Evaluating the Effects of Sodium Diformate on Finishing Pig Growth Performance

A total of 2,200 pigs (Duroc sire (PIC 800 or DNA 600) × PIC Camborough; initially 53.4 ± 0.66 lb) were used to conduct a 117-d growth trial to evaluate the effects of dietary sodium diformate level on grow-finish pig growth performance and carcass characteristics. Pens of pigs (25 pigs per pen) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with 22 replicates per treatment. Dietary treatments were corn-soybean meal-based with the addition of none, 0.25, 0.50, or 0.75% sodium diformate (Formi NDF; ADDCON Nordic AS, Porsgrunn, Norway). Diets were fed in 6 phases from 53 to 75, 75 to 145, 145 to 195, 195 to 245, 245 to 265, and 265 to 310 lb. From d 60 to 93, increasing sodium diformate increased (linear, P \u3c 0.01) ADG and ADFI. Additionally, from d 93 to 117, increasing sodium diformate in the diets increased (linear, P \u3c 0.05) ADG, ADFI, and improved (linear, P \u3c 0.05) feed efficiency. For the overall period (d 0 to 117), pigs fed increasing sodium diformate had increased (linear, P \u3c 0.01) ADG and a tendency for increased (linear, P = 0.075) ADFI; however, there was no evidence for differences (P \u3e 0.05) in feed efficiency. For carcass characteristics, no evidence of differences (P \u3e 0.10) was observed for any criteria. For economics, increasing sodium diformate in the diets increased (linear, P \u3c 0.001) feed cost and feed cost per lb of gain in both low and high price scenarios. However, there was a tendency for a quadratic effect (P = 0.059) for revenue, with pigs fed 0.25% sodium diformate generating the greatest revenue in both the low and high price scenarios. Due to the increased feed cost and quadratic response in revenue, pigs fed increasing sodium diformate had a quadratic (P \u3c 0.05) response in IOFC, with pigs fed no sodium diformate having the greatest IOFC. In conclusion, these data suggest that feeding increasing levels of sodium diformate improved ADG and ADFI after d 60 (~180 lb) in the grow-finish period. However, it is currently not economical to feed sodium diformate throughout the entire grow-finish period

Canine papillomatosis: a retrospective study of 24 cases (2001-2011) and immunohistochemical characterization

A retrospective study of 24 cases of papillomas in dogs was performed from January 2001 to March 2011. Additionally, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to characterize and evaluate the samples. We found that disease was observed more in mixed breed dogs, ages ranging from 6 months to 10 years (mean 3.1 years), and there was no gender predilection. The main lesion sites were the skin (75%), lips (16.7%), and eyelids (8.3%). Upon histological evaluation, we observed papillary exophytic proliferation of squamous epithelium and papillary endophytic proliferation (inverted) in 87.5% and 12.5% of cases, respectively. The tumors were characterized by spinous layer hyperplasia (87.5%) with koilocytes (70.8%) and intranuclear pale basophilic inclusions bodies (8.3%), prominent granular layer with large amounts of keratohyalin granules (95.8%), and hyperkeratosis in the stratum corneum (100%). Positive immunostaining for Papillomavirus was found in 83.3% of cases, which were distributed between the granular layer and the stratum corneum. These findings indicate the following: that papillomas in dogs are caused by Papillomavirus, the viral cytopathic effect induces epithelial lesions, viral particles are found inside the cell nuclei, and inclusions bodies are rare

Effect of supplementation of Calsporin (Bacillus subtilis C-3102) during gestation and lactation on sow and piglet performance until weaning

A total of 29 multiparous sows (Line 241; DNA, Columbus, NE) were used in a 106-d study to determine the effect of Calsporin (Quality Technology International, Inc., Elgin, IL) on sow and litter performance. Calsporin is a direct-fed microbial product based on viable spores of Bacillus subtilis C-3102. At d 30 of gestation, sows were assigned to treatments according to body weight (BW) and parity. Treatments consisted of a control diet or a diet supplemented with Calsporin at 500,000 CFU/g of complete feed in gestation and 1,000,000 CFU/g in lactation. Sow BW was collected on d 112 of gestation, farrowing, and weaning on d 19 of lactation. Piglet BW was collected at birth, on d 2 and 12 of lactation, and at weaning. Fecal scoring was conducted on d 2 and at weaning to categorize the fecal consistency using a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 indicating hard formed feces and 5 watery feces. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model (PROC GLIMMIX, SAS®) where treatment served as fixed effect and block as random effect. There was no evidence for differences (P>0.05) on sow BW during gestation and lactation or BW loss in lactation. There was a marginal response (P0.05) on piglet BW, weight gain, or percent weaned. A reduction in fecal firmness indicated by a marginal increase (P<0.081) in fecal scores on d 2 of piglets from sows fed Calsporin over those fed a control lactation diet. This study suggests that inclusion of Calsporin does not impact sow or piglet performance until weaning but there are marginal effects on sow ADFI during lactation and fecal consistency of piglets on 2 after birth

