Effect of inclusion of fermentable carbohydrates in the diet on fermentation end-product profile in feces of weanling piglets

An in vivo experiment was conducted to monitor the changes in fermentation end products in the feces of weaning piglets due to the inclusion of selected fermentable carbohydrates in the diet. The experiment involved 3 groups of 16 piglets each. Specially raised piglets (neither antibiotics nor creep feeding) were weaned abruptly at 4 wk of age. The piglets were offered 1 of 2 dietary treatments [a control diet (CON), or a fermentable carbohydrate-enriched diet (CHO)] and were subjected to 1 of the 2 fasting treatments (fasting for 2 d at the beginning of the experimental period or nonfasting). Fecal samples were collected per rectum every day during the experimental period. Piglets were slaughtered at the end of the 10-d experimental period, and digesta samples were collected from different parts of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT): the first half of the small intestine, the second half of the small intestine, the cecum, and colon. The DM, VFA profile, and ammonia concentrations were analyzed from the fecal and digesta samples. Daily feed intake was also recorded. There was no difference in concentrations of VFA in feces between the treatment groups. Ammonia concentration was lower (P < 0.05) in piglets fed the CHO diet compared with those fed the CON diet in both feces and digesta from different parts of GIT. Fasting had no effect on fermentation end products in feces. This study demonstrated that the inclusion of fermentable carbohydrates in weanling diets reduces protein fermentation along the GIT and also reduced the fecal concentration of ammonia.     

Effect of diet composition on postweaning colibacillosis in piglets

The weaning of piglets is often associated with digestive disorders, particularly diarrhea--postweaning colibacillosis (PWC)--which is caused by infection with enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli. It has been shown previously that a diet for newly weaned pigs based on cooked white rice and animal protein decreases the occurrence of PWC, whereas the addition of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to this diet enhances PWC. The aims of the current work were to 1) determine whether substitution of animal protein with plant proteins in the cooked-white-rice diet influenced its protective effects on PWC and 2) confirm that an increase in viscosity of the digesta by adding CMC to the diet favors the development of PWC--with (Exp. 1) or without (Exp. 2) experimental infection of piglets with E. coli. The diets were 1) cooked white rice and animal protein sources (RAP), 2) RAP + CMC added at 40 g of CMC/kg (air-dry basis) of diet, 3) cooked white rice and plant protein sources (RPP), and 4) wheat and plant protein sources (WPP). Experiments 1 and 2 were conducted using 32 and 24 piglets (eight and six per treatment), respectively. Piglets were weaned at 21 d (d 1), and fed ad libitum until slaughter on d 9. In Exp. 1, piglets were orally infected with enterotoxigenic E. coli on d 4, 5, 6, and 7. On d 8 of Exp. 1, the E. coli scores in feces of pigs fed RAP + CMC were higher than with RAP (P < 0.01). On d 9 after weaning, feces from pigs fed diet RAP were normal or moist, whereas feces from pigs fed RAP + CMC were wet to diarrheic. On d 7 of Exp. 2, pigs fed diets RAP + CMC and WPP had wetter feces than pigs fed diets RAP or RPP (P < 0.05). On d 8, the E. coli scores in feces were higher (P < 0.01) with pigs fed RAP + CMC than with all other diets. The E. coli scores in the digesta were also higher with pigs fed RAP + CMC, and to a lesser extent with diet WPP, than with pigs fed RAP or RPP (P < 0.01). The large intestine was heavier in pigs fed diets RPP and WPP, and the digesta were more acidic (P < 0.05). This study confirmed that diet RAP was protective against PWC, and that substitution of animal proteins with plant protein in a rice-based diet did not diminish its protective effects. The addition of CMC to cooked white rice increased digesta viscosity and enhanced PWC. Consequently, this diet represents a useful model for studying this condition.     

