modulates their reactivity to mitogens, suppressing the response to PWM and stimulating the response to PHA, respectively.     

锌-多糖螯合物对断奶仔猪腹泻、营养物质表观消化率、消化酶活性的影响

试验将280只平均体重为(6.13±0.22)kg的断奶仔猪随机分为4组,每组7个重复,每个重复10只猪。试验基础日粮为玉米-大豆型日粮,对照组(锌含量为42.5 mg/kg)和试验组分别在基础日粮中分别以硫酸锌、硫酸锌+多糖及锌-多糖螯合物的影响分别添加80 mg/kg锌。结果表明,锌-多糖螯合物比硫酸锌和硫酸锌+多糖显著提高断奶仔猪的平均日增重和平均日采食量(P<0.05)。饲喂锌-多糖螯合物日粮的断奶仔猪较硫酸锌日粮组显著降低了腹泻率(P<0.05),且粗蛋白质表观消化率显著提高(P<0.05)。日粮添加锌-多糖螯合物较硫酸锌和硫酸锌+多糖组显著提高了十二指肠蛋白酶活性(P<0.05),同时锌-多糖螯合物组较对照组和硫酸锌组也显著提高了十二指肠淀粉酶活性(P<0.05)。结论:本试验结果表明,日粮添加锌-多糖螯合物在降低断奶仔猪腹泻率、提高十二指肠消化酶活性和生长性能方面表现出不同于硫酸锌或硫酸锌+多糖的生物活性。     

Effect of vitamin E and fat source in sows' diets on immune response of suckling and weaned piglets

Thirty-six 7-mo-old gilts were used to study the effects of dietary vitamin E and fat source (5% sunflower oil or animal fat) in pregnant and lactating sow diets on serum vitamin E concentration and on cell-mediated and humoral immune response in suckling and weaned piglets. Six gilts each received one of six diets throughout pregnancy and lactation. The basal diets (13 mg alpha-tocopherol/kg diet) were supplemented with dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate to 48 and 136 mg alpha-tocopherol/kg of feed (average analyzed values). After weaning (at 4 wk of age) all pigs received identical diets (20 mg of alpha-tocopherol/kg feed). One week after weaning, pigs were immunized (i.m. with ovalbumin and tetanus toxoid) and antibody production was measured. Blood samples were taken immediately after birth, at 1 wk after birth, at weaning, and at four weekly intervals after weaning. Samples were analyzed for alpha-tocopherol concentration, total number of leukocytes, T- and B-lymphocytes, lymphocyte stimulation with concanavalin A, lysozyme activity, and immunoglobulin concentrations. It was concluded that a high vitamin E level in the sow's diet increased serum vitamin E concentration of 1-wk-old pigs (P less than .05). Immune response against ovalbumin was increased (P less than .05) at 1 wk of age after immunization for weaned pigs from sows fed the high level of vitamin E. Also, the phagocytic measures of pigs at 1 wk of age were increased by the medium vitamin E level (P less than .05). Fat sources in the sow's diet had no consistent effect on the immunological measures of pigs.     

天蚕素抗菌肽替代硫酸黏杆菌素对断奶仔猪生长性能及腹泻的影响

试验旨在研究在教槽料和保育料中添加天蚕素抗菌肽替代硫酸黏杆菌素对断奶仔猪生长性能及腹泻的影响,为养殖企业和饲料企业设计断奶仔猪日粮配方提供参考依据。试验选用25日龄断奶仔猪240头,随机分成4组,每组3个重复,每个重复20头仔猪,公母各半。对照组日粮在基础日粮中添加20 mg/kg硫酸黏杆菌素,试验1~3组日粮在基础日粮中分别添加200 g/t天蚕素抗菌肽和100 g/t包被精油、300 g/t天蚕素抗菌肽、300 g/t其他抗菌肽。试验分教槽料阶段(0~14 d)与保育料阶段(14~28 d)两阶段进行,通过检测平均日增重、平均日采食量、料重比、腹泻指数和腹泻率五个指标评价天蚕素抗菌肽的效果。试验结果显示,在教槽料阶段(0~14 d),3个试验组与对照组相比,上述5个指标均没有显著变化(P0.05)。在保育料阶段(14~28 d),与对照组相比,试验1组和试验2组的平均日增重显著增加(P0.05),同时腹泻指数和腹泻率显著降低(P0.05)。在试验全过程(0~28 d),与对照组相比,试验1组和试验2组的料重比无明显变化,但平均日增重显著提高(P0.05),分别提高了16.6%、10.5%;腹泻指数和腹泻率显著降低(P0.05),腹泻指数都降低了36.4%,腹泻率分别降低了52.6%、47.1%;试验3组的料重比显著提高了12.4%(P0.05),腹泻指数和腹泻率无明显变化。因此,在教槽料和保育料中添加天蚕素抗菌肽,有明显提高日增重和减少腹泻的功效,与包被精油组合使用效果更佳,天蚕素抗菌肽可作为硫酸黏杆菌素替代品添加至饲料中使用。     

