Evaluation of Dietary Administration of Chestnut and Quebracho Tannins on Growth, Serum Metabolites and Fecal Parameters of Weaned Piglets

Abstract

In pig livestock, alternatives to in-feed antibiotics are needed to control enteric infections. Plant extracts such as tannins can represent an alternative as a natural source of functional compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro digestibility and in vivo effects of oral supplementation of combined chestnut (Ch) and quebracho (Qu) tannins in order to establish if they can induce a positive effect on weaned piglets’ performance, metabolic status and fecal parameters. In vitro digestibility (dry matter, DM) of diets was calculated using a multi-step enzymatic technique. In vitro digested diet samples were further tested on an intestinal porcine enterocyte cell line (IPEC-J2). Weaned piglets (n = 120; 28 ± 2 day old) were randomly allotted to two groups (12 pens in total with 10 pigs per pen): control (Ctrl) and treatment (Ch/Qu). After one week of adaptation (day 0), 35-day-old piglets in the Ctrl group were fed a Ctrl diet and the Ch/Qu group were fed with 1.25% Ch/Qu for 40 days. Body weight and feed intake per pen were recorded weekly. At day 40, blood and fecal samples were collected. Principal metabolic parameters were evaluated from blood samples by enzymatic colorimetric analysis. Total phenolic compounds, urea, and ammonia in feces were analyzed (Megazyme International, Bray, Ireland). In vitro digestibility and cell viability assays showed that the inclusion of 1.25% Ch/Qu slightly reduced diet digestibility compared with the Ctrl diet, while intestinal cell viability was not altered with low concentrations of Ch/Qu digesta compared with Ctrl. In vivo results did not show any adverse effects of Ch/Qu on feed intake and growth performance, confirming that dietary inclusion of Ch/Qu at a concentration of 1.25% did not impair animal performance. The decreased diet DM digestibility in the Ch/Qu diet may cause increased serum concentration of albumin (Ctrl: 19.30 ± 0.88; Ch/Qu: 23.05 ± 0.88) and albumin/globulin ratio (Ctrl: 0.58 ± 0.04; Ch/Qu: 0.82 ± 0.04), but decreased creatinine (Ctrl: 78.92 ± 4.18; Ch/Qu: 54.82 ± 4.18) and urea (Ctrl: 2.18 ± 0.19; Ch/Qu: 0.95 ± 0.19) compared with Ctrl. Pigs in the Ch/Qu group contained higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of fecal phenolic compounds and nitrogen than the Ctrl group, while fecal ammonia and urea were not affected by tannins. In conclusion, Ch/Qu tannin supplementation did not influence growth performance. Although lower digestibility was observed in the diet supplemented with Ch/Qu tannins, Ch/Qu supplementation did not show any adverse effect on intestinal epithelial cell viability.

A mixture of quebracho and chestnut tannins drives butyrate-producing bacteria populations shift in the gut microbiota of weaned piglets

“…According to our results, tannins could contribute to preventing an increase in Prevotella in the gut. In our experimental animals, we observed transient signs of diarrhoea after seven days of treatment; the highest incidence was detected at 14–28 days with slightly lower percentages in tannin-fed piglets vs controls, though such differences were not significant [ 29 ]. Other populations that were modulated by tannin included genera such as Butyrivibrio , Pseudobutyrivibrio , Oscillospira , and Oscillibacter .…”

“…The present study was undertaken as part of an investigation of the effects of tannins on piglet gut microbiota composition and performance. A detailed description of the experimental animals, study design, and dietary treatments can be found in our previous study [ 29 ]. The trial was conducted in agreement with the Italian regulations on animal experimentation and ethics (DL 26/2014) and with the European regulation (Dir.…”

“…In a recent study, we evaluated tannins derived from chestnut and quebracho trees were evaluated for their capability to affect growth performance, blood metabolic profile, and faecal nitrogen concentration in post-weaned piglets [ 29 ]. Not surprisingly, we observed a higher fecal nitrogen excretion in tannin-fed piglets consistently with the known tannin property to form less digestible complexes with dietary proteins [ 30 ].…”

Can Hydrolysable Tannins in Diet of Entire Male Pigs Affect Carcass, Pork Quality Traits, Amino and Fatty Acid Profiles, and Boar Taint, Skatole and Androstenone Levels?

“…Pigs, wild and domestic, have developed this defense strategy to prevent intoxication with diets rich in hydrolysable tannins [ 69 , 70 ]. On the contrary, tannins also show positive properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and antidiarrheal, especially important in piglets after weaning [ 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ].…”

“…Extract from sweet chestnut wood ( Castanea sativa Mill. ), consisting mainly of hydrolysable tannins, is commonly used in animal nutrition, especially in piglets, to prevent diarrhea after weaning [ 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ].…”