Reduced Use of Antibiotic Growth Promoters in Diets Fed to Weanling Pigs: Dietary Tools, Part 2

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.

Section: --mentioning

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

“…Herbs and spice extracts have been used extensively in different parts of the World to treat a variety of human diseases (Stein and Kil, 2006). Gastrointestinal disorders have been treated with a number of different plant extracts including garlic, peppermint, chamomile or aloe (Amagase et al, 2001;Akerreta et al, 2007;Rodriguez-Fragoso et al, 2008).…”

Section: Plant Extractsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural alternatives to in-feed antibiotics in pig production: can immunomodulators play a role?

Gallois¹,

Rothkötter

Bailey

et al. 2009

As a result of the European ban of in-feed growth-promoting antibiotics, new strategies are being developed to increase the resistance to disease in farm animals. In pig production, this is of particular importance during the weaning transition when piglets are subjected to major stressful events, making them highly sensitive to digestive disorders. At this time, the development of both innate and adaptive immunity at the mucosal surface is critical in preventing the potential harmful effects of intestinal pathogenic agents. Strategies aiming at stimulating natural host defences through the use of substances able to modulate immune functions have gained increasing interest in animal research, and different bioactive components a priori sharing those properties have been the subject of in vivo nutritional investigations in pig. Among these, yeast derivates (b-glucans and mannans) are able to interact with immune cells, particularly phagocytic cells. However, studies where they have been fed to pigs have shown inconsistent results, suggesting that their ability to target the sensitive immune cells through the oral route is questionable. The plant extracts, which would benefit from a positive image in the public opinion, have also been tested. However, due to a lack of data on the bioactive components of particular plants and the large diversity of species, it has proved difficult to prepare extracts of equivalent potency and thus, the literature on their influence on pig immunity remains inconclusive. In considering piglet immunity and health benefits, the most promising results to date have been obtained with spray-dried animal plasma, whose positive effects would be provided by specific antibodies and nonspecific competition of some plasma components with bacteria for intestinal receptors. The major positive effect of spray-dried animal plasma is in reducing the infiltration of gut-associated lymphoid tissue by immune cells, which is likely to be the result of a decreased colonisation by potentially harmful bacteria. This review also highlights the limitations of some of the published in vivo studies on the immunomodulatory activity of certain feed additives. Among those, the lack of standardisation of extracts and the heterogeneity of piglet-rearing conditions (e.g. exposure to pathogens) are likely the most limiting.

“…Some feed additives, such as prebiotics, probiotics and some other substances, have been studied with regard to managing the health of weaning piglets (Lalles et al, 2007). Among others, the use of probiotics such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria has been proposed as the most promising approach for maintaining or improving animal health (Stein and Kil, 2006;Lalles et al, 2007). It has been reported that feeding certain probiotic strains to pigs could improve growth performance, prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria and reduce the incidence of diarrhea (Shu et al, 2001;Gardiner et al, 2004;Taras et al, 2006;Casey et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been reported that feeding certain probiotic strains to pigs could improve growth performance, prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria and reduce the incidence of diarrhea (Shu et al, 2001;Gardiner et al, 2004;Taras et al, 2006;Casey et al, 2007). At the same time, feeding an FLD prepared with the use of bacteria, such as lactic acid bacteria, has also been shown to improve pig performance and to reduce the number of enteric pathogens (Canibe and Jensen, 2003;Stein and Kil, 2006). These positive influences may be due to the low pH, high short-chain fatty acid content and high lactic acid bacteria content of the FLD.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of fermented liquid diet prepared with Lactobacillus plantarum LQ80 on the immune response in weaning pigs

Mizumachi

Aoki

Ohmori

et al. 2009

Probiotics such as lactic acid bacteria directly influence the host's health and have beneficial effects such as decreasing the number of enteric pathogens, regulating intestinal immune responses and preventing diseases. Among domestic animals, probiotics have been expected to be an alternative to antibiotics added in the diet; and fermented liquid diet (FLD) containing probiotics has great potential as a diet for reducing the use of antibiotics. In this study, we evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of FLD, prepared using Lactobacillus plantarum LQ80 (LQ80), on the immune response of weaning pigs. Ten weaning piglets were divided into two groups and were fed the FLD (n 5 5) or a non-fermented liquid diet (NFLD) (n 5 5) for 28 days. At the end of the experiment, the total immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels in the sera of the FLD-fed piglets were significantly higher than those of the NFLD-fed piglets ( P , 0.05). In contrast, the total immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels in the feces and saliva were not significantly affected by FLD feeding. However, the mean fecal IgA levels of FLD-fed piglets at day 28 were higher than those at 14 and 21 days ( P , 0.05). Blood cells from the FLD-fed piglets showed a low level of interferon-g secretion and mitogen-induced proliferation compared to that of the NFLD-fed piglets. Furthermore, the levels of interluekin-8 and tumor necrosis factor-a, which are proinflammatory cytokines, in the blood cells of the FLD-fed piglets were lower than those of the NFLD-fed piglets ( P , 0.05). In conclusion, the FLD used in this study could alter the immune responses of weaning piglets by stimulation of the systemic or mucosal antibody response, without unnecessary inflammatory reactions. This indicates, that the FLD feed prepared with the use of LQ80 may be a candidate feed, with regard to enhancing immune responses and preventing diseases in weaning piglets.