Dietary Corn Bran Altered the Diversity of Microbial Communities and Cytokine Production in Weaned Pigs

Abstract

Corn bran (CB) has been used as an ingredient for pigs, but the underlying mechanisms that improve gut health is less clear. This study was conducted to investigate effects of dietary CB on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, plasma indices related to gut hormones and immunity, gut microbiota composition, and fermentation products in weaned pigs. A total of 60 weaned pigs were allocated to two dietary treatments, and piglets in each group received control (CON) diet or 5% CB diet for 28 days. Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, indices of gut hormones and immunity in plasma were evaluated. Microbiota composition in feces was determined using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and fermentation products were measured by high-performance ion chromatography. The results showed that dietary CB did not affect growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gut hormones, or fermentation products in the trial (P > 0.05). There was an increased response to CB inclusion on interleukin-10 production (P < 0.05). On day 28, piglets fed dietary CB had a higher shannon index (P < 0.05). The population of the Firmicutes in CB treatment were decreased (P < 0.05), while the percentage of the Bacteroidetes were increased (P < 0.05). In particular, the populations of Eubacterium corprostanoligenes, Pevotella, and Fibrobacter related to polysaccharide fermentation of cereal bran were increased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, a post-weaning diet containing 5% CB increased intestinal microbial diversity, especially higher richness of fibrolytic bacteria, and promoted anti-inflammatory response to some extent in piglets, these changes should facilitate the adaptation of the digestive system of piglets in the subsequent growing phases.

Prebiotic effects of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) fiber on cecal bacterial composition, short-chain fatty acids, and diarrhea incidence in weaning piglets

“…51,55 The reason for the observed decreased in growth performance of piglets at high AF levels may be that piglets cannot metabolize high-ber diets due to their immature digestive tracts and the low microbial composition. 26 In contrast to our ndings, 56,57 no effects were reported on the ADFI, ADG, or FCR aer supplementing dietary corn bran to the diet of weaned piglets. Our results further elucidated that the supplementation of AF to the diet of piglets signicantly decreased diarrhea incidence in comparison with the control.…”

“…62 Conversely, insoluble dietary ber can decrease the transit time, leading to a reduction in nutrient absorption in the small intestine. 52,56 Short-chain fatty acids such as propionic and butyric acids were reported to activate the GPR43 on enteroendocrine L-cells to increase gut hormonal synthesis, such as PYY and GLP1, which play vital roles in appetite regulation through the gut-brain axis. 56 High ber intake increased the synthesis of PYY and GLP in addition to inhibiting energy consumption and increase satiety.…”

Effect of increasing levels of rice distillers’ by-product on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile and colonic microbiota of weaned piglets

“…This could due to an adaption phase of immature digestive tract of weaned piglets. An increase in relative abundance of Prevotellaceae_ NK3B31_group was found in pigs fed diets containing high component of arabinoxylan on d 28 [52], which also was found in our results. Besides that, a considerable decrease in Prevotella_1, Prevotella_2, and Prevotella_9 proportions was observed in piglets fed RDP30 on d 35.…”

Microbial Poly‐3‐Hydroxybutyrate (PHB) as a Feed Additive for Fishes and Piglets

“…It has been reported PHB as an alternative diet additive for MCAs can supply short‐chain‐length fatty acids (SCFAs) for commensal bacteria and host cells during PHB degradation in the digestive tracts, which aids the maintenance of a balanced microbiome in the gastrointestinal tract . Similar to these reports, microbial extracellular hydrolytic enzymes in the digestive tract generate 3HB and oligo‐3HB, both of which can function as an energy source and stimulate the activity of digestive enzymes for better piglet growth performance . The growth‐promoting effect of PHB on the fish could be attributed to PHB degradation and the accompanying release of oligo‐3HB and monomeric β‐hydroxybutyric acid (3HB), which have documented positive effects on animal and human health .…”