Fasting and refeeding modulate the expression of stress proteins along the gastrointestinal tract of weaned pigs

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of young mammals is submitted to aggressions early in life and GIT stress proteins are up-regulated in pigs following weaning. We hypothesized that transient food deprivation may contribute to these changes. Therefore, the effects of fasting and refeeding on GIT stress proteins in weaned pigs were investigated. A complete block experimental design with three groups of five pigs each was set up with the following treatments: A - food offered, B - fasted for 1.5 days, C - fasted for 1.5 days and then re-fed for 2.5 days. After slaughter, the GIT was removed, weighed and sampled. Intestinal villi and crypts were measured and alkaline phosphatase activity was determined. GIT tissue stress protein concentrations were measured by Western blotting. Fasting led to intestinal mucosa and villous-crypt atrophy (p < 0.01) and reduced mucosal alkaline phosphatase total activity in the proximal small intestine (p < 0.05). Heat shock proteins HSP 27 and HSP 90 (but not HSP 70) and neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) increased (p < 0.01) in the stomach, mid-intestine and proximal colon with fasting. Inducible NOS (iNOS) did so in the stomach (p < 0.001). Refeeding partially or totally restored GIT characteristics and stress protein concentrations, except for gastric HSP 90 and iNOS. Significant correlations (p < 0.05 to p < 0.0001) were found among stress proteins, between nNOS and digesta weight, between HSP 27 or HSP 90 and intestinal mucosa weight, and between intestinal or colonic HSP or nNOS and alkaline phosphatase. In conclusion, fasting and refeeding modulate GIT HSP proteins and nNOS in pigs following weaning. Changes in digesta and intestinal mucosa weights and alkaline phosphatase activity may be involved in the modulation of stress proteins along the GIT.     

不同形式氧化锌对断奶仔猪生长性能和肠道健康的影响

本试验旨在研究不同形式氧化锌对断奶仔猪生长性能、营养物质表观消化率、血清抗氧化能力及肠道形态的影响。采用完全随机区组试验设计,将144头健康三元(杜×长×大)杂交断奶仔猪[(6.42±0.51) kg]分为3个组,每组6个重复,每个重复8头猪。试验期28 d,分为前期(第1～14天)和后期(第15～28天)2个阶段。各组分别为：普通氧化锌组(在前期基础饲粮中添加1 600 mg/kg普通氧化锌,后期添加110 mg/kg,以锌元素计);钝化氧化锌组(在前期基础饲粮中添加1 600 mg/kg钝化氧化锌,后期添加110 mg/kg,以锌元素计);纳米氧化锌组(在前期基础饲粮中添加1 600 mg/kg纳米氧化锌,后期添加110 mg/kg,以锌元素计)。基础饲粮为玉米-豆粕型。结果表明：1)试验前期,与普通氧化锌组相比,钝化氧化锌组断奶仔猪第14天体重和平均日增重显著提高(P<0.05),料重比显著降低(P<0.05);钝化氧化锌组和纳米氧化锌组腹泻率显著降低(P<0.05)。试验全期(第1～28天),与普通氧化锌组相比,钝化氧化锌组和纳米氧化锌组断奶仔猪腹泻率显著降低...     

