Protection of just weaned pigs against infection with F18+ Escherichia coli by non-immune plasma powder

To study the fermentation characteristics of different non-conventional dietary fibre (DF) sources with varying levels of indigestible CP content and their effects on the production of fermentation metabolites and on faecal nitrogen (N) excretion, an experiment was conducted with 40 growing pigs (initial BW 23 kg) using wheat bran (WB), pea hulls (PH), pea inner fibres (PIF), sugar beet pulp (SBP) or corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). The diets also contained soya protein isolate, pea starch and sucrose, and were supplemented with vitamin-mineral premix. Faecal samples were collected for 3 consecutive days from day 10, fed with added indigestible marker (chromic oxide) for 3 days from day 13 and pigs were slaughtered on day 16 from the beginning of the experiment. Digesta from the ileum and colon were collected and analysed for short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and ammonia (NH 3 ) content. The apparent total tract N digestibility was the lowest (P , 0.001) in diets based on DDGS (74%), medium in diets with WB and SBP (76% each) and highest in those with PIF and PH (79% and 81%, respectively). Expressed per kg fermented non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), faecal N excretion was higher with DDGS and WB diets (130 and 113 g/kg NSP fermented, respectively) and lower with PIF, PH and SBP diets (42, 52 and 55 g/kg NSP fermented, respectively). The PH-based diets had the highest (P , 0.05) SCFA concentrations, both in the ileum and the colon (27 and 122 mMol/kg digesta, respectively). The highest NH 3 concentration was also found in the colon of pigs fed with PH (132 mMol/kg digesta). Loading plot of principle component analysis revealed that the CP : NSP ratio was positively related with faecal N excretion and NH 3 concentration in colon contents, whereas negatively related with SCFA concentration in colon contents. In conclusion, pea fibres and SBP increased SCFA and reduced NH 3 concentration in the pig's intestine and reduced faecal N excretion, which makes pea fibres and SBP an interesting ingredient to use in pig diet to improve the positive effect of DF fermentation on the gastrointestinal tract and reduce faecal N excretion.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feed ingredients differing in fermentable fibre and indigestible protein content affect fermentation metabolites and faecal nitrogen excretion in growing pigs

Jha

Leterme

2012

“…High levels of dietary CP could increase the amount of substrate available for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria that often colonize the pig's gut after weaning and, therefore, may be a predisposing factor to post-weaning diarrhoea (Ball and Aherne, 1987;Nollet et al, 1999). Thus, low-CP, amino acid (AA)-supplemented diets may be used as part of the overall strategy for the nutritional management of the weaned pig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of low-protein amino acid-supplemented diets on the growth performance, gut morphology, organ weights and digesta characteristics of weaned pigs

Opapeju

Rademacher

Blank

et al. 2008

A 21-day study was conducted to determine whether isoleucine might limit the performance of piglets fed low-crude protein (CP), amino acid (AA)-supplemented diets and to investigate the potential benefits of low-CP diets on gastrointestinal health in weaned pigs. Ninety-six piglets (initial BW 5 6.44 6 0.14 kg), housed four per pen, were randomly assigned to one of four diets, resulting in six replicate pens per diet. Dietary treatments were as follows: (1) 210 g/kg CP diet, (2) 190 g/kg CP diet deficient in isoleucine, (3) 190 g/kg CP diet supplemented with crystalline isoleucine up to the level in the 210 g/kg CP diet and (4) 170 g/kg CP diet supplemented with isoleucine and valine on the ideal protein ratio basis (60% and 70% relative to lysine, respectively). Pigs were allowed to adapt to the new environment for 4 days before the experiment commenced. Overall, pigs fed the 210 g/kg CP diet had higher (P , 0.05) average daily gain and lower (P , 0.05) feed : gain ratio compared with those fed the other diets. The faecal consistency score of pigs fed the 210 g/kg CP diet was higher (P , 0.05) than those fed the other diets. Pigs fed the 170 g/kg diet had lower (P50.02) small intestine weight than those fed the 210 g/kg CP diet. Pigs fed the 210 g/kg CP diet had deeper (P , 0.05) crypt in the duodenum and ileum and higher (P , 0.05) ammonia N concentration in caecal digesta than those fed the other diets. There were no effects of diet on microbial population and volatile fatty acid concentration in the caecal digesta except for propionic acid whose concentration was higher (P , 0.05) for pigs fed the 170 g/kg diet than those fed the 1901isoleucine and the 210 g/kg CP diets. The results indicate that the low-CP, AA-supplemented diet reduced crypt hypertrophy, ammonia N concentration in the caecal digesta, small intestine weight and the performance of piglets. Also, the results of the current study were inconclusive with respect to whether isoleucine may limit the performance of pigs fed a low-CP, AA-supplemented diet.

