Effect of Feeding Insoluble Fiber on the Microbiota and Metabolites of the Caecum and Feces of Rabbits Recovering from Epizootic Rabbit Enteropathy Relative to Non-Infected Rabbits.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of feeding insoluble fiber on the microbiota and metabolites of the caecum and feces of rabbits recovering from epizootic rabbit enteropathy relative to non-infected rabbits. Rabbits that had either recovered from epizootic rabbit enteropathy or ones that had never had epizootic rabbit enteropathy were fed on a diet of 32% or 36% neutral detergent fiber until they were 70 days of age. At this point, the short-chain fatty acid and ammonia levels were measured in caecotroph and fecal samples and compared using 2 × 2 ANOVA. The microbial composition of the samples was also analyzed using next-generation sequencing and compared by PERMANOVA. Caecotrophic samples from previously affected rabbits on lower fiber diets had higher short-chain fatty acid contents and higher species diversity index values for some indices (p < 0.05), although the fecal samples showed lower species diversity levels (p < 0.05). In addition, the PERMANOVA analyses demonstrated that differences were detected in the microbial composition of both fecal and caecotrophic samples, depending on the disease status at the outset of the experiment (p < 0.05). The results of this work show that, although there is some potential in the use of high-fiber diets for the treatment of rabbits that have had epizootic rabbit enteropathy, they are not able to produce the same digestive tract properties as those seen in rabbits that have never had the condition. This is true even after the rabbits have recovered from epizootic rabbit enteropathy.

Is the kafirin profile capable of modulating the ileal digestibility of amino acids in a soybean meal-sorghum diet fed to pigs?

The effects of kafirins on protein and amino acid ileal digestibility have not been evaluated in vivo in pigs. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of protein profile on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of amino acids. We used a sorghum hybrid with low tannin content (<0.5%). The same hybrid was harvested from 2 different plots with different kafirin profile. Sorghum with greater content of total kafirins had less content of γ- and α1-kafirins and higher content of ß- and α2-kafirins than that with lower content of total kafirins. Two sorghum-soybean meal (SBM) diets were formulated: 1) low kafirin (LK) content (32.2 g/kg) and 2) high kafirin (HK) content (48.1 g/kg). A control diet (maize-SBM) and a reference SBM-diet were also prepared. The reference diet was fed to all pigs following the experimental period and was used to estimate the AID of cereals by the difference method. "T" cannulas were fixed in the distal ileum of 18 barrows (6 by treatment), divided into 2 groups of 9 pigs. The pigs were fed 2.5 times their maintenance requirement of digestible energy (110 kcal/kg BW0.75). The AID of dry matter, protein, amino acids, and energy of the experimental diets was measured; the AID of cereals (maize, LK sorghum and HK sorghum) was estimated by the difference method. The maize-SBM diet was more digestible than the sorghum-SBM diets, only with respect to valine (P < 0.05). The AID of valine in the maize-SBM diet was higher than that in sorghum-SBM diets. The changes in kafirin profile between the diets only affected the AID of threonine (P < 0.01), which decreased by 9.5 percentage units in LK diet compared with HK diet. Regarding the AID of cereals, maize exhibited greater AID than sorghum, with respect to valine (P < 0.01) and serine (P < 0.10). A comparison of sorghum with LK and HK content showed that the AID of threonine and serine increased by 50.5 (P < 0.001) and 19.2 percentage units (P < 0.05) in the latter, respectively. The higher content of γ-kafirins in LK sorghum negatively affected threonine and serine digestibility, implying that the AID of amino acids is affected more by the profile than the content of kafirins.

