Activation of complement system in kidney after ketoprofen-induced kidney injury in sheep

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Survey of selected tick-borne diseases in dogs in Finland

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Late gestation diet supplementation of resin acid-enriched composition increases sow colostrum immunoglobulin G content, piglet colostrum intake and improve sow gut microbiota

Resin acid-enriched composition (RAC) mainly containing tall oil fatty acid with an active component of resin acid (RA) can improve the microbial population in the digestive system, change the microbial fermentation, and improve the feed conversion ratio. We investigated the effects of dietary supplementation of RAC on sow colostrum yield (CY), colostrum composition and gut microbiota. Tall oil fatty acid and RA are commonly termed RAC and CLA, pinolenic, abietic, dehydrobiotic acids are characteristic components of RAC. The experiment was conducted in three trials in three respective herds. Sows were fed with a control diet and the same diet supplemented with 5 g RAC/day per sow during the last week of gestation. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing technique was used to assess sows' faecal microbiota populations at farrowing. Colostrum nutritional composition, acute phase proteins (APPs) and immunoglobulin (Ig) content were also assessed. Individual piglets were weighed at birth and 24 h after the birth of first piglets in order to calculate CY and later at 3 to 4 weeks to calculate average daily gain. The RAC-fed sows had significantly higher IgG levels (P0.05), but those fed RAC had higher levels of colostrum serum amyloid A. Colostrum yield was significantly higher in RAC-fed sows in herds 2 and 3 with heavier piglets between 3 and 4 weeks of age (P0.05). Resin acid-enriched composition supplementation significantly increased some beneficial and fermentative bacteria (Romboutsia and Clostridium sensu stricto) than the control diet (PPeer reviewe

Herd-Level and Individual Differences in Fecal Lactobacilli Dynamics of Growing Pigs

We studied the fecal lactobacilli count and species diversity of growing pigs along with immune parameters associated with intestinal lactobacilli. Thirty pigs categorized as small (S, n = 12) or large (L, n = 18) at birth were followed from birth to slaughter in two commercial herds, H1 and H2. Herds differed in terms of their general management. We determined sow colostrum quality, colostrum intake, piglet serum immunoglobulins, and pig growth. We took individual fecal samples from pigs in the weaning and finishing units. We studied lactobacilli count and identified their diversity with 16S PCR. Total lactobacilli count increased in H1 and decreased in H2 between samplings. Lactobacilli species diversity was higher in H1 in both fecal sampling points, whereas diversity decreased over time in both herds. We identified altogether seven lactobacilli species with a maximum of five (one to five) species in one herd. However, a relatively large proportion of lactobacilli remained unidentified with the used sequencing technique. Small pigs had higher lactobacilli counts in both herds but the difference was significant only in H2 (p = 0.01). Colostrum quality was numerically better in H1 than in H2, where colostrum intake tended to be associated with total lactobacilli count (p = 0.05)

Factors affecting sow colostrum yield and composition, and their impact on piglet growth and health

The present study investigated sow colostrum yield (CY), colostrum composition and factors affecting them, and their relation to piglet survivability, growth and mortality. The study included 230 sows with 3,210 live-born piglets from five Finnish and one Dutch sow herd. Sow farrowing was supervised, and piglets were individually weighed at birth (BWB) and 24 h after birth of first piglet in order to calculate piglet CI and sow CY. Colostrum nutritional composition, immunoglobulin (Ig), serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) contents were assessed. Sow plasma SAA, Hp and progesterone around farrowing were also assessed. Selected ear-tagged piglets were weighed at 3 to 4 weeks of age to calculate individual average daily gain. Sow CY was positively correlated with plasma Hp (P = 0.029) and number of live-born piglets (P < 0.01). An additional minute of farrowing duration lowered the CY by 2.2 g (P = 0.01). Piglet CI was positively associated with piglet weight at birth (P < 0.001) and negatively associated with the number of live-born piglets in the litter and percentage of protein in the colostrum (P < 0.001). Both piglet CI and birth weight were positively associated with piglet average daily gain (ADG) (P < 0.001). Piglet survival from birth to weaning depends on CI. We established that the risk of piglet death or of a piglet being treated with antibiotic before weaning increases with a decrease in sow back fat thickness at farrowing (P = 0.04). Similarly, we found that piglets from litters with low BWB and low CI had a higher risk of death before weaning (P < 0.001). Piglets born from sows with lower levels of colostrum IgA and SAA and high plasma progesterone at the end of farrowing had a higher risk of neonatal diarrhea (P = 0.04; P = 0.05; P = 0.04). Piglets born from sows having higher back fat thickness at weaning had a higher risk of developing weaning diarrhea (P = 0.02). In conclusion, longer farrowing duration can be detrimental and can negatively influence sow CY. Sow body condition and physiological status around farrowing can also affect CY, and thereby increase piglet mortality and use of antibiotics in neonatal piglets. Neonatal piglets can benefit from higher colostrum immunoglobulins, SAA, and decreased level of plasma progesterone in sows at the end of farrowing.Peer reviewe

Herd-Level and Individual Differences in Fecal Lactobacilli Dynamics of Growing Pigs

We studied the fecal lactobacilli count and species diversity of growing pigs along with immune parameters associated with intestinal lactobacilli. Thirty pigs categorized as small (S, n = 12) or large (L, n = 18) at birth were followed from birth to slaughter in two commercial herds, H1 and H2. Herds differed in terms of their general management. We determined sow colostrum quality, colostrum intake, piglet serum immunoglobulins, and pig growth. We took individual fecal samples from pigs in the weaning and finishing units. We studied lactobacilli count and identified their diversity with 16S PCR. Total lactobacilli count increased in H1 and decreased in H2 between samplings. Lactobacilli species diversity was higher in H1 in both fecal sampling points, whereas diversity decreased over time in both herds. We identified altogether seven lactobacilli species with a maximum of five (one to five) species in one herd. However, a relatively large proportion of lactobacilli remained unidentified with the used sequencing technique. Small pigs had higher lactobacilli counts in both herds but the difference was significant only in H2 (p = 0.01). Colostrum quality was numerically better in H1 than in H2, where colostrum intake tended to be associated with total lactobacilli count (p = 0.05)

Dietary supplementation with yeast hydrolysate in pregnancy influences colostrum yield and gut microbiota of sows and piglets after birth

Dietary supplementation with yeast derivatives (YD) contributes to the health and physiology of sows and piglets, but few studies have focused on how it influences gut health and performance of sows and piglets. The goal was therefore to examine whether YD, based on brewer's yeast hydrolysate added to pregnancy diet, would affect colostrum composition, yield (CY) and gut microbiota of sows and piglets. Sows were allocated to either a control diet (n = 19) or a control diet supplemented with 2g YD/kg (n = 18) during the pregnancy. Piglets suckling belonging to the control sows (n = 114) and supplemented sows (n = 108) were also included in the study. Gut microbiota populations of sows at farrowing and piglets at one and four weeks of age were assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Colostrum samples were examined for nutritional composition and immunoglobulin (Ig) content. All piglets were individually weighed at birth and 24 hours later in order to calculate CY, and later at four weeks to calculate average daily gain (ADG). Protein, lactose and dry matter content of colostrum did not significantly differ between the two groups, while sows fed YD had higher levels of fat in their colostrum (P0.05). Colostrum yield was lower in the control than that in YD group (3701g vs. 4581 g; PPeer reviewe