抗菌肽对发酵床饲养仔猪生长性能、消化酶及垫料理化性质的影响

试验旨在研究发酵床饲养模式下饲粮中添加抗菌肽对仔猪生长性能、胰腺和小肠内容物消化酶及小肠黏膜二糖酶和垫料蛋白酶、脲酶、铵态氮的影响。选用108头35日龄、体重13kg左右的健康苏钟猪随机分为3组,每组3重复,每重复12头,分别饲喂基础饲粮（对照组）、基础饲粮＋40mg/kg杆菌肽锌＋20mg/kg硫酸黏杆菌素（抗生素组）和基础饲粮＋300mg/kg抗菌肽（抗菌肽组）的试验日粮,试验期49d10结果表明：（1）各组间仔猪生长性能差异不显著（P〉0.05）。（2）与对照组相比,饲粮中添加抗菌肽能够显著提高仔猪胰腺、十二指肠和空肠内容物淀粉酶及空肠内容物胰蛋白酶活性（P〈0.05）;并显著提高仔猪十二指肠黏膜麦芽糖酶和空肠黏膜蔗糖酶、乳糖酶及回肠黏膜蔗糖酶活性（P〈0.05）;抗菌肽组十二指肠黏膜麦芽糖酶活性比抗生素组提高（P〈0.05）。（3）各组间发酵床垫料蛋白酶和脲酶活性及铵态氮含量差异不显著（P〉0.05）。综上所述,本试验条件下,饲粮添加300mg/kg的抗菌肽能够在一定程度上提高仔猪生长性能;提高胰腺、小肠内容物及小肠黏膜消化酶活性;同时不影响垫料蛋白酶、脲酶活性和垫料铵态氮含量。     

Effect of K-diformate in starter diets on acidity, microbiota, and the amount of organic acids in the digestive tract of piglets, and on gastric alterations

The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of K-diformate on the intraluminal pH, microbial composition in digesta and feces, organic acids along the digestive tract, and alterations of the gastric epithelium of pigs. Pigs (n = 36) weaned at 28 d of age were allotted to two groups and fed without (control diet) or with 1.8% supplemental K-diformate. Fecal samples were taken from the rectum on d 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 postweaning. Half of the animals from each group were killed on d 7 and the other half on d 29 postweaning. Growth performance was not different for both groups (P > or = 0.73). The gastric epithelium was not negatively affected by K-diformate (P = 0.25). Potassium-diformate decreased (P < or = 0.04) or tended to decrease (P < or = 0.10) the counts of total anaerobic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts in feces and digesta samples from the stomach, distal small intestine, cecum, and middle segment of the colon. The pH along the gastrointestinal tract of piglets was not affected by K-diformate (P > or = 0.30). On d 7, the concentration of lactic acid along the gastrointestinal tract was similar with both diets (P = 0.15). On d 29, the concentrations of lactic acid tended to be lower along the small intestine (P < or = 0.08) and the stomach (P = 0.11) of the pigs fed K-diformate. Formic acid in digesta was detected at significant levels only in the distal segment of the small intestine of the control pigs (from 4 to 11 mmol/kg of wet digesta), whereas considerable amounts were measured in the stomach (from 23 to 40 mmol/kg of wet digesta) and all segments of the small intestine (from 7 to 25 mmol/kg of wet digesta) in the K-diformate-fed pigs on both days. On d 7, pigs fed the K-diformate diet had a tendency (P < or = 0.08) to have higher concentrations of organic acids (acetic + propionic + butyric) in the digesta of the distal small intestine, cecum, and proximal colon. On d 29, both groups had similar concentrations of these acids, irrespective of the segment of the gastrointestinal tract (P = 0.95). Our study showed that the addition of K-diformate to a starter diet for piglets decreased total anaerobic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, coliforms, and yeasts in feces and in digesta from various segments of the gastrointestinal tract, without affecting the gastric or intestinal pH.     

Feed physical form and formic acid addition to the feed affect the gastrointestinal ecology and growth performance of growing pigs