2016年春季山西部分种猪场乳猪暴发流行性腹泻的调查

2016年春季山西部分种猪场乳猪暴发腹泻,通过在山西太原、祁县、介休、昔阳、临汾、翼城、离石、朔州8个地市的10个临床表现腹泻症状的规模化种猪场进行调研,对乳猪病死情况进行了统计分析,并采集39份病死猪的小肠内容物进行猪流行性腹泻病毒(PEDV)、猪传染性胃肠炎病毒(TGEV)检测;同时采集109份血清和85份乳汁进行PEDV IgA抗体检测。结果显示:1—3月份10个猪场共有8 326头乳猪发生腹泻,死亡6 266头,死亡率为75.26%;病原检测PEDV阳性率为64.1%,TGEV阳性率为2.56%;血清中PEDV IgA抗体的阳性率为32.11%,乳汁中PEDV IgA抗体的阳性率为96.47%。病原检测结果表明,2016年春季山西省规模化种猪场乳猪腹泻的主要病原为PEDV,乳汁中PEDV IgA抗体水平与PEDV疫苗免疫效果或野毒感染呈正相关。     

Effect of weaning age, protein nutrition and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli challenge on the health of newly weaned piglets

The objective of this experiment was to determine whether decreasing dietary protein content and increasing weaning age could improve piglet health and decrease the occurrence and severity of post-weaning colibacillosis (PWC) in the absence of in-feed antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs). The experiment consisted of a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial combination of weaning age (4 vs 6 weeks), dietary protein content (H vs L; 230 vs 130 g CP/kg) and experimental enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) challenge (+ vs −). On day 3 post-weaning half of the piglets were challenged per os with 10⁹ cfu ETEC. A sample of piglets was euthanased on days 0 and 6 to assess digesta pH and lactobacilli to coliform (L:C) ratio. ETEC excretion persisted longer in the 4-week-weaned piglets than those weaned at 6 weeks (P = 0.003), and the numbers of ETEC shed tended to be higher on the H than L diet, especially in the 4-week-weaned piglets (P = 0.093). Decreasing protein level led to significantly firmer faeces, decreased pH and increased L:C ratio of proximal colon digesta. These results suggest that in the absence of AGPs, increasing weaning age and decreasing dietary protein level, especially in earlier weaned piglets, may help to minimize the effects of PWC.     

PCR detection of virulence factor genes in Escherichia coli isolates from weaned piglets with edema disease and/or diarrhea in China

Fimbriae, toxins and pathogenicity islands (PAIs) are main virulence factors of the pathogenic Escherichia coli strains. To investigate into their prevalence in clinical E. coli isolates associated with porcine postweaning diarrhea (PWD) and/or pig edema disease (ED), 240 isolates were obtained from diseased piglets (140 from PWD, 76 from ED and 24 from ED/PWD) and submitted to PCR detection for genes coding for fimbriae, enterotoxins, shiga toxins, intimin and high-molecular-weight protein 2 (HMWP2). Among the 240 isolates detected, detection rates of the genes for F18, F4, intimin, HMWP2, Stx2e, LTa, STa and STb were 26.25%, 3.75%, 28.33%, 16.67%, 35%, 10.83%, 14.58% and 9.17%, respectively, and 67.92% of the isolates could be assigned into 20 different virulence factor patterns. Further more, F18ab+ STEC are the prevalent pathogens of ED, and F18+ and/or intimin+ STEC/ETEC are the dominant pathogens of ED/PWD, while F18ab+, F4+ and/or intimin+ ETEC and HPI+ and/or LEE+ E. coli are more frequently associated with PWD.     

Changes in diarrhea,nutrients apparent digestibility,digestive enzyme activities of weaned piglets in response to chitosan‐zinc chelate

A total of 120 weanling barrows weighing 6.11 ± 0.20 kg were randomly allotted to four treatments with three replications (i.e. pen) of ten piglets per replicate. Pigs were received corn‐soybean basal diet (control) or the same basal diet supplemented with the following sources of zinc: (i) 100 mg/kg of Zn as ZnSO₄; (ii) 100 mg/kg of Zn as chitosan‐Zn chelate (CS‐Zn); and (iii) 100 mg/kg of Zn as ZnSO₄ mixed with chitosan (CS + ZnSO₄). The results showed that CS‐Zn could highly improve average daily gain and average daily feed intake than those of ZnSO₄ or CS+ ZnSO₄ (P < 0.05). The pigs fed dietary CS‐Zn had lower diarrhea incidence and higher apparent digestibility of crude protein than those of the pigs fed dietary ZnSO₄ (P < 0.05). The protease activities in duodenal content of the pigs receiving CS‐Zn diets was higher than that of the pigs fed dietary ZnSO₄ or CS + ZnSO₄ (P < 0.05). The amylase activity in duodenal content of the pigs fed dietary CS‐Zn was higher than that of the pigs receiving ZnSO₄ diets or basal diets (P < 0.05). These results indicated that dietary CS‐Zn showed different bioactivities from ZnSO₄ or CS + ZnSO₄ in reducing the incidence of diarrhea, improving activities of digestive enzymes and growth performance of weaned pigs.