Interrelationship between gut morphology and faeces consistency in newly weaned piglets

A total of 104 weanling piglets was used to study the interrelationships between faeces consistency and mucosal integrity, as assessed by specific aminopeptidase and isomaltase-sucrase activity, villus height and crypt depth. Piglets were weaned at 26 (s.d. 1.4) days of age, weighing 84 (s.d. 0.70) kg. On the day of weaning (day 0), dissection was performed on one group of eight piglets. The remaining piglets were given restricted amounts of diets containing different protein sources. However, during the first 7 days post weaning 72% of the piglets ate on average less than 0.9 of the amount offered and thus actually had ad libitum access to food. On days 3 or 7 post weaning pigs were weighed and euthanased. Diet composition did not effect small intestine integrity and the data were pooled for further analysis. The weight of the stomach, large intestine and pancreas increased with time post weaning (P <0.001). Small intestine weight decreased from day 0 to 3 and was increased again on day 7, exceeding the pre-weaning value (P <0.001). Isomaltase-sucrase and aminopeptidase activities were decreased on days 3 and 7 when compared with day 0. Villus height was decreased after weaning, followed by an increase on day 7 post weaning at the proximal small intestine, but by a further decrease at the mid small intestine (P <0.001). Crypt depth was increased after weaning (P <0.001). Faeces consistency was scored twice a day on a scale from 0 to 3 with increasing liquid nature. The average percentage of days during which piglets had more-liquid faeces was 26%. During the 1st week post weaning, 73% of the piglets showed a faeces score of 2 during at least 1 day. Villus height was positively correlated with food intake level, brush-border enzyme activity and dry matter content of the chyme. Villus height was negatively correlated with more-liquid faeces. Crypt depth was positively associated with the weight of various parts of the gastro-intestinal tract. It is concluded that this study supports the concept that food intake by weaned piglets determines villus height in the small intestine and brush-border enzyme production which in turn determine the risk of diarrhoea developmen

Application of inulin-type fructans in animal feed and pet food

The inulin-type fructans are non-digestible oligosaccharides that are fermented in the gastrointestinal tract of farm animals and pets. This review focuses on the various effects of inulin-type fructans in pigs, poultry, calves and companion animals. Effects of the inulin-type fructans on gut microflora, digestion and availability of nutrients, gut morphology, fermentation characteristics and animal performance are discussed. Inulin-type fructans can support animal performance and health by affecting nutrient digestion, gut microflora and gut morphology, although results vary depending on composition of the basal diet, inclusion level, type of fructan, adaptation period and experimental hygienic conditions

Villus height and gut development in weaned piglets receiving diets containing either glucose, lactose or starch

The present study was designed to evaluate the differential effects of dietary glucose, lactose and starch on small-intestinal morphology, organ weights, pH of chyme and haptoglobin levels in blood plasma of weaned piglets. It was hypothesised that lactose consumption would ameliorate the weaning-induced decrease in gut integrity. A total of forty-two barrows were used. Piglets were weaned at 27 (sd 0·8) d of age and weighed 8·0 (sd 0·51) kg. On the day before weaning (day -1) all pigs were blocked according to body weight and randomly assigned to seven groups (n 6 per group). The groups differed in diet and day of dissection. On the day of weaning, dissection was performed on one group of six piglets. The remaining groups were fed one of three experimental diets in which glucose, lactose or starch had been iso-energetically exchanged, supplying 24 % dietary energy. The piglets received a liquid diet (air-dry meal:water of 1:2, w/w). The piglets were given access to a maximum of dietary energy in order to prevent confounding between feed intake and villus architecture. The piglets were dissected and sampled on days 0, 3, or 10 post-weaning. The results show that the carbohydrate source did not affect growth performance, organ weights, villus architecture, pH of chyme and plasma haptoglobin level. The weaning transition resulted in decreased villus height and increased haptoglobin levels. In the contents of the caecum and large intestine, the pH decreased after weaning. It is concluded that at least under conditions of similar feed intake and low infectious pressure, dietary lactose does not ameliorate the weaning-induced compromise of small-intestinal integrity when compared with either glucose or starch

Kennisscan wetenschappelijke onderzoeksrapporten m.b.t. risicobeoordelingen in de diervoedersector

In dit rapport is de nadruk gelegd op het ontstaan, de ontwikkeling en de implementatie van de (PDV, Productschap Diervoeder) risicobeoordelingen op generiek en bedrijfsniveau. Daarnaast is kort ingegaan op de beschikbare kennis in de andere geraadpleegde rapporten. Tevens is aandacht besteed aan het belang van traceerbaarheid van diervoedergrondstoffe

Beheersing van kritische punten in de diervoederketen ter ondersteuning van het toezichtsarrangement