The effect of feeding a coarsely ground meal (COARSE) and a finely ground pelleted diet with 1.8% (as-fed basis) added formic acid (ACID) was compared with feeding a standard finely ground pelleted diet (STD) on the gastrointestinal ecology of growing pigs at different intervals after feeding. One hundred five castrated male growing-finishing pigs (initial BW 27 kg) were used. At a BW of 63 kg, 60 pigs were killed 0.5, 2.5, 4.5, 6.5, and 8.5 h after feeding, and samples from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) were obtained. The remaining 45 pigs were kept on the experimental diets to a BW of 99 kg. Feeding the three diets resulted in a similar pattern of gastric pH with time, (i.e., highest pH values 0.5 h after feeding and decreasing values at the following sampling times, to reach a value of 2.12 at 8.5 h after feeding). The pH of the gastric digesta of pigs fed the ACID diet was below 4 at all sampling times, whereas the digesta from the other two dietary groups had values above pH 4 at the first sampling times. Feeding the ACID diet decreased the counts of total anaerobes in the proximal GIT (P < or = 0.007), and of lactic acid bacteria (P < or = 0.001), enterobacteria (P < or = 0.02), and yeasts (P < or = 0.01) along the GIT compared with feeding the other two diets. Feeding the COARSE diet stimulated the growth of total anaerobes and lactic acid bacteria in the stomach and distal small intestine increased the microbial diversity mainly in the stomach (P = 0.001), compared with feeding the other two diets (P < or = 0.09), and decreased the number of enterobacteria in the cecum compared with the STD diet (P = 0.03), with the same tendency in the mid-colon (P = 0.07). The concentration of lactic acid in the stomach was highest in the pigs fed the COARSE diet compared with the other two groups (P < 0.05). The concentration of formic acid was highest in the stomach and all segments of the small intestine of the pigs fed the ACID diet compared with those fed the STD and COARSE diets (P < 0.05). The results from this study suggest that feeding a coarsely ground diet and a finely ground diet with added formic acid affect the gastrointestinal ecology of pigs mainly by changing the environment in the proximal GIT. The presence of organic acids in the proximal GIT is a crucial factor contributing to the decrease in the number of enterobacteria along the GIT. The time after feeding at which samples are taken to measure characteristics describing the gastrointestinal ecology affects the results from the stomach and small intestine.     

中草药复方对断奶仔猪回肠末端食糜氨基酸含量的影响

试验选用60头21日龄断奶的三元杂交仔猪(杜×长×大),按完全区组设计分为3组,处理1饲喂添加0.2%的中草药复方日粮、处理2饲喂添加0.02%的粘杆菌素日粮及处理3饲喂基础日粮,于第7天、第14天和第28天每组随机取5头试猪,放血处死后迅速剖开腹腔,采集回肠末端食糜备测氨基酸含量,以研究中草药复方对早期断奶仔猪氨基酸消化吸收能力的影响。结果表明:中草药复方组回肠末端食糜中氨基酸的含量逐渐低于粘杆菌素组和对照组,至28d时,Leu、Ile、Val、Ala、Asp、Glu、His、Lys和Ser的含量显著低于粘杆菌素组和对照组(P<0.05)。     

Organic acids in diets for entire male pigs

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of organic acids in diets for entire male pigs on growth performance, composition of microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), on concentration of skatole and indole in digesta, plasma and adipose tissue, and concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in digesta. Restrictively-fed pigs (n = 60) (28 and 113 kg initial and final BW, respectively) were used. The dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet and the basal diet added either 1.0% formic acid, 0.85% benzoic acid, 0.85% sorbic acid, 1.2% fat coated Ca-butyrate or 1.5% fat and inulin coated Ca-butyrate. All levels of organic acids corresponded to 0.85% of pure acid. Digesta samples for microbiological examinations were taken from the proximal jejunum, colon descendens, and rectum. Digesta samples for skatole, indole and VFA analyses were taken from colon descendens. The results showed that the addition of organic acids to diets had no effect on daily weight gain or feed intake, but formic, benzoic and sorbic acid tended to improve FCR of pigs compared with the control pigs. Organic acid supplementation did not affect levels of skatole, indole, or VFA in the digesta or levels of skatole or indole in adipose tissue compared with the control. Plasma skatole levels were reduced in pigs fed diets containing formic and benzoic acid compared with the control pigs. Pigs fed organic acids had lower levels of coliforms, enterococci and lactic acid producing bacteria in all three sampling sites of the GIT. Supplementing diets with organic acids did not affect levels of skatole in digesta or adipose tissue of entire male pigs.     

