Microbial activity in the gut of piglets: effect of fibre source and enzyme supplementation

Twenty four Duroc×Landrace male piglets, aged 21 days, were assigned to 1 of 4 experimental diets. Diets 1 and 2 contained 150 g kg−1 wheat bran and diets 3 and 4 contained 90 g kg−1 maize cobs as the major fibre source. All diets contained 480 g kg−1 wheat and 200 g kg−1 soybean meal. Diets 2 and 4 were supplemented with the following enzyme complex: 800 U/kg cellulase, 1800 U/kg glucanase and 2600 U/kg xylanase. The replacement of wheat bran by maize cobs increased the acetic (Pb0.05) and decreased the butyric acid production (Pb0.05) in the cecum. Piglets fed diets with maize cobs had lower (Pb0.05) levels of butyric acid in the colon than those fed wheat bran. The xylanolytic, pectinolytic and cellulolytic enzyme activities were higher (Pb0.05) in the cecum and colon of piglets fed the wheat bran based diets. The supplementation of the diet with the enzyme complex did not significantly affect the levels of short chain fatty acids formed in the small intestine and there was a non significant increase of the levels of acetic, propionic and butyric acids in the cecum and colon of piglets (Pb0.10). No interactions were present between fibre sources and enzyme addition. The results suggest that the enzyme supplementation of the diet did not bring significant benefits to the animals and that when maize cobs replaces wheat bran in diets it negatively affects butyric acid production and fibre-degrading enzyme activity in the hindgut of piglets. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Microbial activity in the gut of piglets: effect of prebiotic and probiotic supplementation

Four groups of six 21 days-old piglets were used to evaluate the effect of a prebiotic or probiotic on the intestinal fermentative activity. In each group, piglets received one of the following diets: basal diet (C); basal diet supplemented with xylooligosaccharide (C-XOS); basal diet supplemented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (C-SC); and basal diet supplemented with xylooligosaccharide and S. cerevisiae (C-XOS+SC). The short chain fatty acids in the colon of piglets were decreased with the inclusion of S. cerevisiae in the diet (Pb0.01). The xylanolytic activity was higher (Pb0.05) in the small intestine of piglets fed C-XOS+SC diet, but no significant differences were found in the caecum and colon. In the caecum contents, the cellulolytic activity was increased (Pb0.05) by the C-XOS and C-SC diets, but remained similar when the diet was supplemented with the two additives combined

Effects of dietary fibre source and enzyme supplementation on faecal apparent digestibility, short chain fatty acid production and activity of bacterial enzymes in the gut of piglets

The effects of fibre source, either wheat bran (WB) or maize cobs (MC), and dietary exogenous enzymes (ES) on performance and digestive parameters of weaned piglets were studied in 24 Duroc×Landrace male piglets, weaned at 21 days of age. There were four treatments arranged factorially, with two sources of fibre (WB or MC) and two concentrations of ES (0 or 0.15 g/kg) that contained 800 U/kg of endo-1,4- -cellulase, 1800 U/kg of endo-1,3(4)- -d-glucanase and 2600 U/kg of endo-1,4- -xylanase. The digestibility of the neutral detergent fibre was higher (P<0.001) in diets containing WB and the digestibility of the acid detergent fibre increased with ES. Small intestine digesta contents (g/kg live weight) at slaughter were higher (P<0.01) in pigs fed MC than in pigs fed WB. Fibre source did not affect the amounts (mmol/l) of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) in the small intestine. However, replacement of WB by MC increased acetic acid and decreased butyric acid concentrations (P<0.05) in the caecum. In addition, pigs fed diets with MC as the major fibre source had lower (P<0.05) concentration of butyric acid in the colon than pigs fed diets with WB. Enzyme supplementation affected molar proportions of SCFA formed in the small intestine and tended to increase acetic acid, propionic acid and total SCFA concentrations in the colon of piglets fed WB (P<0.10). The xylanolytic and cellulolytic activities in the caecum and colon were higher (P<0.05) for piglets fed WB than for piglets fed MC. In conclusion, ES increased the digestibility of acid detergent fibre and neutral detergent fibre and the replacement of WB by MC reduced neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre digestibility, caecal butyric acid production and hindgut activity of bacterial enzymes

The use of chestnuts (Castanea sativa Mill.) as a source of resistant starch in the diet of the weaned piglet

