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Dietary Measures and Feed Additives to Stabilise Intestinal Health in...
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Dietary Measures and Feed Additives to Stabilise Intestinal Health in Pigs

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Pigs".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 18842

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Petra Wolf

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nutritional Physiology and Animal Nutrition, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Interests: physiology; nutrition; small mammals; food producing animals; small animal housing and medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Digestive disorders are among the most common diseases in pigs and are associated with high economic losses. In addition to suckling piglet diarrhoea, digestive disorders occur particularly at the time of weaning. However, also in fattening pigs, intestinal health is of particular importance for animal welfare and satisfactory feed efficiency. Due to the influence of pathogenic pathogens on the microbiota in addition to the destruction of the mucus layer, the barrier for other pathogens is disturbed. This often results in secondary infections, such as salmonellosis.

At the same time, against the background of antibiotic resistance and efforts to drastically reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock farming, it is important to find alternatives that protect the physiological microbiota.

Areas of interest: The effect of feeding on gut health. Dietary measures such as the use of pro- and prebiotics, the offer of coarser-ground feed, the addition of acids and medium-chain fatty acids, or the supplementation of feed with phytoadditives, to name but a few.  

I would like to invite you to publish your latest research results in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Petra Wolf
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • pig
  • gut health
  • microbiota
  • antibiotic reduction
  • phytoadditives