早期断奶仔猪蛋白质及矿物质的营养需要

早期断奶仔猪消化道酶系发育尚未健全，胃内pH值升高，易发腹泻，低蛋白氨基酸平衡日粮可显著降低仔猪断奶后腹泻和提高仔猪的生长速度，第一限制性氨基酸，赖氨酸在日粮中的含量以1．65－1．80％为最佳，日粮中的蛋白质原料以动物性蛋白质为主，添加饲用酸化剂，脂肪，酶制剂和抑菌促生长剂都能提高全猪对蛋白质的消化率和减少腹泻发生，日粮中钙水平控制在0．58％－0．80％之，高铜日粮能提高猪的日增重和饲料效率，高锌和含砷制剂日粮能促进仔猪食欲，减少腹泻发生。     

Dietary fibre enrichment of supplemental feed modulates the development of the intestinal tract in suckling piglets

Background: Commercial pre-weaning diets are formulated to be highly digestible and nutrient-dense and contain low levels of dietary fibre. In contrast, pigs in a natural setting are manipulating fibre-rich plant material from a young age. Moreover, dietary fibre affects gastrointestinal tract(GIT) development and health in older pigs. We hypothesised that supplemental diets that contain vegetal fibres are accelerating GIT development in suckling piglets in terms of size and functionality. From d 2 of life, sow-suckled piglets had access to a low fibre diet(CON),a diet with a fermentable long-chain arabinoxylan(lc-AXOS), a diet with a largely non-fermentable purified cellulose(CELL), or a diet containing both fibres. During the initial 2 weeks, the control diet was a high-density milk replacer,followed by a dry and highly digestible creep meal. Upon weaning at 25 d, 15 piglets from each treatment group,identified as eaters and originating from six or seven litters, were sacrificed for post-mortem examination of GIT morphology, small intestinal permeability and metabolic profile of the digesta. The microbiota composition of the mid-colon was evaluated in a sub-set of ten piglets.Results: No major statistical interactions between the fibre sources were observed. Piglets consumed the fibrecontaining milk supplements and creep diets well. Stomach size and small intestinal permeability was not affected.Large intestinal fill was increased with lc-AXOS only, while relative large intestinal weight was increased with both fibre sources(P 0.050). Also, CELL decreased ileal pH and tended to increase ileal DM content compared to CON(P 0.050). Moreover, the concentration of volatile fatty acids was increased in the caecum(P 0.100) and midcolon(P 0.050) by addition of CELL. lc-AXOS only stimulated caecal propionate(P 0.050). The microbiota composition showed a high individual variation and limited dietary impact. Nonetheless, CELL induced minor shifts in specific genera, with notable reductions of Escherichia-Shigella.Conclusions: Adding dietary fibres to the supplemental diet of suckling piglets altered large intestinal morphology but not small intestinal permeability. Moreover, dietary fibre showed effects on fermentation and modest changes of microbial populations in the hindgut, with more prominent effects from the low-fermentable cellulose.     

Glycinin和β-Conglycinin对不同生长阶段猪生长性能和粗蛋白消化率的影响

选取仔猪(7.06±0.18)kg、生长猪(44.54±9.04)kg和肥育猪(78.93±7.37)kg军牧一号去势公猪各15头,用于3个生长阶段的动物试验,每一阶段分为A、B、C 3组,其中A组为对照组,B、C以Glycinin或β-Conglycinin的提纯产物作为日粮唯一大豆蛋白来源,每组5个重复。仔猪在28日龄断奶,试验分组之前,猪均不接触任何豆科日粮。7 d试验期过后,收集消化道各段食糜,测定干物质和粗蛋白表观消化率。结果表明:Glycinin或β-Conglycinin降低仔猪或生长猪的生产性能以及干物质、粗蛋白在消化道各段的表观消化率(P<0.001),最终导致回肠养分表观消化率的绝对值与对照组相比减少3%～6%。2个生长阶段猪的粗蛋白质表观消化率只在胃中受抗原蛋白的影响有显著差异(Glycinin,P=0.005;β-Conglycinin,P=0.001),仔猪的下降程度大于生长猪。     

