Effects of dietary supplementation of lipid‐encapsulated zinc oxide on colibacillosis, growth and intestinal morphology in weaned piglets challenged with enterotoxigenicEscherichia coli

Abstract

This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of lipid-encapsulated (coated) zinc oxide ZnO on post-weaning diarrhea (colibacillosis) in weaned piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Thirty-two 35-day-old weaned piglets were orally challenged with 3 × 10(10) colony forming units of ETEC K88 while eight piglets received no challenge (control). Each eight challenged piglets received a diet containing 100 ppm ZnO (low ZnO), 2500 ppm ZnO (high ZnO) or 100 ppm of lipid (10%)-coated ZnO (coated ZnO) for 7 days; control pigs received the low ZnO diet. Daily gain, goblet cell density in the villi of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum, and villus height in the jejunum and ileum, which decreased due to the challenge, were equally greater in the coated ZnO and high ZnO groups versus low ZnO group. Fecal consistency score, serum interleukin-8 concentration, subjective score of fecal E. coli shedding, and digesta pH in the stomach, jejunum and ileum, which increased due to the challenge, were equally low in the coated ZnO and high ZnO groups versus low ZnO. Results suggest that a low level of coated ZnO might well substitute for a pharmacological level of native ZnO in dietary supplementation to alleviate colibacillosis of weaned piglets.

Effects of dietary supplementation of bacteriophages against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88 on clinical symptoms of post‐weaning pigs challenged with the ETEC pathogen

“…The animals were allotted randomly to three groups in three 1‐m 2 pens, with eight animals per group/pen, each of which was equipped with a feeder and a nipple waterer. Two groups were fed ad libitum an anti‐microbial additive‐free basal nursery diet, the composition of which had been reported previously (Jang et al., ; Kwon et al., ); the remaining group were fed ad libitum the same diet supplemented with 1.0 × 10 7 plaque forming units of the ETEC K88‐selective phage per kg. On day 0 of the experiment after 7 days of adaptation to the designated diet, two groups on the basal diet and the phage‐supplemented diet, respectively, were challenged orally with 3.0 × 10 10 colony forming units of ETEC K88 in 3 ml of phosphate‐buffered saline, with the remaining eight animals on the basal diet given the same volume of vehicle.…”

“…Faecal consistency of each animal was scored according to a 4‐notch scale (Marquardt et al., ) as described previously (Kwon et al., ; Kim et al., ): 0, normal; 1, soft faeces; 2, mild diarrhoea; 3, severe diarrhoea. Rectal temperature was measured at the time of faecal consistency scoring.…”

“…All animals were killed by electric stunning at termination of the feeding trial, after which the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract was removed as described previously (Lee et al., ). Cross‐sectional segments of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and caecum were taken for determination of relative counts of E. coli in these tissues as well as for histomorphological examination of their mucosae as described (Kwon et al., ; Park et al., ). The pH of the digesta along the GI tract was measured using the litmus paper (Thomas Scientific, Swedesboro, NJ, USA).…”

“…A 0.2 mg native faeces equivalent of the faeces starter culture in tryptic soy broth was incubated on the E. coli ‐selective eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar at 37 °C for 24 or 72 h as described previously (Kwon et al., ). One gram of intestinal tissue was homogenized in 10 ml of phosphate‐buffered saline, after which 0.2 ml of the homogenate was cultured on the EMB agar as for the faeces starter culture.…”

Zinc oxide enriched peat influence Escherichia coli infection related diarrhea, growth rates, serum and tissue zinc levels in Norwegian piglets around weaning: five case herd trials

“…According to the manufacturers, lipid microencapsulation avoids ionization of the active component in the animal stomach. Therefore biological properties are preserved and the biological effects are excerted in the animals’ small intestine [33, 34]. Studies have stated that coated ZnO at inclusion levels between 100 and 200 ppm in basal diets show similar effects as uncoated ZnO on growth promotion, reduced incidence of diarrhea and microbiota composition regulation [33–36].…”