Dietary pea fibre alters the microbial community and fermentation with increase in fibre degradation‐associated bacterial groups in the colon of pigs

This study was attempted to investigate the influence of dietary pea fibre (PF) on the community and quantity of colonic bacteria of piglets and finisher pigs using pyrosequencing data and real‐time PCR. The concentration of acetate in colonic digesta from PF‐fed piglets was significantly higher than that from control (p < .05). Feeding PF diet to finisher pigs increased the ratio of acetate to total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) but decreased the ratio of butyrate, as compared with the control pigs (p < .05 in both cases). The lower ratio of butyrate in samples from finisher pigs receiving PF suggested that this dietary fibre did not favour butyrate production in the hindgut. Supplementation of PF to piglets reduced abundance of Bacteroidetes, as compared with control animals. However, PF had opposite effects in finisher pigs, higher abundance of Bacteroidetes but lower of Firmicutes. Lactobacillus and Prevotella were found as the predominant genera in PF piglets. Prevotella accounted for nearly half of the total bacteria in the colon of finisher pigs in the PF group, but only one‐third in the control animals. Quantitative PCR showed that Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes were significantly increased in the colon of PF piglets (p < .05) as compared with control animals, but decreased in PF finisher pigs. Bacteroidetes–Prevotella–Porphyromonas and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans which are involved in degradation of dietary fibres were more abundant in the PF finisher pigs than in the controls (p < .05), suggesting mutualism between host and its gut microbes.     

Additivity of standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids in mixed diets containing multiple protein sources for growing pigs fed three crude protein levels

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary crude protein (CP) levels of semi‐purified diets on the additivity of values for standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) in mixed diets from multiple protein sources for growing pigs. A total of 28 barrows (initial BW, 66.4 ± 1.3 kg) were surgically fitted with simple T‐cannulas at the distal ileum and assigned to a replicated 14 × 4 incomplete Latin square design with 14 diets and 4 periods. The 14 experimental diets consisted of a nitrogen‐free diet; a corn‐based diet (80 g CP/kg); nine semi‐purified diets containing soya bean meal (SBM), canola meal (CM) or corn distillers dried grains with solubles (cDDGS), each type (protein source) of semi‐purified diets supplied 80, 120 or 160 g CP/kg, respectively; three mixed diets based on corn, SBM, CM and cDDGS formulated to contain 120, 160 and 200 g CP/kg respectively. Pigs were fed each of the 14 diets during a seven‐day period, and ileal digesta were collected from 08:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m on day 6 and 7. Chromic oxide was added as an indigestible marker. Results indicated that the SID of CP and AA were not affected by CP levels (p > .05). Values for SID of AA were additive (p > .05) with the exception of His and Lys; Arg and Lys; Arg, Lys, Thr, Asp, Cys and Gly in the mixed diets containing 120, 160 and 200 g CP/kg respectively (p < .05). In conclusion, additivity of SID values of AA in the mixed diets at different CP levels was not affected by the CP levels of semi‐purified diets for growing pigs. Therefore, it is recommended that SID values of AA should be used to formulate practical diets containing multiple ingredients for pigs.     

Dietary protein level affects nutrient digestibility and ileal microbiota structure in growing pigs

This study aimed to determine whether dietary protein content influences pig health as indicated by ileal microbiota structure and coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients. Seventy‐two gilts, with an initial body weight of 29.9 ± 1.5 kg, were used in this 42‐day feeding study. Pigs were randomly allotted to one of three dietary treatments of corn‐soybean meal contained 14, 16 or 18% crude protein (CP). As dietary CP content decreased, the CTTAD of most essential amino acids (AAs), except for arginine and histidine, increased linearly, while those of most nonessential AAs decreased linearly. The concentration of total short‐chain fatty acids (SCFA) was higher in pigs fed the diet with 14% CP content than others. Ileal microbiota structure was changed by dietary treatments. In particular, at the phylum level, the relative abundance of Tenericutes in ileal digesta decreased as the dietary protein content reduced, while that of cyanobacteria increased. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Weeksella, Phaseolus acutifolius, Slackia, Sulfurimonas and Aerococcus showed significant differences among the three dietary treatments. In conclusion, ileal microbiota structure was changed by dietary protein content. Moderate reduction of protein intake can benefit gut health by enhancing the gut microbial fermentation and SCFA formation.     