In het begin van 2003 heeft de Voedsel en Waren Autoriteit (VWA) besloten, met instemming van het ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit (LNV), een ketenanalyse in de diervoedersector uit te voeren. Deelproject 3 van dit onderzoek is het toetsen van risicobeoordelingen en het vaststellen van kritische beheerspunten binnen de diervoedersector. Deelproject 3 is uitgevoerd door onderzoekers van Wageningen UR kennisinstellingen in het kader van het project "kritische punten diervoedingsketen”, uit satellietprogramma “Diervoeding”. Dit satellietprogramma is onderdeel van het LNV-DWK onderzoeksprogramma 414 “Maatschappelijk geaccepteerde veehouderij”. Het onderhavige rapport (deelproject 3c) benoemt de kritische punten in de diervoederketen en legt een basis voor het organiseren van een efficiënt toezich

GGO-vrije diervoederketens : kennisscan 2004

De Expertisegroep 'GGO-vrije ketens' van Wageningen UR komt tot deze conclusie dat de realisatie van diervoederketens zonder genetisch gemodificeerde organismen (GGO) steeds lastiger wordt. Binnen de huidige wettelijke kaders is bepaald dat hetpercentage GGO-bestanddelen dat onbedoeld in een partij GGO-vrije diervoeders terechtkomt maximaal 0,9%mag zijn. De biologische sector wil helemaal geen vermenging en streeft naar een percentage van 0%. Het produceren van GGO-vrije diervoeders isproblematisch omdat in belangrijke bestanddelen van diervoeders, met name soja en mais, in veel gevallen al sporen van GGO-variëteiten voorkomen. Dit zal nog verder bemoeilijkt worden als er GGO-varianten van meer gewassen hun intrede doen op de Europeseen wereldmarkt. Vermenging is dus zeer moeilijk te voorkomen en geheel GGO-vrije productie zal in de nabije toekomst alleen gerealiseerd kunnen worden met kostbare ketensystemen die ggo- en ggo-vrije productie gescheiden kunnen houden. Uit het onderzoekblijkt verder dat de mogelijkheden om GGO-vrij te produceren in de praktijk bepaald zal worden door het type veevoederproductieketens. Wanneer in bepaalde veevoeders meer gewassen verwerkt worden waarvan er wereldwijd al GGO-partijen op commerciële basisin productie zijn, zal het lastiger zijn om GGO-vrijeproductiesystemen te handhaven. Het ziet er naar uit dat de kosten voor GGO-vrije productie, moeten worden opgebracht door de sector die GGO-vrij wil leveren. Aangezien aansprakelijkheidskwesties bijonbedoelde vermenging voorlopig niet internationaal of EU-breed geregeld zullen worden, ligt het in de lijn der verwachting dat conflicten op dit terrein niet zullen uitblijven

Toets risicobeoordeling PDV en overzicht bestaande bedrijfseigen borgingssystemen in de diervoedersector

Dit rapport beschrijft de resultaten van het onderzoek gericht op de systematiek van de PDV-risicobeoordelingen. Daarbij is zowel aandacht besteed aan de generieke risicobeoordelingen van PDV (Productschap Diervoeder) als aan de verplichte systematiek van risicobeoordeling op bedrijfsniveau en (summier) aan de wijze waarop bedrijven daar daadwerkelijk invulling aan geve

Nutritional strategy affects gut wall integrity in weaned piglets

Weaning is a stressful event for pigs and induces changes in the gut integrity of pigs. Feed intake is a very important determinant for gut integrity. In this thesis the effect of nutritional strategies (with regard to feed intake level and physical structure of the feed) on changes in gut morphology, barrier function and inflammatory response were investigated. In the experiments individually housed piglets were fed diets at different intake levels with different physical forms and compositions during 4 to 14 days post weaning. The working hypotheses were that high feed intake minimizes the degeneration of the gut integrity and stimulates the regeneration of a compromised integrity.Weaning induced changes in gut integrity. Overall, feed intake level modulated parameters related to gut integrity like morphology, in vitro barrier function and inflammatory response. The effects found depended on sampling site in the gut and sampling day post weaning.Only the supply of reconstituted milk resulted in voluntary feed intake level sufficiently high to maintain gut integrity. In vitro paracellular permeability for small molecules was transiently increased after weaning, while permeability for large molecules was decreased. High intake feed (milk) resulted in lower permeability values compared to a low intake level.Changes in gut morphology and permeability were related to feed intake level. In most experiments, individual feed intake was also correlated with body weight gain and in some experiments with inflammatory response parameters. At a low feed intake level, gut barrier function was already affected at day 1 post weaning, followed by changes in gut morphology.Variation in parameters related to gut integrity between piglets within trials and between experiments was high making it very difficult to compare data of different experiments