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 2477 KiB  
Article
Pre-Treatment with Bromelain Prevents Intestinal Dysbiosis in Pigs with Post-Weaning Diarrhea, without Increasing Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli
by Alison Collins and Bethany Bowring
Animals 2023, 13(20), 3229; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13203229 - 16 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1618
Abstract
Pigs are especially vulnerable to intestinal pathogens and dysbiosis in the first two weeks after weaning. Infection with enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli (ETEC) in combination with poor nutrition and hygiene can lead to diarrhea, poor growth and increased mortality. While neomycin and [...] Read more.
Pigs are especially vulnerable to intestinal pathogens and dysbiosis in the first two weeks after weaning. Infection with enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli (ETEC) in combination with poor nutrition and hygiene can lead to diarrhea, poor growth and increased mortality. While neomycin and zinc oxide can prevent post-weaning diarrhea (PWD), their broad-spectrum activity also kills commensal microbiota and can lead to the emergence of heavy metal and antimicrobial resistance. Bromelain prevents attachment of F4 ETEC to intestinal enterocytes by cleaving the host receptor. In controlled environmental facilities, weaned pigs treated with either therapeutic levels of neomycin sulfate, zinc oxide, bromelain or non-treated were monitored for diarrhea, weight gain, feed intake, feed efficiency, excretion of F4 ETEC, changes to their intestinal microbiomes and antimicrobial resistance in E. coli. The treatment effects were evaluated at weaning, during two weeks of treatment and for three weeks after treatments ceased. Minimal clinical signs of PWD were observed, except in zinc-treated pigs post treatment. Intestinal dysbiosis was observed in response to diarrhea and in pigs treated with both neomycin and zinc. Antimicrobial resistance increased in commensal E. coli isolated from neomycin- and zinc-treated pigs. In contrast, bromelain controlled PWD and prevented intestinal dysbiosis without inducing antimicrobial resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Measures and Feed Additives to Stabilise Intestinal Health in Pigs)
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12 pages, 2348 KiB  
Article
Development of an In Vivo Extended-Spectrum Cephalosporin-Resistant Escherichia coli Model in Post-Weaned Pigs and Its Use in Assessment of Dietary Interventions
by Tanya Laird, David Jordan, John Pluske, Josie Mansfield, Stuart Wilkinson, David Cadogan, Sam Abraham and Mark O’Dea
Animals 2023, 13(6), 959; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13060959 - 7 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1399
Abstract
Current interventions targeting antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a major impact on commercial pork production, focus on reducing the emergence of AMR by minimising antimicrobial usage through antimicrobial stewardship and a range of alternative control methods. Although these strategies require continued advancement, strategies that directly [...] Read more.
Current interventions targeting antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a major impact on commercial pork production, focus on reducing the emergence of AMR by minimising antimicrobial usage through antimicrobial stewardship and a range of alternative control methods. Although these strategies require continued advancement, strategies that directly aim to reduce or eliminate existing antimicrobial resistant bacteria, specifically bacteria resistant to critically important antimicrobials (CIAs), need to be investigated and established. This study established an in vivo model for examining the effects of postbiotics, in the form of Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation products (LFP) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (SFP), on the shedding of extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC)-resistant E. coli. The model was successful in demonstrating the presence of ESC-resistant E. coli as evidenced by its detection in 62 of 64 pigs. There was a strong trend (p = 0.065) for the SFP postbiotics to reduce the shedding of ESC-resistant E. coli, indicating positive impacts of this additive on reducing the carriage of bacteria resistant to CIAs. Overall, this in vivo model enables future evaluation of strategies targeting ESC-resistant E. coli while increasing our knowledge on the carriage of ESC-resistant E. coli in pigs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Measures and Feed Additives to Stabilise Intestinal Health in Pigs)
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10 pages, 261 KiB  
Article
Differential Impacts of Cereal and Protein Sources Fed to Pigs after Weaning on Diarrhoea and Faecal Shedding of Escherichia coli, Production, and Total Tract Apparent Digestibility
by John R. Pluske, Bruce P. Mullan, Jae Cheol Kim and David J. Hampson
Animals 2023, 13(5), 863; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050863 - 27 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1386
Abstract
Different cereal types, in combination with different protein sources, are fed to pigs after weaning, but their interactions and possible implications are not well researched. In this study, 84 male weaned piglets were used in a 21-day feeding trial to investigate the effects [...] Read more.
Different cereal types, in combination with different protein sources, are fed to pigs after weaning, but their interactions and possible implications are not well researched. In this study, 84 male weaned piglets were used in a 21-day feeding trial to investigate the effects of feeding either medium-grain or long-grain extruded rice or wheat, in a factorial combination with protein sources of either vegetable or animal origin, on postweaning performance, shedding of β–haemolytic Escherichia coli, and the coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD). Pigs fed either rice type performed the same (p > 0.05) as wheat-fed pigs after weaning. The use of vegetable protein sources reduced growth rate (p < 0.001) and feed intake (p = 0.007) and deteriorated the feed conversion ratio (p = 0.028) in weeks two and three compared to pigs fed animal protein sources. The number of antibiotic treatments given for clinical diarrhoea was similar (p > 0.05). However, the faecal E. coli score showed a trend for the main effect of protein source, with pigs fed animal proteins showing a higher E. coli score than pigs fed vegetable proteins (0.63 vs. 0.43, p = 0.057). There was also a tendency for an interaction (p = 0.069) between cereal type and protein source (p = 0.069), with this difference being associated with a greater faecal score in pigs fed diets with long-grain rice plus animal proteins and wheat plus animal proteins. Significant interactions occurred for the CTTAD when assessed in week three. In general, pigs fed diets with medium-grain rice or long-grain rice with animal proteins had a higher (p < 0.001) CTTAD for dietary components than pigs fed all other diets, and vegetable proteins depressed (p < 0.001) CTTAD compared to animal proteins (main effect of protein: p < 0.001). In summary, pigs tolerated the extruded rice-based diets well and performed equivalently to pigs fed wheat as the sole cereal, and the use of vegetable proteins decreased the E. coli score. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Measures and Feed Additives to Stabilise Intestinal Health in Pigs)