Determination of net energy content of soybean oil fed to growing pigs using indirect calorimetry

The objectives of this experiment were: (i) to determine the net energy (NE) of soybean oil (SBO) fed to growing pigs using indirect calorimetry (IC); and (ii) to evaluate the effects of inclusion rate of SBO on heat production, oxidative status and nutrient digestibility in growing pigs. Eighteen growing barrows were allotted to three diets based on completely randomized design with six replicate pigs (period) per diet. Diets included a corn‐soybean meal basal diet and two test diets containing 5% or 10% SBO at the expense of corn and soybean meal. During each period, pigs were individually housed in metabolism crates for 14 days, including 7 days to adapt to feed, metabolism crate and environmental conditions. On day 8, pigs were transferred to the open‐circuit respiration chambers for measurement of daily O₂ consumption and CO₂ and CH₄ production. During this time, pigs were fed one of the three diets at 2.4 MJ metabolizable energy/kg body weight (BW)^0.6/day. Total feces and urine were collected and daily total heat production (THP) was measured from days 9 to 13 and fasted on day 14 to evaluate their fasting heat production (FHP). The results show that trends of decreased apparent total tract digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (linear, P = 0.09) and acid detergent fiber (linear, P = 0.07) were observed as the content of dietary lipids increased. The average THP for the three diets were 1326, 1208 and 1193 kJ/kg BW^0.6/day, respectively. The FHP of pigs averaged 843 kJ/kg BW^0.6/day and was not affected by diet characteristics. A reduction of the respiratory quotients in the fed state as the inclusion level of SBO increased was observed. In conclusion, the NE values of SBO we determined by indirect calorimetry were 33.45 and 34.05 MJ/kg dry matter under two inclusion levels. THP could be largely reduced when SBO is added in the feed, but the THP of SBO included at 5% in a corn‐soybean meal diet is not different from the THP of SBO included at 10%.     

长白猪prepro-orexin基因多态性及其与采食和生长性状的关联分析

为揭示食欲素前体（prepro-orexin）基因对长白猪采食和生长性状的影响,试验采用PCR产物直接测序法对132头长白猪prepro-orexin基因的C62T和G426A位点多态性进行检测,并对各位点与30~100 kg阶段的采食及生长性状进行关联分析。结果表明,长白猪prepro-orexin基因C62T和G426A位点均处于Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态,等位基因频率表现为野生型（C、G）高于突变型（T、A）;两个位点的4种单倍型和7种单倍型组合中,CG、TA为主要单倍型,CG/CG、TA/CG和TA/TA为主要单倍型组合。C62T位点的CC基因型、G426A位点的GG基因型及CG/CG单倍型组合均可显著减少日采食次数、延长每次采食时间和提高每次采食量（P < 0.05）;其中CG/CG组合的日采食次数、每次采食时间、每次采食量分别较TA/CG组合显著减少1.22次、延长0.79 min和提高32.18 g（P < 0.05）,而与TA/TA组合的差异未达到显著水平（P > 0.05）。C62T位点的TT基因型、G426A位点的AA基因型及TA/TA单倍型组合可显著或极显著缩短达100 kg体重日龄、提高30~100 kg平均日增重（P < 0.05;P < 0.01）;TA/TA组合达100 kg体重日龄分别较CG/CG、TA/CG组合分别显著缩短6.23和6.69 d（P < 0.05）,平均日增重分别极显著提高47.91和50.04 g/d（P < 0.01）。结果表明,prepro-orexin基因C62T和G426A位点对长白猪采食和生长性状的影响具有明显的协同效应。     