Effects of dietary supplementation of lipid‐encapsulated zinc oxide on colibacillosis,growth and intestinal morphology in weaned piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of lipid‐encapsulated (coated) zinc oxide ZnO on post‐weaning diarrhea (colibacillosis) in weaned piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Thirty‐two 35‐day‐old weaned piglets were orally challenged with 3 × 10¹⁰ colony forming units of ETEC K88 while eight piglets received no challenge (control). Each eight challenged piglets received a diet containing 100 ppm ZnO (low ZnO), 2500 ppm ZnO (high ZnO) or 100 ppm of lipid (10%)‐coated ZnO (coated ZnO) for 7 days; control pigs received the low ZnO diet. Daily gain, goblet cell density in the villi of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum, and villus height in the jejunum and ileum, which decreased due to the challenge, were equally greater in the coated ZnO and high ZnO groups versus low ZnO group. Fecal consistency score, serum interleukin‐8 concentration, subjective score of fecal E. coli shedding, and digesta pH in the stomach, jejunum and ileum, which increased due to the challenge, were equally low in the coated ZnO and high ZnO groups versus low ZnO. Results suggest that a low level of coated ZnO might well substitute for a pharmacological level of native ZnO in dietary supplementation to alleviate colibacillosis of weaned piglets.     

Influence of porcine intestinal pH and gastric digestion on antigenicity of F4 fimbriae for oral immunisation

Newly weaned piglets can be orally immunised against F4+ enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infection with F4 fimbriae. However, to efficiently develop a vaccine against ETEC induced postweaning diarrhoea, knowledge of the stability of the F4 fimbriae to different pH and gastric digestion is needed. The gastrointestinal pH in suckling and recently weaned piglets was measured and the stability of F4 fimbriae to different pH and to pepsin was assessed in vitro. In the stomach the lowest pH was found in the fundus gland region. Gastric pH values below 2.5 were not found in suckling piglets or at the day of weaning, in contrast to piglets 1 and 2 weeks postweaning. Along the first half of the small intestine and in the caecum, a negative correlation was found between pH and age. The F4 fimbriae were stable to pH 1.5 and 2 for 2 h, whereas longer incubation periods resulted in conversion of the multimeric forms into monomers. The F4 fimbriae were partially degraded by incubation for 15-30 min in simulated gastric fluid at pH 1.5 and 2, and completely digested from 3 h onwards. At pH 3, the fimbriae maintained their antigenicity for at least 4h. The results demonstrate that gastric digestion will only have a limited impact on oral immunisation since liquid passes through the stomach relatively quickly (50% within 2 h). However, we previously demonstrated that the transit times are prolonged shortly after weaning. Shortly after weaning it could be necessary to protect the F4 fimbriae against gastric digestion to obtain efficient oral immunisation of the piglets.     

Variation in precaecal amino acid and energy digestibility between pea (Pisum sativum) cultivars determined using a linear regression approach