17 pages, 328 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Evaluation of Brown Seaweed Laminaria spp. as a Source of Antibacterial and Prebiotic Extracts That Could Modulate the Gastrointestinal Microbiota of Weaned Pigs
by Brigkita Venardou, John V. O’Doherty, Marco Garcia-Vaquero, Claire Kiely, Gaurav Rajauria, Mary J. McDonnell, Marion T. Ryan and Torres Sweeney
Animals 2023, 13(5), 823; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050823 - 24 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2378
Abstract
Laminaria spp. and their extracts have preventative potential as dietary supplements during weaning in pigs. The first objective of this study was to evaluate increasing concentrations of four whole seaweed biomass samples from two different Laminaria species harvested in two different months in [...] Read more.
Laminaria spp. and their extracts have preventative potential as dietary supplements during weaning in pigs. The first objective of this study was to evaluate increasing concentrations of four whole seaweed biomass samples from two different Laminaria species harvested in two different months in a weaned pig faecal batch fermentation assay. Particularly, February and November whole seaweed biomass samples of L. hyperborea (LHWB-F and LHWB-N) and L. digitata (LDWB-F and LDWB-N) were used. In the next part of the study, the increasing concentrations of four extracts produced from L. hyperborea (LHE1–4) and L. digitata (LDE1–4) were evaluated in individual pure-culture growth assays using a panel of beneficial and pathogenic bacterial strains (second objective). The LHE1–4 and LDE1–4 were obtained using different combinations of temperature, incubation time and volume of solvent within a hydrothermal-assisted extraction methodology (E1–4). In the batch fermentation assay, the L. hyperborea biomass samples, LHWB-F and LHWB-N, lowered Bifidobacterium spp. counts compared to the L. digitata biomass samples, LDWB-F and LDWB-N (p < 0.05). LHWB-F and LDWB-N reduced Enterobacteriaceae counts (p < 0.05). LHWB-F and LDWB-F were selected as the most and least promising sources of antibacterial extracts from which to produce LHE1–4 and LDE1–4. In the pure-culture growth assays, E1- and E4-produced extracts were predominantly associated with antibacterial and bifidogenic activities, respectively. LHE1 reduced both Salmonella Typhimurium and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli with LDE1 having a similar effect on both of these pathogenic strains, albeit to a lesser extent (p < 0.05). Both LHE1 and LDE1 reduced B. thermophilum counts (p < 0.05). LDE4 exhibited strong bifidogenic activity (p < 0.05), whereas LHE4 increased Bifidobacterium thermophilum and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum counts (p < 0.05). In conclusion, antibacterial and bifidogenic extracts of Laminaria spp. were identified in vitro with the potential to alleviate gastrointestinal dysbiosis in newly weaned pigs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Measures and Feed Additives to Stabilise Intestinal Health in Pigs)
15 pages, 1886 KiB  
Article
Dietary Epidermal Growth Factor Supplementation Alleviates Intestinal Injury in Piglets with Intrauterine Growth Retardation via Reducing Oxidative Stress and Enhancing Intestinal Glucose Transport and Barrier Function
by Xiaopeng Tang and Kangning Xiong
Animals 2022, 12(17), 2245; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12172245 - 30 Aug 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1953
Abstract
EGF plays an important role in the intestinal repair and nutrients transport of animals. However, the effect of EGF on the intestinal health of piglets with IUGR has not been reported. Thus, the present study was performed to investigate the effects of EGF [...] Read more.
EGF plays an important role in the intestinal repair and nutrients transport of animals. However, the effect of EGF on the intestinal health of piglets with IUGR has not been reported. Thus, the present study was performed to investigate the effects of EGF on the intestinal morphology, glucose absorption, antioxidant capacity, and barrier function of piglets with IUGR. A total of 6 NBW piglets and 12 IUGR piglets were randomly divided into three treatments: NC group (NBW piglets fed with basal diet, n = 6), IC group (IUGR piglets fed with basal diet, n = 6), and IE group (IUGR piglets fed with basal diet supplemented with 2 mg/kg EGF, n = 6). Growth performance, serum biochemical profile, jejunum histomorphology, jejunum glucose absorption and antioxidant capacity, and jejunal barrier function were measured. The results showed that EGF supplementation significantly increased the final body weight (FBW), average daily gain (ADG), and average daily feed intake (ADFI) of piglets with IUGR; EGF supplementation significantly increased the total protein (TP), glucose (GLU), and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels compared with the IUGR piglets in the IC group; EGF administration effectively exhibited an increased jejunum villus height (VH) and the villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio (V/C) of IUGR piglets compared with the IC group; EGF supplementation significantly increased sodium/potassium-transporting adenosine triphosphatase (Na+/K+-ATPase) activity, intestinal alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity, glucose transporter sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1), glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), and AMP-activated protein kinase α1 (AMPK-α1) mRNA expressions in the jejunum of IUGR piglets compared with the IC group; EGF supplementation exhibited increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) levels, tended to increase glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) activities, and tended to decrease the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the jejunum of IUGR piglets compared with the IC group; EGF supplementation significantly increased ZO-1, Claudin-1, Occludin, and MUC2 mRNA expressions and improved secreted immunoglobulin A (sIgA) secretion in the jejunum of IUGR piglets compared with the IC group and tended to decrease the interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels in the jejunum of IUGR piglets compared with the IC group. Pearson’s correlation analysis further showed that EGF can promote intestinal development and nutrient absorption by promoting intestinal barrier function, thus improving the growth performance of IUGR piglets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Measures and Feed Additives to Stabilise Intestinal Health in Pigs)
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Review

