Simple Summary: Antibiotics have been commonly used worldwide as growth promoters and for prophylactic treatment of diarrhea in weaning piglets. However, The European Union has banned the use of antibiotic growth promoters in animal production. Therefore, finding alternative solutions for preventing diarrhea in weaning piglets is urgent. Modulation of gut microbiota composition by probiotics has a beneficial effect on animal health. In this study, we assessed the effects of Bacillus licheniformis-fermented products on diarrhea incidence and the fecal microbiome composition in weaning piglets. Results showed that B. licheniformis-fermented products could improve diarrhea incidence and the fecal microbiota community in weaning piglets. These findings indicate that B. licheniformis-fermented products have the potential for development as feed additives and use as possible substitutes for antibiotics to prevent postweaning diarrhea in the pig industry.Abstract: Prophylactic use of antibiotics in-feed has been effective in decreasing the incidence of diarrhea in weaning piglets. However, the overuse of antibiotics as prophylactic or therapeutic agents in animal feed leads to the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria and antibiotic residues in pigs. This study investigated the effects of Bacillus licheniformis-fermented products on diarrhea incidence and the fecal microbial community in weaning piglets. A total of 120 crossbred piglets with an average initial body weight of 9.87 ± 1.43 kg were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments consisting of three replicate stalls with 10 piglets in each. The dietary treatments comprised a basal diet as control, control plus 1 g/kg or 4.5 g/kg of B. licheniformis-fermented products, and control plus 30 mg/kg antibiotics (bacitracin methylene disalicylate). Results showed that 4.5 g/kg of B. licheniformis-fermented product supplementation significantly reduced diarrhea incidence in weaning piglets. Principal coordinate analysis and a heatmap of species abundance indicated distinct clusters between the groups treated with antibiotics and B. licheniformis-fermented products. The bacterial richness and evenness in the feces decreased in weaning piglets fed 1 g/kg of B. licheniformis-fermented products and antibiotics. The abundance of the genera [Ruminococcus] gauvreauii group, Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, and Ruminococcaceae UCG-008 in the feces decreased in weaning piglets fed B. licheniformis-fermented products or antibiotics. The average abundance of the genus Prevotella 9 in the feces was positively correlated with the concentration Animals 2019, 9, 1145 2 of 15 of B. licheniformis-fermented products and negatively correlated with the diarrhea incidence in weaning piglets. Furthermore, the average abundance of the genus Prevotella 9 in the feces was positively correlated with the growth performance of weaning piglets. These results demonstrate that B. licheniformis-fermented products can improve diarrhea incidence and fecal microflora composition in weaning piglets.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a mixture of plant extracts (XTRACT 6930), consisting of 5.4% (wt/wt) carvacrol (oregano), 3.2% cinnamaldehyde (cinnamon) and 2.2% capsicum oleoresin (Mexican pepper), on piglet and sow performance when used as dietary supplements to the sows. The experiment was performed on 40 sows, divided into two groups (control and experimental) of 20 sows per group. The study was conducted from day 90 of pregnancy until weaning at day 28. The sows in the control group received the basal diet, and the sows in the experimental group (XT group) received the basal diet, supplemented with 100 mg of XTRACT/kg feed. Backfat thickness of the sows at points P 2 and P 4 was measured on day 90 of pregnancy and at weaning. Milk samples were collected from each sow on day 15 ± 2 of lactation. The backfat thickness of the sows that received the plant extracts was significantly thicker at weaning than that of the controls, showing less loss of backfat during lactation. The lactose content in the milk of the XTRACT group was higher than that of the control. Piglets of the sows supplemented with the plant extract had a significantly higher average daily gain during the suckling period and a higher body weight at weaning. The mortality of piglets during the suckling period was significantly lower in the XTRACT group than in the control group. The results showed that the plant extract supplementation of sows during late pregnancy and lactation had a beneficial effect on the performance of the sows and piglets.________________________________________________________________________________

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The aim of the present study was to determine the phenotypic correlations of backfat thickness with meatiness traits and intramuscular fat, cholesterol and fatty acid composition in the longissimus muscle of pigs. For this study, 60 barrows and 60 gilts (Pietrain × Duroc boars and Polish Large White crossbred sows) were slaughtered at 100 kg bodyweight. Lean meat percentage (LMP), loin muscle area (LMA), backfat thickness measured at five locations and average backfat thickness (ABF), and intramuscular fat (IMF), cholesterol (CHLM) and fatty acid composition in the longissimus muscle were determined. Phenotypic correlations of individual backfat thickness measured at five locations and ABF with LMP, LMA and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including C18 :2n-6, were negative and moderate to high, while with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), including C16:1 and C18:1 were positive and very low. Correlations of individual backfat thickness and ABF with saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and C16:0 were positive (0.29 to 0.56), while for C18:0 were low (0.10 to 0.23). Correlations of IMF and CHLM with LMP, LMA and PUFAs, especially C18:2n-6, were negative and high, while with SFAs and MUFAs were positive and moderate to high. Correlation between IMF and CHLM was high (0.74). The results of the present study indicate that increased IMF content results a significant decrease in carcass meatiness (LMP and LMA) and of PUFAs content and an increase in backfat thickness and contents of SFAs, MUFAs and CHLM.

Quality of semen of young boars of the breeds Pietrain and Duroc and their reciprocal crosses AbstractThe study concerned examination of 120 of young Pietrain and Duroc boars and hybrids descending from reciprocal crossing of those breeds. On 230 th , 250 th and 270 th day of their lives, their sperm was given a detailed examination. It is assessed that Pietrain boars gave ejaculates of the lowest volume, lowest mobility, and the lowest total number of spermatozoa. Semen of boars of this group had also the highest percentage of spermatozoa with major and minor morphological changes, and defected acrosome. Along with the age of boars (from 230 th to 270 th day of life) there was a significant improvement of quality of semen of all of the groups except the semen of Pietrain boars. We detected the positive effect of crossing especially in hybrids boars descending from mating of Duroc fathers and Pietrain mothers. Even during the first evaluation, they gave the semen of the highest total number of normal sperms, with normal acrosome, and with the highest value of osmotic resistance test and the lowest activity of AspAT in semen plasma. That proves the high quality of ejaculates of those hybrids comparing to the ejaculates of the boars of other groups -purebreds as well as hybrids of the opposite combination, i.e. descending from crossing of Pietrain fathers and Duroc mothers. This conclusion suggests to use Duroc fathers and Pietrain mothers in production of hybrid boars.