Neutral detergent fiber increases endogenous ileal losses but has no effect on ileal digestibility of amino acids in growing pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) on endogenous amino acids and protein ileal losses; and also apparent ileal digestibility (AID), and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids and crude protein. Sixteen barrows were fed four protein-free diets containing graded NDF levels in Experiment 1. NDF was a mixture of sugarcane bagasse and corn leaves (SBCL). Twenty-four barrows were fed diets with soybean protein concentrate (SPC) or casein as protein sources and SBCL or corncobs (CC) as NDF sources in Experiment 2. In Experiment 1, a linear increase (P < 0.05) in endogenous amino acid and protein ileal losses was observed with increased NDF levels, except for arginine, histidine, methionine and proline. In Experiment 2, protein (P < 0.001) and NDF (P < 0.01) sources significantly affected AID of dry matter, which was higher in casein diets (71.7%) and CC diets (70.7%). Protein and NDF sources significantly affected (P < 0.05) SID of crude protein, which was higher in casein diets (92.8%) and CC diets (92.7%). NDF source had no effect (P > 0.05) on SID of amino acids. Overall, this study showed that NDF increased endogenous amino acid and protein ileal losses, but did not affect ileal digestibility of amino acids.

Effects of corn gluten feed inclusion at graded levels in a corn-soybean diet on the ileal and fecal digestibility of growing pigs.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the effect of the inclusion of corn gluten feed (CGF) on the apparent and standardized ileal digestibility of protein and amino acids and the apparent ileal and total tract digestibility of energy in growing pigs. The study was performed using 16 barrows (weight, 45.3 ± 4.5 kg) that were fitted with a T cannula at the terminal ileum. There were four treatments: a corn-soybean diet without CGF and three corn-soybean diets containing increasing levels of CGF (65, 130, and 195 g/kg). Data were analyzed according to a randomized complete block design, four blocks with four pigs each (one pig per treatment). The trend of the response (linear or quadratic) was determined using orthogonal contrasts, and when a linear effect was determined, a linear equation was obtained. RESULTS: The results showed that the inclusion up to 195 g/kg of CGF in the corn-soybean diet did not diminish the ileal digestibility (apparent and standardized) of protein and amino acids (P > 0.05), except that of phenylalanine, cystine, and proline. A linear decrease (P < 0.05) per gram of CGF added to the diet in the apparent and standardized ileal digestibility of phenylalanine (0.011 and 0.015 percentage units, respectively), cystine (0.048 and 0.043 percentage units, respectively), and proline (0.045 and 0.047 percentage units, respectively) was noted. Similarly, ileal digestibility of dry matter and energy were adversely affected (reduced by 0.028 and 0.025 percentage units, respectively, per gram of CGF increment in the diet). A significant (P < 0.05) linear reduction in total tract digestibility with increase in CGF amount in the diet was observed for energy (0.027 percentage units), dry matter (0.027 percentage units), crude protein (0.020 percentage units), and neutral detergent fiber (0.041 percentage units) per gram of CGF added to the diet. CONCLUSION: CGF did not affect the ileal digestibility of protein and most amino acids but reduced the ileal and total tract digestibility of energy.

Metabolizable energy, nitrogen balance, and ileal digestibility of amino acids in quality protein maize for pigs.

BACKGROUND: To compare the nutritional value and digestibility of five quality protein maize (QPM) hybrids to that of white and yellow maize, two experiments were carried out in growing pigs. In experiment 1, the energy metabolizability and the nitrogen balance of growing pigs fed one of five QPM hybrid diets were compared against those of pigs fed white or yellow maize. In experiment 2, the apparent and standardized ileal digestibility (AID and SID, respectively) of proteins and amino acids from the five QPM hybrids were compared against those obtained from pigs fed white and yellow maize. In both experiments, the comparisons were conducted using contrasts. RESULTS: The dry matter and nitrogen intakes were higher in the pigs fed the QPM hybrids (P < 0.05) than in the pigs fed white or yellow maize. Energy digestibility (P < 0.001) and metabolizability (P < 0.01) were higher in the pigs fed the white and yellow maize diets than in those fed the QPM diets. The AID of lysine was higher (P < 0.01) in the QPM diets than in the white and yellow maize. The AIDs of leucine, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, and methionine were lower in the QPM diets than those of maize (white and yellow) (all P < 0.05). Maize (white and yellow) had greater SIDs of leucine, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, glutamic acid, serine, alanine, tyrosine, and proline (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, it was concluded that QPM had a lower metabolizable energy content and a higher amount of digestible lysine than normal maize.