香猪卵巢RARRES1基因第1外显子CG位点的甲基化及其与基因差异表达的关联

为验证和探索香猪卵巢转录组RNA测序检测到的视黄酸受体应答1（retinoic acid receptor responder 1,RARRES1）基因在香猪高、低产仔组之间差异表达的原因,本试验针对RARRES1基因第1外显子ATG下游富含CpG位点区段设计特异性引物,采用亚硫酸氢盐测序法（bisulfite sequencing PCR,BSP）研究卵巢RARRES1基因中的甲基化修饰水平;利用实时荧光定量PCR方法检测高、低产仔组香猪卵巢RARRES1基因的表达量,并探究其与基因甲基化水平之间的相关性。结果表明,与低产仔组相比,香猪高产仔组的甲基化水平较高;4个CpG位点均未被甲基化（CpG_7、CpG_11、CpG_12和CpG_15）,另外3个CpG位点（CpG_8、CpG_17和CpG_18）基本上全部发生了甲基化。此外,与低产仔组相比,香猪高产仔组中CpG_4（P>0.05）、CpG_9（P<0.05）和CpG_16（P<0.05）位点的甲基化占比较高,而CpG_6位点在香猪低产仔组中的甲基化比例较高,两组差异极显著（P<0.01）。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,高产仔组香猪RARRES1基因的表达水平较高（P<0.05）。Spearman相关分析结果显示,CpG_9和CpG_16两个位点的甲基化比例与RARRES1基因的表达水平高度正相关（R²=0.896,P<0.01）,提示这两个位点的甲基化可能是香猪高产仔组RARRES1基因表达量较高的原因。     

黄芪多糖的药理作用及其在仔猪疾病防治中应用的研究进展

黄芪是一味药食两用、补中益气的中国传统中药,黄芪多糖是其最重要的天然活性成分,具有无耐药性、抗菌、抗病毒、提高机体免疫力及抗氧化功能,改善肠道微生态等作用,其中以免疫调节作用最为突出。大量研究证明,黄芪多糖在体内外均具有显著的免疫调节作用。作者归纳了黄芪多糖对免疫相关基因的调控,在器官免疫、细胞免疫、细胞因子和胞内信使物质、心血管系统免疫、抗菌免疫、抗病毒免疫等方面的作用,以及其作为免疫佐剂在猪瘟（CSF）、猪圆环病毒病（PCVD）、猪口蹄疫（FMD）、猪繁殖与呼吸综合征（PRRS）、猪支原体肺炎（MPS）等仔猪疾病应用的最新研究进展,发现黄芪多糖主要作为免疫佐剂及动物饲料添加剂使用,应用范围狭窄,缺乏深度的研究开发。今后应加强对分离、纯化后的均一组分低分子质量黄芪多糖及其结构特点,以及其与免疫调节作用间构效关系的研究以提高黄芪多糖疗效,推广其临床应用。     

养猪企业环境行为影响因素实证研究

为了解和掌握养猪企业实施环境行为的影响因素,促进养猪业的可持续发展,以养猪企业为研究对象,基于复杂环境行为模型构建了影响养猪企业实施环境行为的模型分析框架,并运用二元Logistic回归分析进行实证研究。研究结果显示:1)养殖规模、粪污对畜禽健康的影响、补贴满意度和政策规制变量对养猪企业实施环境影响评价有显著的影响;2)组织特征、粪污对周围环境的影响、绿色有机产品关注度和技术指导变量对养猪企业采用农牧生态模式有显著的影响;3)猪场经营年限、粪污对畜禽健康的影响、政策了解度和政府支持变量对养猪企业发展认证产品有显著的影响。     

Isolation and Identification of Bacterial Pathogen of Pig Arthritis in Yunnan

This experiment was conducted to investigate the bacterial causes and drug resistance of pig arthritis of four farms in Yunnan.Through isolation and culture,biochemical test,drug sensitive test,animal pathogenicity experiment and 16S rRNA identification,we analyzed the samples from four farms with pig arthritis symptom.The results showed that in all 96 samples,55 samples were Staphylococcus aureus positive,the positive rates were 20.8%,83.3%,91.7% and 33.3% in A,B,C and D farms,respectively;56 samples were Streptococci positive,the positive rates were 95.8%,21.7%,25.0% and 83.3%,respectively;Mixed infection rates were 20.8%,21.7%,25.0% and 33.3%,respectively.Therefore,Staphylococcus aureus was the major bacterial pathogen which caused pig arthritis in B and C farms;Streptococci was the major bacterial pathogen which caused pig arthritis in A and D farms;Two kinds of bacteria were more sensitive to ceftriaxone,minocycline and ciprofloxacin,and resistant to multiple antibiotics.