Characterization of microbial populations and volatile fatty acid concentrations in the jejunum, ileum, and cecum of pigs weaned at 17 vs 24 days of age

The digestibility of the starch component of raw cereals in newly weaned piglets is highly variable. Reasons for this must be elucidated if the most suitable cereals are to be used. A novel approach was employed, which consisted of assessing the physicochemical properties (rapid visco analysis, water absorption and solubility indices, particle size distribution and in vitro amylolytic digestion) of eight raw cereals contained within piglet diets and subsequently relating this in vitro data to the biological responses of weaned piglets. Trial 1 examined soft and hard wheat, trial 2 -soft wheat, barley, rye and triticale, and trial 3 -soft wheat, naked oats, whole oats and maize. The initial observation was that in vitro testing prior to animal trials is recommended in nutritional evaluation since it indicated fundamental differences between raw cereals, such as for example the levels of endogenous amylase in wheat. Starch and nitrogen digestibility differed between cereals (apparent digestibility coefficients at the 0.5 site of the small intestine ranged from 0.10 to 0.69 for starch and from 0.17 to 0.68 for nitrogen). There is also a probable relationship between the coefficients of ileal apparent starch digestibility, at approximately halfway from the gastric pylorus to the ileocaecal valve, and the presence of endogenous amylase (mean values of 0.53 and 0.62 in trials 2 and 3, respectively, for the higher amylase wheat; 0.38 for the low-amylase wheat used in trial 1). This additional variable (i.e. the unforeseen presence of endogenous amylase) in wheat made it more difficult to draw a firm conclusion about the nutritional suitability of the different cereals. All raw-cereal diets caused atrophy of the villi during the initial week following weaning, but the soft wheat was associated with the highest comparative villi height and might therefore be considered the best of all raw cereals in minimising the post-weaning growth check. For wheat, this might also suggest a possible interaction between villus architecture and endosperm texture in the immediate post-weaning period.

Section: Statistical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physicochemical properties and nutritional quality of raw cereals for newly weaned piglets

White

Doucet

Hill

et al. 2008

“…It has been reported that weaning stress dramatically decreases the amount of Lactobacillus and increases the amount of Escherichia coli present in the gut (Franklin et al, 2002;Castillo et al, 2007). A recent study reported that Lactobacillus was negatively correlated with oxidative stress, while, conversely, E. coli showed a strong positive correlation with oxidative stress in the intestines of early weaned piglets (Xu et al, 2014a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

A carvacrol–thymol blend decreased intestinal oxidative stress and influenced selected microbes without changing the messenger RNA levels of tight junction proteins in jejunal mucosa of weaning piglets

Wei

Xue

Zhou

et al. 2017

113

Recent studies indicate that intestinal oxidative stress and microbiota imbalance is involved in weaning-induced intestinal dysfunction in piglets. We have investigated the effect of feeding a carvacrol-thymol blend supplemented diet on intestinal redox status, selected microbial populations and the intestinal barrier in weaning piglets. The piglets (weaned at 21 days of age) were randomly allocated to two groups with six pens per treatment and 10 piglets per pen. At weaning day (21 days of age), six piglets were sacrificed before weaning to serve as the preweaning group. The weaned group was fed with a basal diet, while the weaned-CB group was fed with the basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg carvacrol-thymol (1 : 1) blend for 14 days. On day 7 post-weaning, six piglets from each group were sacrificed to determine intestinal redox status, selected microbial populations, messenger RNA (mRNA) transcript levels of proinflammatory cytokines and biomarkers of intestinal barrier function. Weaning resulted in intestinal oxidative stress, indicated by the increased concentration of reactive oxygen species and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances present in the intestine. Weaning also reduced the population of Lactobacillus genus and increased the populations of Enterococcus genus and Escherichia coli in the jejunum, and increased mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β and interleukin 6 (IL-6). In addition, decreased mRNA levels of zonula occludens and occludin in the jejunal mucosa and increased plasma diamine oxidase concentrations indicated that weaning induced dysfunction of the intestinal barrier. On day 7 post-weaning, supplementation with the carvacrol-thymol blend restored weaning-induced intestinal oxidative stress. Compared with the weaned group, the weaned-CB group had an increased population of Lactobacillus genus but reduced populations of Enterococcus genus and E. coli in the jejunum and decreased mRNA levels of TNF-α. The results indicated that weaning induced intestinal oxidative stress and dysfunction of the intestinal barrier. Dietary supplementation with 100 mg/kg carvacrol-thymol (1 : 1) decreased the intestinal oxidative stress and influenced selected microbial populations without changing the biomarkers of intestinal barrier in weaning piglets.

“…A pig that is hungry is considered by EU guidelines to have reduced welfare in that animals should be free from hunger (EU council directive 91/630/ EEC). However, an empty GI tract may reduce the risk of accidental carcass contamination (Franklin et al, 2002). If a pig is presented to the stun with an empty stomach, this may be better for pork quality and food safety, but an empty/diminished stomach puts the pig at risk of being hungry and perhaps becoming fatigued.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling feeding behaviour, rate of feed passage and daily feeding cycles, as possible causes of fatigued pigs

Lewis

McGlone

2008

This study was initiated to understand whether feeding behaviour and physiology may contribute to the rate of fatigued pigs at processing plants. Specifically, this study sought to determine: (1) how often pigs eat during the day, (2) the times of the day they eat and (3) a first approximation of the time from feed consumption to excretion (rate of passage) when housed in a group in conventional finishing facilities. Finally, models were constructed to try to predict the percentage of pigs with empty/diminished gastrointestinal (GI) tracts depending on the time of day of truck loading and transport durations. Pigs were randomly selected, weighed and selected for behavioural observations. From video records and live observations, the number of meals (feeding bouts) per day and the time of the day meals took place were recorded. Feed containing chromic oxide was fed to determine when a given meal was excreted. With the feeding times of day determined, models were constructed of the percentage of pigs that would have empty stomachs depending on the time of day pigs were removed from the barn and the length of transport/lairage. Finishing pigs housed in groups ate 5.6 6 0.6 meals per day with an average feeding bout (meal) length of 11.3 6 1.1 min. Many pigs fed ad libitum ate most of their meals during the afternoon and evening. The rate of passage of feed was 20.5 h (range 5 18 to 24 h). Because fewer pigs ate in the late evening through morning, if pigs were shipped at these times they would have an increased risk of arriving at the stun at a plant with an empty GI tract. Some of the variation in rates of fatigued pigs and pork quality may be explained by times of day taken off feed and transport duration. Shipping in the afternoon or early evening may result in fewer pigs with empty/diminished GI tracts at processing which may influence the rate of fatigued pigs and pork quality.