An experiment was conducted to study the variation in the precaecal amino acid (AA) and energy digestibility of 4 cultivars of white-flowering peas (Pisum sativum) for broiler chickens. The 4 cultivars were grown and harvested under the same agronomic and environmental conditions. One basal diet and 8 diets including each pea cultivar at inclusion rates of either 150 or 300 g/kg were used. Peas were included at the expense of starch. Hence, the differences in dietary crude protein and AA concentrations resulted only from the inclusion of peas. Titanium dioxide was included as an indigestible marker. Crude protein concentrations in the complete diets ranged from 164 to 244 g/kg. All diets were fed ad libitum to broiler chickens between 14 and 21 d of age. Seven pens of 12 chickens were allocated to each treatment. Digesta were sampled on a pen basis from the section of the gastrointestinal tract between Meckel's diverticulum and 2 cm anterior to the ileo-caeco-colonic junction. The proportions of crude protein and AAs digested responded linearly to increased intake and the relationships between quantitative intake and digested amounts of AAs were described by multiple linear regressions. The slope determined for each pea cultivar was taken as a measure of AA digestibility without the need for consideration of basal endogenous crude protein and AA secretions. Digestibility of AAs in peas ranged from 0.60 to 0.91. One cultivar had significantly lower AA digestibilities than the other three cultivars. This could be explained neither by the trypsin inhibitor activity nor by tannin levels. The AAs with the highest digestibilities in all cultivars were arginine > glutamic acid > lysine > methionine > phenylalanine > leucine. The AAs with the consistently lowest digestibilities were cystine < threonine. The ranking of the remaining AAs varied slightly between cultivars. The multiple linear regression approach is suitable to study differences in AA digestibilities without the need for consideration of basal endogenous AA losses. Diets containing 300 g/kg of peas had significantly lower energy digestibilities than the pea-free basal diet. The pea cultivar with the lowest AA digestibility caused the lowest energy digestibility at both levels of pea inclusion.     

The effect of dietary protein and fermentable carbohydrates levels on growth performance and intestinal characteristics in newly weaned piglets

Reducing the CP content and increasing the fermentable carbohydrates (FC) content of the diet may counteract the negative effects of protein fermentation in newly weaned piglets fed high-CP diets. To study the synergistic effects of CP and FC on gut health and its consequences for growth performance, 272 newly weaned piglets (26 d of age, 8.7 kg of BW) were allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement, with low and high CP and low and high FC content as the factors. Eight piglets from each dietary treatment were killed on d 7 postweaning. Feces and digesta from ileum and colon were collected to determine nutrient digestibility, fermentation products, and microbial counts. In addition, jejunum tissues samples were collected for intestinal morphology and enzyme activity determination. During the entire 4-wk period, interactions between the dietary CP and FC contents were found for ADFI (P = 0.022), ADG (P = 0.001), and G:F (P = 0.033). The high-FC content reduced ADFI, ADG, and G:F in the low-CP diet, whereas the FC content did not affect growth performance in the high-CP diet. Lowering the CP content of the low-FC diet improved ADFI and ADG, whereas lowering the CP content of the high-FC diet did not influence growth performance. The low-CP diets resulted in a lower concentration of ammonia in the small intestine (P = 0.003), indicating reduced protein fermentation. In the small intestine, the high FC content increased the number of lactobacilli (P = 0.047), tended to decrease the number of coliforms (P = 0.063), tended to increase the lactic acid content (P = 0.080), and reduced the concentration of ammonia (P = 0.049). In the colon, the high-FC diets increased the concentration of total VFA (P = 0.009), acetic acid (P = 0.003), and butyric acid (P = 0.018), and tended to decrease the ammonia concentration (P = 0.076). Intestinal morphology and activity of brush border enzymes were not affected by the diet, although maltase activity tended to decrease with increasing dietary FC (P = 0.061). We concluded that an increase in the dietary FC content, and to a lesser extent a decrease in the CP content, reduced ammonia concentrations and altered the microflora and fermentation patterns in the gastrointestinal tract of weaned piglets. However, these effects were not necessarily reflected by an increased growth performance of the piglets.     

