Antibacterial plant combinations prevent postweaning diarrhea in organically raised piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18

Abstract

Antibiotics and zinc oxide restrictions encourage the search for alternatives to combat intestinal pathogens, including enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), a major cause of postweaning diarrhea (PWD) in pigs. PWD causes important economic losses for conventional and organic farming. This study investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with garlic and apple pomace or blackcurrant on infection indicators and the fecal microbiota of organic-raised piglets challenged with ETEC-F18. For 21 days, 32 piglets (7-weeks-old) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: non-challenge (NC); ETEC-challenged (PC); ETEC-challenged receiving garlic and apple pomace (3 + 3%; GA); ETEC-challenged receiving garlic and blackcurrant (3 + 3%; GB). ETEC-F18 was administered (8 mL; 109 CFU/ml) on days 1 and 2 postweaning. The 1st week, PC had lower average daily gain than those in the NC, GA, and GB groups (P < 0.05). NC pigs showed neither ETEC-F18 shedding nor signs of diarrhea. The PC group had higher diarrhea incidence and lower fecal dry matter than NC (≈5–10 days; 95% sEBCI). The GA and GB groups showed reduced ETEC-F18 and fedA gene shedding, higher fecal dry matter, and lower diarrhea incidence than the PC (≈5–9 days; 95% sEBCI). The NC, GA, and GB had normal hematology values during most of the study, whereas the PC had increased (P < 0.05) red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit on day 7. Haptoglobin and pig-MAP increased in all groups, peaking on day 7, but PC showed the greatest increase (P < 0.05). The fecal microbiota of PC pigs had reduced α-diversity (day 7; P < 0.05) and higher volatility (days 3–14; P < 0.05). Escherichia, Campylobacter, and Erysipelothrix were more abundant in the PC than in the NC, GB, and GA groups (log2FC > 2; P < 0.05), whereas Catenibacterium, Dialister, and Mitsoukella were more abundant in the NC, GB, and GA than in the PC group (log2FC > 2; P < 0.05). Prevotella and Lactobacillus were more abundant in the GB group (log2FC > 2, P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of GA and GB limited ETEC proliferation, reduced PWD, and beneficially impacted the fecal microbiota's diversity, composition, and stability.

Impacts of F18+ Escherichia coli on Intestinal Health of Nursery Pigs and Dietary Interventions

“…Multiple research investigations have linked F18 + E. coli to PWD and reduced growth performance [7,16,[66][67][68]76,77,79,81,83,[85][86][87][88]. These studies on nursery pigs challenged with F18 + E. coli showed an average reduction of 27% in ADG, 10% in ADFI, and 20% in feed efficiency (Figure 4A-C).…”

“…These mechanisms include eliciting different reactions, modulating host immune responses by regulating the expression of key cytokines involved in initiating and regulating immune responses, influencing tight junction protein expression, and promoting the growth of beneficial microbes. These mechanisms, taken together, help to improve the host's intestinal health [87,115]. The use of lactic acid-producing bacteria helps restore intestinal balance [112].…”

“…Chang et al [85] reported that a mixture of thymol, carvacrol, and bitter citrus extract improved immune responses by reducing TNF-α (23%), IL6 (21%), and intestinal integrity resulting in an increased ADG (49%) in nursery pigs challenged with F18 + E. coli. Jerez-Bogota et al [87] reported that garlic in combination with apple pomace or blackcurrant reduced the incidence of PWD caused by F18 + E. coli by reducing the proliferation of pathogens and increasing the growth of beneficial bacteria and the G:F (49%).…”

The Use of Fruit and Vegetable by-Products as Enhancers of Health Status of Piglets after Weaning: The Role of Bioactive Compounds from Apple and Carrot Industrial Wastes

“…A bacterium which seemed to be specifically modulated by the apple bioactive compounds is Catenibacterium , which was increased in the feces and in the proximal colon microbiota as a result of dietary apple pomace supplementation of post-weaning piglets [ 158 ]. Others have also shown that a diet containing garlic acid and apple pomace (3%:3%) increases the abundance of Catenibacterium in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)-challenged weaned piglets [ 206 ]. This genus is a Gram-positive bacteria that produces lactic, acetic, butyric and iso-butyric acids [ 207 ] and has previously been reported to be exclusively present in pigs fed dietary fiber [ 208 , 209 ].…”