Effect of Feeding Lactobacilli on the Coliform and Lactobacillus Flora of Intestinal Tissue and Feces from Piglets

Abstract

Development of fecal Lactobacillus and coliform in healthy newborn pigs during the first 48 h after birth was studied. Lactobacilli were detected (104 per g) in the feces of newborn pigs as early as 4 h after birth and colifroms by 8 h (105 per g). By 24 h the two types were present in near equal numbers (104 to 105/g). A frozen concentrate of a human isolate of Lactobacillus lactis was fed to piglet litters (8 to 10 animals per litter) from the time of their birth. Bottle feeding resulted in reduced fecal coliforms in nursing pigs but lactobacilli were not increased in number. After 54 days of treatment, the Lactobacillus to coliform ratio (L/C) was 1280:1; in control pigs not fed lactobacilli, the ratio was 2: 1. A continued suppression of coliforms was observed for 30 days after treatment was discontinued. The influence of Lactobacillus on the bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract was studied. With scouring pigs, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EEC) were present in larger numbers in tissue homogenates of the tract than in the lumen. The virulence of the EEC found prosent was confirmed by experimental infection in pigs. In control, nonscouring pigs only non-EEC were isolated from tissue sections. In Lactobacillus-fed pigs, E. coli was reduced to low numbers; also, the few E. coli observed were non-enteropathogenic. There were higher numbers of lactobacilli in tissue sections of Lactobacillus-fed pigs than in control and scouring pigs. The lactobacilli isolated from tissue homogenates of the treated animals resembled biochemically and serologically (fluorescent antibody staining) the Lactobacillus which was fed. Histological studies were done to observe the bacteria in frozen sections of washed intestine obtained from Lactobacillus-fed pigs; staining revealed large numbers of gram-positive bacilli. On the other hand, control pigs which died of scouring revealed many coliform types present. Pigs in groups receiving colostrum and lactobacilli did well; no evidence of diarrhea was seen and many lactobacilli were observed in tissue throughout the small intestine. Even after the challenge with EEC serotype 09:K:NM, these two groups of pigs did not show any signs of disease and few coliform types (cocco-bacillary forms) were observed. Pigs not receiving colostrum but only lactobacilli did not scour before challenge and many lactobacilli were present in tissue from the small intestine. However, 72 h after challenge these latter animals revealed symptons of diarrhea and coliforms were seen in the small intestine tissue in addition to lactobacilli.

The effect of formic acid and buffering capacity on the ileal digestibilities of amino acids and bacterial populations and metabolites in the small intestine of weanling pigs fed semipurified fish meal diets

“…The results of this study agree with those of Risley et al (1992). Kirchgessner et al (1992) (Muralidhara et al 1977) and decreased incidence of diarrhea (Luckey 1984). However, when attempts are made to confirm that ktctobacillus species improve the health of the digestive tract nonsignificant results are often reported (Conway 1989 This may, in part, explain why there were minor effects of the experimental treatments. Therefore, these results may not reflect those obtained within days of weaning.…”

The effects of supplementing varying molecular weights of chitooligosaccharide on performance, selected microbial populations and nutrient digestibility in the weaned pig

“…As a large number of intestinal bacterial species are unculturable (Leser et al, 2002), lactic acid bacteria were enumerated as a reflection of changes in the population structure of beneficial bacteria. The relevance of measuring E. coli populations as an indicator of pathogenic bacteria is debated; however, increased coliform counts were recorded in the intestine of scouring pigs (Muralidhara et al, 1977) and the density of coliforms in the gastrointestinal tract are used as an indicator of E. coli in pigs (Jørgensen et al, 1999;Hojberg et al, 2003;Mikkelsen et al, 2004). Hence, coliform reductions due to dietary intervention are, within limits, considered by many to be beneficial (Demeckova et al, 2003;Mikkelsen et al, 2004;Gardiner et al, 2008).…”

Effects of Microbial Feed Additives on Performance of Starter and Growing-finishing Pigs

“…Several possible modes of action for lactobacilli benefits have been suggested: (1) change in enteric flora and reduction of E. coli (Porter and Kenworthy, 1969;Hill et al, 1970a,b;Moon, 1975;Mitchell and Kenworthy, 1976;Muralidhara et al, 1977); (2) production of antibiotic substances (Shahani et al, 1976(Shahani et al, , 1977; (3) synthesis of lactate with concomitant reduction in intestinal pH (White et al, 1969;Herrick, 1972); (4) adhesion to or colonization in the digestive tract (Fuller and Brooker, 1974;Muralidhara et al, 1977) and (5) prevention of toxic amine synthesis (Hill et al, 1970a,b).…”