Raw potato starch in weaned pig diets and its influence on postweaning scours and the molecular microbial ecology of the digestive tract

We evaluated the effect of raw potato starch (RPS) on growth performance, postweaning diarrhea, and gastrointestinal microbial populations in weaned piglets. Eighty-four piglets were weaned at 17 +/- 2 d of age with an average BW of 6.0 +/- 0.9 kg. Pigs were blocked by BW and assigned to 1 of 4 diets in a randomized complete block design with 7 replicate pens per diet and 3 pigs per pen. Treatments were 1) a positive control (PC) containing an antibiotic, 2) a negative control (NC) with no RPS and no antibiotic, 3) NC + 7% RPS (7% RPS), and 4) NC + 14% RPS (14% RPS). Diets were corn-wheat-soybean meal-based and formulated to meet NRC (1998) recommendations. The ADG, ADFI, and G:F ratio were determined weekly. Fecal consistency (FC) scoring was determined daily. After wk 3, 1 pig with a BW closest to the pen mean was killed to evaluate ileal and colonic mucosal-attached Escherichia coli and lactic acid bacteria, as well as digesta pH, VFA, and ammonia N concentrations. The DNA was extracted from ileum and colon digesta and used for molecular microbial evaluations using terminal-RFLP analysis of 16S rDNA genes. The ADG for wk 1 was greater (P < 0.01) for the PC diet, but diet had no effect on ADG during wk 3. The ADFI did not differ among treatments during the first 2 wk, and ADFI was least for 7% RPS diet during wk 3. The NC diet had a greater (P < 0.05) FC score during wk 1 than other treatments, but diet had no effect on FC score during wk 2 and 3. Diets had no effect on the colon lactic acid bacterial counts; however, the PC diet had decreased (P < 0.05) colon E. coli counts than other treatments. Ileum and colon digesta pH and total VFA concentrations did not differ among treatments. Pigs fed with 7 and 14% RPS diets had greater (P < 0.05) ileum ammonia N concentration compared with pigs fed with other diets. There was more diarrhea (P < 0.05) in the 14% than the 7% RPS and control treatments at d 21. This difference correlated with a decline (P < 0.05) in microbial diversity in the colon. We concluded that 7% RPS can be used to prevent postweaning diarrhea in weaned piglets, but there are no effects on growth performance.     

The preventive effect of Bacillus subtilus strain DB9011 against experimental infection with enterotoxcemic Escherichia coli in weaning piglets

Porcine edema disease (ED) is caused by Shiga toxin 2e‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Post‐weaned piglets often suffer from ED as a result of intestinal infection with STEC, which causes impaired growth performance and high mortality. Antimicrobial therapy is a curative treatment for piglets infected with STEC, but the emergence of antimicrobial‐resistant STEC has become a serious problem for Japanese pig farmers. Therefore, an alternative strategy other than antimicrobial therapy is needed for the prevention or treatment of ED. In this study, we evaluated the effect of oral administration of Bacillus subtilis DB9011 (DB9011) to prevent the experimental infection of STEC in weaning piglets. Eight 21‐day‐old piglets were divided into two groups: STEC challenge with the basal diet, and STEC challenge with DB9011 supplemented diet. The challenge was carried out when the animals were 25, 26 and 27 days old using STEC contained in capsules resistant against gastric digestion. All pigs were euthanized at 36 days of age. DB9011 improved the symptoms of ED and decreased the number of STEC in the ileal digesta and feces. Accordingly, oral administration of DB9011 in weaned piglets prevents ED through the suppression of the growth of STEC in the ileum.     

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.     

大豆蛋白肽对断奶仔猪生长性能的影响

以断奶仔猪为实验动物,研究大豆蛋白肽对幼龄动物生长的影响功能。160头断奶仔猪随机分为4组,Ⅰ组为基础日粮添加3.0%血浆蛋白粉,Ⅱ组为基础日粮添加3.0%乐能小肽和3.0%血浆蛋白粉,Ⅲ组为基础日粮添加3.0%乐能小肽,Ⅳ组为基础日粮添加5.0%乐能小肽组,试验期12 d。试验结果显示,仔猪断奶后1~6 d、7~12 d或1~12 d,试验Ⅱ组和Ⅲ组均显著提高断奶仔猪生长性能（P〈0.05）,并显著提高断奶仔猪的饲料转化率（P〈0.05）。考虑到饲料成本,建议在断奶仔猪日粮中添加3.0%大豆蛋白肽。