Estimation of endogenous protein and amino acid ileal losses in weaned piglets by regression analysis using diets with graded levels of casein.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have investigated endogenous loss of proteins and amino acids (AAs) at the ileal level in growing pigs. However, only a few studies have researched this subject in piglets. Knowledge regarding AA ileal digestibility in piglets would be helpful during the formulation of diets for weaning piglets, rather than just using coefficients obtained in growing pigs. Therefore, in this study, we sought to estimate endogenous protein and AA ileal losses in piglets. Furthermore, apparent and true ileal digestibility (AID and TID) of protein and AAs from casein were measured. RESULTS: The average flow of protein was 20.8 g/kg of dry matter intake (DMI). Basal protein loss, as estimated by regression, was 16.9 g/kg DMI. Glutamic acid, arginine, and aspartic acid (2.2, 1.4, and 1.2 g/kg DMI, respectively) were the AAs for which greater losses were seen. The AID of protein and AAs increased as the protein level in the diet increased. A higher increment in AID was observed between diets with 80 and160 g CP/kg of feed; this finding was mainly attributable to increases in glycine and arginine (46.1% and 18%, respectively). The TID of protein was 97.8, and the TID of AAs varied from 93.9 for histidine to 100.2 for phenylalanine. CONCLUSIONS: The basal endogenous protein loss in piglets was 16.9 g/kg DMI. Endogenous protein was rich in glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and arginine, which represented 32.7% of endogenous protein loss in weaning piglets. The TID of casein was high and varied from 93.0 for histidine to 100.2 for phenylalanine.

Cambios nutrimentales en el lechón y desarrollo morfofisiológico de su aparato digestivo / Nutritional changes in piglets and morphophysiologic development of their digestive tract

This review shows the development of the pig gastrointestinal tract (GIT) since intrauterine life. Immediately after birth, the GIT begins another important stage in its ontogenesis, which ensures for the piglets to have access to the protective substances in colostrum and milk nutrients. Another important stage in the development of the GIT begins after weaning. In general, life changes in the days around weaning leading to a decrease in feed intake, which, in turn, leads to nutritional stress that results in the atrophy of intestinal villi, diminishing the piglets ability to digest and absorb nutrients necessary for growth. The small intestine loses weight due to a net loss of intestinal mucosa. The decrease in voluntary feed intake also produces a reduction in both pancreatic enzyme activity, due to lack of substrate, and brush border enzyme activity, due to physical loss of enterocytes in the small intestine and to lack of substrate. Once the animals begin to eat solid food the organism goes through an adaptation process to all the adverse factors previously mentioned and GIT growth and digestive function are restored. During this process, the amount of feed provided to the newly weaned piglet and the ingredients used play an important role in GIT maturation.

En esta revisión se muestra el desarrollo que tiene el tracto gastrointestinal (TGI) desde la vida intrauterina. Inmediatamente después del nacimiento el TGI inicia otra fase importante de su ontogénesis, la cual garantiza el acceso de los lechones a sustancias protectoras del calostro y a los nutrimentos de la leche. Otra etapa de importancia en el desarrollo del TGI se da después del destete, en general, en los días alrededor del mismo se presentan cambios en la vida del lechón los cuales conducen a una disminución en el consumo de alimento por la confluencia de una serie de factores que llevan a un estrés nutricional, y tiene como consecuencia la atrofia en las vellosidades intestinales, disminuyendo la capacidad del lechón para digerir y absorber los nutrimentos necesarios para su buen crecimiento. El peso del intestino delgado se ve afectado debido a una pérdida neta de mucosa intestinal. La disminución en el consumo voluntario también produce una reducción en la actividad de las enzimas pancreáticas, por la falta del sustrato necesario para su acción, y de las enzimas de borde en cepillo, en primer lugar por una pérdida física de enterocitos a nivel del intestino delgado y, en segundo lugar, por una ausencia de sustrato. Una vez que los animales empiezan a consumir alimento sólido, el organismo pasa por un proceso de adaptación a todos los factores adversos antes mencionados y los animales comienzan a recuperar el crecimiento del TGI y con ello sus funciones digestivas. En este proceso, la cantidad de alimento que se proporciona, así como las materias primas que lo componen, tienen un papel importante en la maduración del TGI de los lechones recién destetados.

