The effect of a diet with fructan-rich chicory roots on intestinal helminths and microbiota with special focus on Bifidobacteria and Campylobacter in piglets around weaning

Abstract

The restrictions on the use of antibiotic and anthelmintic treatments in organic pig farming necessitate alternative non-medical control strategies. Therefore, the antibiotic and parasite-reducing effect of a fructan-rich (prebiotic) diet of dried chicory was investigated in free-ranging piglets. Approximately half of 67 piglets from nine litters were experimentally infected with Ascaris suum and Trichuris suis in the suckling period (1 to 7 weeks of age) and 58 of the piglets were challenged daily with Eschericia coli O138:F8 for 9 days after weaning to induce weaning diarrhoea. The litters were fed either chicory (30% dry matter) or a control diet. The effect of chicory on intestinal helminths, intestinal microbiota, especially Bifidobacteria and Campylobacter spp. and E. coli post-weaning diarrhoea was assessed. The weight gain of the piglets was not impaired significantly by chicory. The intestinal A. suum worm burden was reduced by 64% ( P 5 0.034) in the chicory-fed piglets, whereas these same piglets had 63% more T. suis worms ( P 5 0.016). Feeding with chicory elicited no changes among the main bacterial groups in ileum according to terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. However, the terminal-restriction fragment (T-RF) 208 bp, which may belong to Lachnospiraceae, was stimulated by the chicory feed ( P 5 0.03), and T-RF 370 bp that matches Enterobacter belonging to the Enterobacteria was reduced (P 5 0.004). In addition, chicory increased the level of Bifidobacteria ( P 5 0.001) and the faecal Campylobacter excretion level was transitorily reduced in chicory-fed piglets at 7 weeks of age ( P 5 0.029). Unfortunately, it was not possible to assess the effect of chicory on post-weaning diarrhoea as it did not develop. In conclusion, feeding piglets chicory around the time of weaning caused complex changes of the microbiota and parasite communities within the intestinal tract, and feeding piglets chicory may therefore serve as an animal-friendly strategy to control pathogens.

Effects of feeding finisher pigs with chicory or lupine feed for one week or two weeks before slaughter with respect to levels of Bifidobacteria and Campylobacter

“…The apparent lack of effect of chicory was in contrast to a previous study, where feeding of young pigs for 2 weeks with 30% chicory reduced the Campylobacter spp. excretion in 7-week old pigs raised outdoors (Jensen et al, 2011). However, this may be due to the higher amount of chicory used in that study.…”

“…A fructan-rich diet (chicory) was successful in preventing the development of swine dysentery , and the Campylobacter spp. excretion level was transitorily reduced in chicory-fed piglets at 7 weeks of age (Jensen et al, 2011). Prebiotics can be provided to livestock simply as plant parts such as chicory roots or lupine seeds.…”

Helminth parasites in pigs: New challenges in pig production and current research highlights

“…The overall effect on adult A. suum seems less promising (Petkevičius et al, 1995(Petkevičius et al, , 1996Bjørn et al, 1996;Mejer et al, unpublished) but this may in part reflect that the predilection site is the anterior part of the jejunum where fermentation is minimal (Graham and Åman, 1986) compared to the caecum and colon (reviewed by Flickinger et al, 2003). Larval migration on the other hand does seem to be reduced, potentially because the larvae pass through the caecum and colon (Mejer, 2006;Jensen et al, 2010).…”

“…In addition, as an alternative to inulin, which is too costly for livestock, both crude, chopped and dried, milled chicory roots have also yielded promising results (Mejer, 2006;Jensen et al, 2010). Though not fully able to eliminate established adult worms, dietary inclusion of crude and dried chicory roots can within just two days almost abolish experimental O. dentatum faecal eggs counts (Mejer et al, unpublished).…”

Feeding Jerusalem artichoke reduced skatole level and changed intestinal microbiota in the gut of entire male pigs

“…They are resistant to hydrolysis by enzymes in the small intestine, but are easily fermented by certain bacteria in the hindgut (primarily bifidobacteria; Flamm et al, 2001;Kleessen et al, 2007;Kolida and Gibson, 2007). Ingestion of inulin-type fructans has been given attention in recent years due to its beneficial health effects in humans (Kleessen et al, 2007;Kolida and Gibson, 2007;Ramnani et al, 2010) and animals (Apanavicius et al, 2007;Hansen et al, 2010;Jensen et al, 2011). Inulintype fructans are found in several fruits and vegetables, but industrially, production is mainly based on chicory (Compositae family; Roberfroid, 2005).…”