Effect of the interaction of seaweed extracts containing laminarin and fucoidan with zinc oxide on the growth performance, digestibility and faecal characteristics of growing piglets

Abstract

Seaweed extracts (SWE) rich in laminarin and fucoidan have shown promise as a supplement for weaned piglets. However, successful application in pig nutrition depends on their bioactivity in the presence of additives such as ZnO. In the present study, a 2 £ 2 factorial experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of the interaction between SWE and ZnO on the growth performance, digestibility and faecal characteristics of 192 weaned piglets (6·5 kg). The piglets were penned in groups of 4 (n 12 pens). The study consisted of two phases after weaning: a starter diet period from the day of weaning (0 d) to 21 d and a transition diet period from 21 to 40 d. The dietary treatments were as follows: (1) control diet; (2) control diet þ ZnO; (3) control diet þ SWE; (4) control diet þ ZnO þ SWE. Diets containing ZnO improved the faecal consistency of the piglets throughout the experimental period (0-40 d). An effect of the interaction between ZnO and SWE on several variable was observed. The diet containing only SWE or ZnO improved the feed conversion efficiency of the piglets during the transition diet period; however, this effect was not observed when the diet containing both ZnO and SWE was fed. The diet containing only SWE increased the N and organic matter digestibility of the piglets; however, this effect was not observed in the presence of ZnO. An interaction between ZnO and SWE was observed, whereby the faecal counts of Escherichia coli were decreased when piglets were fed the diet containing only SWE, but not when fed the diet containing both SWE and ZnO. In summary, SWE and ZnO improve growth performance when given alone, but not when given in combination. The biological effect of SWE on selected digestibility and faecal characteristics was markedly different when compared with that of ZnO.Key words: Laminarin: Fucoidan: Zinc oxide: Weaned pigletsThe commercial practice of abrupt weaning exposes piglets to several environmental and nutritional challenges, including the absence of sows, new littermates, and changes in the source and delivery of nutrition (1) . Among these, the rapid dietary transition from liquid milk to solid feed principally disrupts digestive processes, temporarily impeding growth performance. However, frequently the weaning process results in a physiological damage to the gastrointestinal tract as microbial pathogens take advantage of a turbulent immune status. The consequences of this microbial dysbiosis are poor nutrient utilisation, faecal scouring, increased number of faecal coliforms such as Escherichia coli, and impaired feed conversion efficiency (FCE). The practice of in-feed antibiotic inclusion was popular as a means of buffering the weaning transition in piglets to overcome the disruption of growth performance after weaning. However, concerns of increased microbial tolerance to antibiotics eventually resulted in a ban on prophylactic antibiotic use, upheld in the European Union since 2006. Consequently, the prescribed inclusion of ZnO at rates above nutritional requi...

Dietary Zinc Oxide Modulates Antioxidant Capacity, Small Intestine Development, and Jejunal Gene Expression in Weaned Piglets

“…Previous studies have proved the additive effect of ZnO and in-feed antibiotics for enhancement of growth performance in weaned piglets [5]. However, after the antibiotic ban in European Union, the supplementation of high level of ZnO has increased gradually ever since to control the post-weaning problems that occurred in weaned piglets [15]. Our study showed that ZnO at pharmacological level displayed comparable effects on in-feed antibiotic for improving piglet growth, which suggested that high doses of ZnO remained an effective alternative to in-feed antibiotics in promoting the growth performance of weaned piglets.…”

Can Seaweed Farming Play a Role in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation?

“…Hence, supplementing feed for ruminant cattle with seaweed holds a potential to reduce methane emissions, a possibility that, if confirmed by in vivo and farm-scale experiments, could greatly contribute to mitigate emissions of this powerful greenhouse gas. Prebiotic compounds and essential minerals in seaweeds may furthermore help to enhance livestock production and health (Rey-Crespo et al, 2014;Makkar et al, 2016), as well as substitute the use of antibiotics in the intensive livestock production (O'Doherty et al, 2010;O'Shea et al, 2014). An additional potential benefit of seaweed farming for agriculture is a reported increase in productivity of crops via soil amelioration by nutrient-rich seaweed biochar (Roberts et al, 2015;Zacharia et al, 2015) or seaweed compost (Cole et al, 2016), thereby avoiding emissions involved in synthetic fertilizer production (Smith, 2002).…”

Marine macroalgae as sources of protein and bioactive compounds in feed for monogastric animals

“…Dietary supplementation with Laminaria spp. or extracts containing laminarin and fucoidan to weanling pigs improved intestinal health, alleviated common problems occurring post‐weaning, and reduced post‐weaning diarrhea …”

“…For instance, an increase in beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium in the gastro‐intestinal tract, and a decrease in the numbers of potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Enterobacteria have been reported when adding laminarin or fucoidan to piglet diets . Also, increased villus height and villus height‐to‐crypt depth ratio in the small intestine, increased production of volatile fatty acids, and reduced pH in the hind gut have been reported Different modes of action of these components on gut health have been reported, however, which might be due to differences in the biochemical structures of the two compounds.…”