Algunos factores fisiológicos y nutricionales que afectan la incidencia de diarreas posdestete en lechones / Some physiological and nutritional factors affecting the incidence of post-weaning diarrhea in piglets

Weaning causes disturbances in the digestive function and intestinal health of piglets and is almost always associated with a severe growth depression and diarrhea. For this reason antibiotics in sub-therapeutic doses are often added to feed to prevent diarrhea and as growth promoters. However, due to the ban of antibiotics in feedstuffs in different parts of the world, an increase in post-weaning diarrhea in piglets has been observed. Several nutritional strategies have been used as control measures. This work reviews some aspects of nutrition, digestive physiology, intestinal microflora in weaned piglets and their relationship with post-weaning diarrhea. It is concluded that the use of probiotics and prebiotics in pig starter diets may be an alternative to replace antibiotics in post-weaning diarrhea control. Fed piglets after weaning with a low crude protein diet (17%) instead to high crude protein diets (23% or more), may also be an efficient strategy to diarrhea control through the reduction in the urea nitrogen level in plasma and the production of microbial toxic metabolites such as ammonia, which indicates a reduction in the fermentation of proteins and contributes to maintain intestinal health.

El destete produce perturbaciones en el funcionamiento digestivo y en la salud intestinal de los lechones y casi siempre se asocia con una severa depresión del crecimiento y diarrea. Por ello, con frecuencia se agregan dosis subterapéuticas de antibióticos al alimento como medida preventiva contra las diarreas y como promotores de crecimiento. Sin embargo, debido a la prohibición del uso de antibióticos en la alimentación animal, en diferentes partes del mundo se ha observado un incremento de las diarreas posdestete en lechones. Para contrarrestar este problema se ha promovido el uso de estrategias nutricionales como medidas de control. El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo revisar algunos aspectos relacionados con la nutrición, la fisiología digestiva, la microbiota intestinal de lechones recién destetados y su relación con las diarreas posdestete. Se concluyó que el uso de probióticos y prebióticos en las raciones iniciadoras puede ser una alternativa para reemplazar los antibióticos en control de las diarreas posdestete. Alimentar a los lechones después del destete con dietas con niveles bajos de proteína cruda (17% de PC, en lugar de 23% o más) también puede ser una estrategia eficiente para controlar diarreas. Esto a través de la reducción del nivel de nitrógeno ureico plasmático y de la producción de metabolitos microbianos tóxicos, como el amoniaco, lo que indica una reducción en la fermentación de proteínas y contribuye a mantener la salud intestinal.

Disponibilidad de ingredientes no tradicionales con potencial de ser usados en la alimentación de cerdas gestantes en el Bajío mexicano / Nontraditional available ingredients with potential to be used in gestating sow feeding in the Mexican Bajio

In order to identify existing agro-industrial by-products and remainders in the region of the Mexican Bajio, which by their availability and level of production could be incorporated in the feeding of gestating sows, the statistical information of agricultural products that by an agro-industrial process generate by-products for livestock was integrated. In this sense, a list of by-product processing plants was created. Likewise, a survey was designed and applied to a significant sample (equation of sampling proportions for maximum variance) of these companies, to know the amounts of raw materials used, transformation coefficients, and the amount and destiny of generated by-products. According to the aforementioned, the future availability of these by-products was determined and regression models were designed. The by-products and remainders that were identified as feasible to be used were more than twenty. However, on the basis of the annual supply and demand of each by-product, the ones that showed the greatest potential to be used in feeding gestating sows were the following: rice husk (4 375 ton), saved of rice (2 905 ton), sesame meal (between 14 400 and 28 800 ton), cabbage remainders (1 092 ton), broccoli and cauliflower remainders (annual 13 400 and 1 800 ton, respectively), avocado remainders (4 800 ton) and palm oil for frying process of nuts (12 000 L). Those with better potential while measuring their future availability are broccoli and cauliflower remainders. With the aim to use agro-industrial by-products and remainders available in the Bajio for sow feeding, bromatologic and nutritional characteristics should be determined, as well as its possible impact on the energy and protein digestibility and sow performance.