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28 pages, 463 KiB  
Review
Gut Health and Influencing Factors in Pigs
by Csaba Szabó, James Kachungwa Lugata and Arth David Sol Valmoria Ortega
Animals 2023, 13(8), 1350; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13081350 - 14 Apr 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6011
Abstract
The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a complex, dynamic, and critical part of the body, which plays an important role in the digestion and absorption of ingested nutrients and excreting waste products of digestion. In addition, GIT also plays a vital role in preventing [...] Read more.
The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a complex, dynamic, and critical part of the body, which plays an important role in the digestion and absorption of ingested nutrients and excreting waste products of digestion. In addition, GIT also plays a vital role in preventing the entry of harmful substances and potential pathogens into the bloodstream. The gastrointestinal tract hosts a significant number of microbes, which throughout their metabolites, directly interact with the hosts. In modern intensive animal farming, many factors can disrupt GIT functions. As dietary nutrients and biologically active substances play important roles in maintaining homeostasis and eubiosis in the GIT, this review aims to summarize the current status of our knowledge on the most important areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Measures and Feed Additives to Stabilise Intestinal Health in Pigs)
37 pages, 3479 KiB  
Review
Nutritional and Functional Roles of Phytase and Xylanase Enhancing the Intestinal Health and Growth of Nursery Pigs and Broiler Chickens
by Vitor Hugo C. Moita and Sung Woo Kim
Animals 2022, 12(23), 3322; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233322 - 28 Nov 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3246
Abstract
This review paper discussed the nutritional and functional roles of phytase and xylanase enhancing the intestinal and growth of nursery pigs and broiler chickens. There are different feed enzymes that are currently supplemented to feeds for nursery pigs and broiler chickens. Phytase and [...] Read more.
This review paper discussed the nutritional and functional roles of phytase and xylanase enhancing the intestinal and growth of nursery pigs and broiler chickens. There are different feed enzymes that are currently supplemented to feeds for nursery pigs and broiler chickens. Phytase and xylanase have been extensively studied showing consistent results especially related to enhancement of nutrient digestibility and growth performance of nursery pigs and broiler chickens. Findings from recent studies raise the hypothesis that phytase and xylanase could play functional roles beyond increasing nutrient digestibility, but also enhancing the intestinal health and positively modulating the intestinal microbiota of nursery pigs and broiler chickens. In conclusion, the supplementation of phytase and xylanase for nursery pigs and broiler chickens reaffirmed the benefits related to enhancement of nutrient digestibility and growth performance, whilst also playing functional roles benefiting the intestinal microbiota and reducing the intestinal oxidative damages. As a result, it could contribute to a reduction in the feed costs by allowing the use of a wider range of feedstuffs without compromising the optimal performance of the animals, as well as the environmental concerns associated with a poor hydrolysis of antinutritional factors present in the diets for swine and poultry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Measures and Feed Additives to Stabilise Intestinal Health in Pigs)
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