The effect of lactose and a prototype Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product on digestibility, nitrogen balance, and intestinal function of weaned pigs1

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of lactose (LA) and a prototype Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product (FP) on growth performance, diet digestibility, nitrogen (N) balance, and intestinal function of weaned pigs. Twenty-eight newly weaned pigs [approximately 21 d of age; initial body weight (BW) = 5.20 ± 0.15 kg] were housed in metabolism crates and assigned to one of four treatments (n = seven pigs per treatment) corresponding to a 2 × 2 factorial design: with (LA+; 15% inclusion) or without (LA−) LA and with (FP+) or without (FP−) the prototype FP (1 g of FP per kilogram of diet; Diamond V, Cedar Rapids, IA). Feed and water were provided ad libitum. At day 5, pigs were orally given lactulose and mannitol to assess small intestinal permeability. Fecal samples were collected on days 5–9 to determine the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), and N. Total urine output and fecal samples were collected on days 10–13 to determine N retention. On day 15, all pigs were euthanized to collect intestinal lumen and tissue samples. Data were analyzed for the main effects of LA and FP and their interaction using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Lactose improved average daily feed intake (ADFI; P = 0.017), the ATTD of DM (P = 0.014), the ATTD of GE (P = 0.028), and N retention (P = 0.043) and tended to increase the butyric acid concentration in the colon (P = 0.062). The FP tended to increase the digestibility of N (P = 0.090). Neither LA nor the FP affected intestinal barrier function or inflammation markers. The interaction between LA and FP affected intestinal morphology: in the jejunum, pigs fed LA+FP− had increased villus height compared with those fed LA+FP+ and LA−FP−, whereas LA+FP+ was intermediate (interaction P = 0.034). At the terminal ileum, pigs fed LA−FP+ and LA+FP− had increased villus height and villus: crypt compared with those fed LA−FP−, whereas LA+FP+ was intermediate (interaction P = 0.007 and P = 0.007, respectively). In conclusion, the addition of LA brings important nutritional attributes to nursery diets by improving feed intake, digestibility of DM and GE, and the N retention of weaned pigs; however, the functional capacity of LA to improve markers of intestinal function is limited. On the other hand, the FP showed only a mild increase in the digestibility of N but a limited capacity to improve markers of intestinal function.

Effects of dietary supplementation with multispecies probiotics on intestinal epithelial development and growth performance of neonatal calves challenged with Escherichia coli K99

“…Furthermore, dietary L. acidophilus positively influences gut morphology in animals, as demonstrated via morphometric evaluations. Lactobacillus acidophilus supplementation increased mucosal layer height by improving villus height, whereas crypt depth remained unaffected 66,67 . Also, B. subtilis supplementation can increase the ileal villus height and V/C ratio and serve as an antibiotic substitute for the intestinal ecosystem of weaned piglets 68 .…”

“…The growth‐stimulating effect of probiotics treatment on the intestinal mucosa has been well described 48,59,67 . The local IGF system may have a regulatory effect of on intestinal mucosa growth 28,32 .…”

“…Lactobacillus acidophilus supplementation increased mucosal layer height by improving villus height, whereas crypt depth remained unaffected. 66 , 67 Also, B. subtilis supplementation can increase the ileal villus height and V/C ratio and serve as an antibiotic substitute for the intestinal ecosystem of weaned piglets. 68 Dietary B. subtilis supplementation also upregulates the genes involved in the metabolic pathways related to intestinal microbiota maturation after intramuscular inoculation with E. coli .…”

“…The growth‐stimulating effect of probiotics treatment on the intestinal mucosa has been well described. 48 , 59 , 67 The local IGF system may have a regulatory effect of on intestinal mucosa growth. 28 , 32 Particularly, the jejunal and ileal expression levels of GHR , IGF1 , IGFBP2 , IGFBP3 , IGF1R and INSR genes have been reported to be higher than those of the duodenum.…”

Prebiotics and β-Glucan as gut modifier feed additives in modulation of growth performance, protein utilization status and dry matter and lactose digestibility in weanling pigs

“…Paradoxically, the positive role of dietary supplemental lactose in improving weanling pig growth performance and efficiency of wholebody nitrogen (N) retention has received considerable attention. Crystalline lactose and lactose from dried whey powder are well documented to be the essential dietary carbohydrate for improving growth performance and/or efficiency of the whole-body N retention in weanling pigs (Mahan, 1992;Nessmith et al, 1997;Cromwell et al, 2008;Acosta et al, 2020;Zhao et al, 2021). Mahan and Newton (1993) demonstrated that dextrose was effective but cornstarch was ineffective to replace lactose in improving growth performance and efficiency of the whole-body N utilization in weanling pigs, suggesting that lactose is still likely the highly and rapidly digestible carbohydrate in weanling pigs.…”