tTwenty-four piglets, with a mean weight of 6.11 kg, were allocated to three experimentaldiets (8 piglets per diet). The starch content of the experimental diets was 39% consistingeither of 100% wheat starch (CD), 50% wheat starch and 50% chestnut starch (CN50) or 100%chestnut starch (CN100). The piglets received these diets for 35 days. Total tract apparentdigestibility (TTAD) was measured when piglets were aged 32–39 days and 46–53 days.Afterwards, the animals were sacrificed, their gastrointestinal compartments weighed, andthe contents of their caecum and colon collected. Diet did not influence the feed intakeor growth rate of the piglets, but had a significant effect on their feed conversion ratiowhich was 1.27, 1.30 and 1.37 for diets CD, CN50 and CN100, respectively (P=0.042). Pigletsreceiving the CN50 diet exhibited lower faecal scores compared to CD and CN100 groups( 2= 39.31, P<0.001). There was a trend (P=0.067) towards an increase in the TTAD of drymatter (DM) in the two chestnut-containing diets, but only when piglets were younger(32–39 days). The TTAD of crude protein (CP) was decreased (P<0.001) in CN100 group rel-ative to CD and CN50 groups, independently of age. Relative to the CD group, the coefficientof TTAD of NDF was increased by 0.18 units in the CN50 group and 0.25 units in the CN100group, when the piglets were aged 32–39 days. These differences were reduced to 0.09 and0.17 units, respectively, when the piglets were aged 46–53 days. There were tendencies(P<0.10) towards increases in the full and empty weights of the large intestine in CN100group. Moreover, diet had no significant effect on villus height and width. In the jejunum,crypt depth was reduced in CN100 group (P=0.006), while the villus height:crypt depth ratiowas increased with the CN50 and CN100 diets (P=0.018). Diet had no significant effect onDM and pH of the caecal or colonic contents. In the caecum, the concentration (mmol l−1) ofpropionic acid was 5.15, 9.43 and 14.7 (P=0.042) for diets CD, CN50 and CN100, respectively.The concentration (mmol l−1) of butyric acid was 3.50, 4.90 and 9.84 (P=0.025). Conversely,diet had no significant effect on the concentration of short chain fatty acids in the colon.In conclusion, chestnuts could be used as an alternative source of RS in the diet of weanedpiglets, although their feed conversion ratio (FCR) may be worsene

Isoleucine and valine supplementation of a low-protein corn-wheat-soybean meal-based diet for piglets: growth performance and nitrogen balance

The effects of Ile and Val supplementation of a low-CP, corn-wheat-soybean meal-based piglet diet on growth performance, incidence of diarrhea, and N balance were studied using 60 Landrace × Duroc male piglets in a 4-wk experiment. The 60 individually caged piglets were divided into 5 dietary treatments, each consisting of 12 piglets. Diet 1 was a positive control diet (20% CP); diet 2 was a low-CP negative control diet (17% CP); diets 3, 4, and 5 were low-CP diets to which Ile, Val, or the combination of Ile and Val were added, respectively. All diets were supplemented with Lys, Met, Thr, and Trp to provide the required concentrations of these AA according to the 1998 NRC. Average daily gain and ADFI were similar among pigs fed the positive control, Val-added, and the Val plus Ileadded diets. On wk-2 and wk-4, fecal score was greater (softer feces) in piglets fed the 20% CP level compared with the remaining treatments (P < 0.01). Nitrogen intake was decreased (P < 0.0001) in pigs fed diets containing low levels of CP compared with pigs fed the 20% CP diet. Fecal N excretion (g/d) was decreased (P < 0.05) in piglets fed low-CP diets at wk 1 and wk 4 of feeding, and in urine at wk 4 of feeding. Crude protein levels or AA supplementation had no effect on N retention efficiencies. These results indicate that the supplementation of Val alone, or in combination with Ile, to a low-CP piglet diet with adequate levels of Lys, Met, Thr, and Trp is necessary to achieve maximum performance in pigs consuming corn-wheat-soybean meal-based diets

Effect of prebiotic or probiotic supplementation and ileo rectal anastomosis on intestinal morphology of weaned piglets

Forty eight 21 days old piglets were used to compare the effect of prebiotic or probiotic supplementation and ileo rectal anastomosis on the morphology of the small intestine. Half of the piglets were maintained intact and the other half was subjected to an ileo rectal anastomosis (IRA). Each group of piglets received one of the following diets: 1) basal diet (C), 2) basal diet supplemented with a Xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS), 3) basal diet supplemented with a Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) and 4) basal diet supplemented with XOS and SC. Villus height was greatest with XOS and with XOS + SC, only in the ileum, as compared to controls. In the duodenum, crypt width was highest in the control group, but no significant differences were found in the jejunum and ileum. The IRA piglets had longer villi in the jejunum and shorter villi in the ileum. The crypt depth was greater in the duodenum and in the ileum of IRA piglets. Villus height/crypt depth was lower in the duodenum and in the ileum, in the IRA piglets. In conclusion, the XOS, but not the SC, moderately modified the intestinal morphology. The IRA modified the intestinal villus and crypt architecture but its consequence on the absorption of nutrients needs to be investigated

Role of a family 11 carbohydrate-binding module in the function of a recombinant cellulase used to supplement a barley based diet for broiler chickens

Cellulases and xylanases display a modular architecture that comprises a catalytic module linked to one or more non-catalytic carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs). CBMs have been classified into 52 different families, based on primary structure similarity. These non-catalytic modules mediate a prolonged and intimate contact of the enzyme with the target substrate eliciting efficient hydrolysis of the target polysaccharides. 2. A study was undertaken to investigate the importance of a family 11 CBM, displaying high affinities for barley -glucans, in the function of recombinant derivatives of cellulase CtLic26A-Cel5E of Clostridium thermocellum used to supplement a barley-based diet for broiler chicken. 3. The results showed that birds fed on diets containing the recombinant CtLic26A-Cel5E modular derivatives or the commercial enzyme mixture RovabioTM Excel AP displayed improved performance when compared with birds fed on diets not supplemented with exogenous enzymes. 4. It is suggested that the enzyme dosage used in this study (30 U/kg of basal diet), was probably too high for the efficacy of the family 11 CBM to be noticed. It remains to be established if the targeting effect resulting from the incorporation of CBMs in plant cell wall hydrolases may be effective at lower exogenous enzyme dosages