Effect of intensity of feeding on the intestinal microflora of pigs.

In individual, single-phase feeding animals were fed extensively (group E--7 animals) or intensively (group I--7 animals) in semi ad libitum system. The mixtures differed in composition as well as energy and nutritional value, with constant ratio of protein to energy of 13.12:1 in intensive feeding and 13.04:1 in extensive feeding. Fibre content per 1 kg mixture was 3.43% in group I and 12.3% in group E. For microbiological studies samples were taken from the duodenum, ileum, jejunum and large intestine and both quantitative and qualitative differences in the microflora of the differently fed groups was found.

Characteristics of bacterial strains inhabiting the wood of coniferous trees.

The presented studies embraced samples of wood chips from coniferous trees which contained layers of duramen, alburnum and bark. Microbiological analysis involved qualitative and quantitative determination of bacterial flora inhabiting the studied wood material. The wood chips were found to contain primarily species belonging to the genera Bacillus and Pseudomonas. The presence of the potentially pathogenic species Bacillus cereus 1, Sphingomonas paucimobilis, Aeromonas salmonicida and Chryseomonas luteola was also demonstrated.

Tolerance to creosote oil of bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas isolated from the wood of coniferous trees.

A number of Pseudomonas sp. strains isolated from wood shavings not preserved with chemical agents were characterized by tolerance to concentrated creosote oil. Of eleven strains subjected to closer scrutiny, five showed good or very good growth in minimal medium with creosote oil as sole carbon and energy source. These isolates can be of potential use for the biodegradation of waste wood conserved with creosote oil.

Microbiological studies of feed and faeces of fatteners fed mixtures containing naked oat and permutite.

Quantitative and qualitative microbiological studies of feed mixtures and faeces of fatteners with body weight approximately 70 kg receiving complete mixtures: group I (control)--55% barley, II--55% naked oat, III--55% naked oat + 3% permutite were conducted. All mixtures were supplemented with the same protein concentrate for fatteners. It was found that feeding the fatteners with mixtures containing naked oat had a favourable effect on the composition of the faecal microflora, with increased participation of Lactobacillus spp. bacteria. The addition of permutite did not visibly affect the composition of the microflora and the observed differences between the groups can be attributed to the species of cereal in the feed mixture, with naked oat being far more favourable than barley. The addition of permutite seems to have a beneficial effect on the condition of the faecal matter of these animals, which contained a larger number of Saccharomyces spp. cells.

Effect of addition of "Greenline" preparations to feed mixtures for broilers on the composition of their intestinal microflora.

The current study deals with the possibility of replacing the antibiotic growth stimulator avilamycin, a mixture of oligosaccharides of the orthosomycin group, with the herbal preparations Greenline 1 and 2. The microbiological part of the study embraced examination of the intestinal microflora of broilers. The birds in the study belonged to four experimental groups, distinguished on the basis of feed supplements used. For the microbiological determination five birds from each group were selected at random and the contents of their small intestine was examined for given groups of microorganisms. The remaining birds in each group were examined and evaluated on the basis of zootechnical indices. Our results suggest that Greenline 1 efficiently eliminates certain pathogenic bacteria, above all lactose-positive bacteria belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococci. It seems that the presence of Greenline 1 in the feed mix used enhances the colonisation of the mucous membrane of the studied chicken with Lactobacillus lactic acid bacteria. This is indicated by the considerably higher number of these bacteria in the small intestine of the birds receiving the supplement Greenline 1.