“…Porcine plasma was found to have levels of specific ETEC antibodies higher than SDAP of mixed origin (Owusu-Asiedu et al, 2002), and when tested in E. coli F18-challenged piglets, the source with more E. coli F18 antibodies (SDPP) showed numerically higher growth and feed intake. In contrast, other studies with piglets fed a plasma source without specific immunoglobulins for E. coli F18 have shown that SDP impedes E. coli F18 binding to the enterocytes by receptor competition by a non-specific protection mechanism (Nollet et al, 1999). Finally, hyper-immune SDPP obtained from pigs vaccinated against specific pathogens resulted in little production advantages over conventional SDPP in piglets challenged with the same pathogen (Conde, 2005;Niewold et al, 2007).…”

Section: Spray-dried Animal Plasmamentioning

confidence: 94%

Impact of bioactive substances on the gastrointestinal tract and performance of weaned piglets: a review

Lallès

Bosi

Janczyk

et al. 2009

The EU ban on in-feed antibiotics has stimulated research on weaning diets as a way of reducing post-weaning gut disorders and growth check in pigs. Many bioactive components have been investigated but only few have shown to be effective. Amongst these, organic acids (OA) have been shown to exert a bactericidal action mediated by non-dissociated OA, by lowering gastric pH, increasing gut and pancreas enzyme secretion and improving gut wall morphology. It has been postulated that they may also enhance non-specific immune responses and improve disease resistance. In contrast, relatively little attention has been paid to the impact of OA on the stomach but recent data show they can differently affect gastric histology, acid secretion and gastric emptying. Butyrate and precursors of butyric acid have received special attention and although promising results have been obtained, their effects are dependent upon the dose, treatment duration, initial age of piglets, gastrointestinal site and other factors. The amino acids (AA) like glutamine, tryptophan and arginine are supportive in improving digestion, absorption and retention of nutrients by affecting tissue anabolism, stress and (or) immunity. Glutamine, cysteine and threonine are important for maintaining mucin and permeability of intestinal barrier function. Spray-dried plasma (SDP) positively affects gut morphology, inflammation and reduces acquired specific immune responses via specific and a-specific influences of immunoglobulins and other bioactive components. Effects are more pronounced in early-weaned piglets and under poorer health conditions. Little interaction between plasma protein and antibiotics has been found, suggesting distinct modes of action and additive effects. Bovine colostrum may act more or less similarly to SDP. The composition of essential oils is highly variable, depending on environmental and climatic conditions and distillation methods. These oils differ widely in their antimicrobial activity in vitro and some components of weaning diets may decrease their activity. Results in young pigs are highly variable depending upon the product and doses used. These studies suggest that relatively high concentrations of essential oils are needed for beneficial effects to be observed and it has been assumed that these plant extracts mimic most of the effects of antibiotics active on gut physiology, microbiology and immunology. Often, bioactive substances protective to the gut also stimulate feed intake and growth performance. New insights on the effects of selected OA and AA, protein sources (especially SDP, bovine colostrum) and plant extracts with anti-bacterial activities on the gut are reported in this review.