Boletín meteorológico diario: Número 357 - 2003 Diciembre 23

Mycobacterium sp. induz inflamação granuloma-tosa em diferentes espécies animais. Mycobacterium bovis e o complexo Mycobacterium avium são importantes patógenos de bovinos e suínos e podem causar infecção em humanos, principalmente imunossuprimidos. Perdas na produção, barreiras comerciais e prejuízos por condenação de carcaças em abatedouro/frigorífico estão atrelados à ocorrência dessas infecções, com prejuízos econômicos significativos. Foi realizado um estudo de casos diagnosticados como tuberculose em bovinos e linfadenite granulomatosa em suínos no Setor de Patologia Veterinária da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (SPV-UFRGS) no período de janeiro de 2007 a dezembro de 2011. Dados referentes à raça, ao sexo, à idade e ao histórico clínico foram compilados dos livros de registro e analisados. As características histológicas das lesões em linfonodos e pulmões foram avaliadas em Hematoxilina-Eosina, com predomínio de células gigantes nas lesões de tuberculose bovina e de macrófagos epitelioides em suínos. As técnicas histoquímicas de Ziehl-Neelsen e Tricrômico de Masson foram utilizadas para evidenciar, respectivamente, bacilos álcool-ácido resistentes e tecido conjuntivo fibroso nas lesões. A técnica de imuno-histoquímica foi utilizada em aproximadamente 30% dos casos estudados de cada espécie, selecionados aleatoriamente, para a caracterização do infiltrado linfocítico. Foram utilizados os anticorpos anti-CD3 para a marcação de linfócitos T e anti-CD79αcy para a marcação de linfócitos B. Linfócitos T predominaram nas lesões em ambas as espécies, com diferença estatisticamente significativa entre as médias dos linfócitos T e linfócitos B. Foi usado o teste t pareado, com t=5,501 (p<0,001) nas lesões dos bovinos e t=5,826 (p<0,001) para as lesões de linfadenite dos suínos. Adicionalmente foram marcados macrófagos com o uso do anticorpo anti-CD68 para bovinos e anti-Lisozima para suínos. Além desses, o anticorpo policlonal anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis foi utilizado para a detecção de bactérias do gênero Mycobacterium, com imunomarcação positiva em todos os casos e, nos casos dos suínos, houve marcação anti-Mycobacterium avium

Temporal dynamics of the fecal microbiome in female pigs from early life through estrus, parturition, and weaning of the first litter of piglets

Abstract Background Age-associated changes in the gastrointestinal microbiome of young pigs have been robustly described; however, the temporal dynamics of the fecal microbiome of the female pig from early life to first parity are not well understood. Our objective was to describe microbiome and antimicrobial resistance dynamics of the fecal microbiome of breeding sows from early life through estrus, parturition and weaning of the first litter of piglets (i.e., from 3 to 53 weeks of age). Results Our analysis revealed that fecal bacterial populations in developing gilts undergo changes consistent with major maturation milestones. As the pigs progressed towards first estrus, the fecal bacteriome shifted from Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group- and UCG-002-dominated enterotypes to Treponema- and Clostridium sensu stricto 1-dominated enterotypes. After first estrus, the fecal bacteriome stabilized, with minimal changes in enterotype transition and associated microbial diversity from estrus to parturition and subsequent weaning of first litter piglets. Unlike bacterial communities, fecal fungal communities exhibited low diversity with high inter- and intra-pig variability and an increased relative abundance of certain taxa at parturition, including Candida spp. Counts of resistant fecal bacteria also fluctuated over time, and were highest in early life and subsequently abated as the pigs progressed to adulthood. Conclusions This study provides insights into how the fecal microbial community and antimicrobial resistance in female pigs change from three weeks of age throughout their first breeding lifetime. The fecal bacteriome enterotypes and diversity are found to be age-driven and established by the time of first estrus, with minimal changes observed during subsequent physiological stages, such as parturition and lactation, when compared to the earlier age-related shifts. The use of pigs as a model for humans is well-established, however, further studies are needed to understand how our results compare to the human microbiome dynamics. Our findings suggest that the fecal microbiome exhibited consistent changes across individual pigs and became more diverse with age, which is a beneficial characteristic for an animal model system

Age influences the temporal dynamics of microbiome and antimicrobial resistance genes among fecal bacteria in a cohort of production pigs

Abstract Background The pig gastrointestinal tract hosts a diverse microbiome, which can serve to select and maintain a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG). Studies suggest that the types and quantities of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in fecal bacteria change as the animal host ages, yet the temporal dynamics of AMR within communities of bacteria in pigs during a full production cycle remains largely unstudied. Results A longitudinal study was performed to evaluate the dynamics of fecal microbiome and AMR in a cohort of pigs during a production cycle; from birth to market age. Our data showed that piglet fecal microbial communities assemble rapidly after birth and become more diverse with age. Individual piglet fecal microbiomes progressed along similar trajectories with age-specific community types/enterotypes and showed a clear shift from E. coli/Shigella-, Fusobacteria-, Bacteroides-dominant enterotypes to Prevotella-, Megaspheara-, and Lactobacillus-dominated enterotypes with aging. Even when the fecal microbiome was the least diverse, the richness of ARGs, quantities of AMR gene copies, and counts of AMR fecal bacteria were highest in piglets at 2 days of age; subsequently, these declined over time, likely due to age-related competitive changes in the underlying microbiome. ARGs conferring resistance to metals and multi-compound/biocides were detected predominately at the earliest sampled ages. Conclusions The fecal microbiome and resistome—along with evaluated descriptors of phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility of fecal bacteria—among a cohort of pigs, demonstrated opposing trajectories in diversity primarily driven by the aging of pigs