Con el propósito de identificar subproductos y desechos agroindustriales existentes en la región del Bajío mexicano, que por su disponibilidad y nivel de producción pudieran ser incorporados en la alimentación de las cerdas gestantes, se integró la información estadística de productos agrícolas que mediante un proceso agroindustrial generan subproductos para consumo pecuario. En este contexto, se creó un padrón de empresas procesadoras de dichos productos; asimismo, se diseñó y aplicó una encuesta a una muestra significativa (muestreo de proporciones de varianza máxima) con el fin de conocer las cantidades de materias primas utilizadas, los coeficientes de transformación, la cantidad de subproductos generados y, finalmente, su destino. De acuerdo con lo anterior, se dispuso estimar la disponibilidad futura de estos subproductos y se diseñaron modelos de regresión. Más de 20 subproductos y desechos se identificaron como factibles para utilizarse. Sin embargo, con base en la oferta y en la demanda anual de cada uno de éstos, los que mostraron mayor potencial de uso fueron: cascarilla de arroz y salvado de arroz (4 375 ton y 2 905 ton, respectivamente), pasta de ajonjolí (entre 14 400 y 28 800 ton), desperdicio de col (1 092 ton), desechos de brócoli (13 400 ton), desechos de coliflor (1 800 ton), desechos de aguacate (4 800 ton) y aceite de palma para fritura (12 000 L). Los de mejor potencial al medir su disponibilidad futura son los desechos de brócoli y coliflor. Con el propósito de aprovechar los subproductos y desechos agroindustriales disponibles en el bajío para la alimentación de la cerda adulta, deben determinarse las características bromatológicas y nutritivas de aquéllos, así como su posible impacto sobre la digestibilidad de la energía y proteína en la dieta y en el desempeño productivo de la cerda.

Endogenous ileal losses of nitrogen and amino acids in pigs and piglets fed graded levels of casein.

In order to determine ileal losses of nitrogen (N) and amino acids (AA) and the coefficients of apparent and true ileal digestibility (AID, TID) of N and AA from casein in piglets and pigs, two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, 24 piglets were used. The piglets were weaned at 17 days of age, weighing 6.4 kg and cannulated at terminal ileum. Ileal digesta was collected at 28-29 and 35-36 days of age in period 1 and 2, respectively. Feed intake was 150 and 300 g x d(-1) during the first and second period. In Experiment 2, 16 castrates weighing 52.5 kg and cannulated at terminal ileum were used. The intake level of digestible energy was 2.5 times their maintenance requirement. The experiment lasted 7 days and ileal digesta was collected on day 6-7. Treatments consisted of four levels of N from casein: 8, 16, 24 and 32 g N x kg(-1) feed, respectively. Results showed that N level did not increase N or AA ileal losses. In piglets, N and AA ileal losses were similar between periods, except for period 2, where losses per kg DMI were about 47 and 64% higher for glycine and proline, respectively (p < 0.05). When ileal losses from pigs and piglets were compared, piglets had higher (p < 0.05) ileal losses of N and AA (excepted glutamic acid and alanine). A lower (p < 0.05) AID was observed in piglets in period 2 for N, methionine, glutamic acid, glycine and proline. With exception of glycine in pigs, all values for TID of N and AA of casein were superior to 0.90. Piglets had higher TID of N, leucine, isoleucine, valine and phenylalanine. These results showed that piglets have higher ileal losses than pigs.