Evaluation of fermented corn protein and its effects in either high or low branch chain amino acid to leucine ratio diets on nursery pig performance and feed intake preference.

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate fermented corn protein (FCP) in nursery pig diets. The removal of non-fermentable components before fermentation of DDGS results in high protein dried distillers grains (HPDDGs). Fermented corn protein is produced when protein and yeast fraction syrup from ethanol production is added back to HPDDGs resulting in a product with up to 50% CP and 2% Lys. In Exp. 1, 350 barrows, initially 6.0 kg, were used to evaluate FCP as a replacement to enzymatically treated soybean meal. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial with main effects of specialty protein source (FCP or enzymatically treated soybean meal) and level (5 or 10%) or a control diet without any specialty protein source. There were 5 pigs per pen and 14 replications per treatment. From d 0 to 31, pigs fed enzymatically treated soybean meal had improved (P < 0.05) ADG and feed efficiency (G:F) compared to pigs fed FCP. In Exp. 2, 350 pigs, initially 12.1 kg, were used to determine the effects of FCP with high or low Ile and Val (Ile + Val):Leu ratio on growth performance. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial with main effects of FCP level (10 or 20%) and Ile + Val:Leu ratio (low or high) in addition to a corn-soybean meal control diet with 5 pigs per pen and 14 replications per treatment. From d 0 to 21, ADG, ADFI, and G:F worsened (linear, P < 0.001) as FCP increased. High Ile + Val:Leu improved (P < 0.05) G:F compared to low Ile + Val:Leu. In Exp. 3, 180 pigs, initially 7.7 kg, were used in a feed intake preference trial evaluating various FCP fractions. A total of 6 diet comparisons with 5 pigs per pen and 6 replications per comparison were used. Corn protein sources and fractions used included: FCP, HPDDGs, whole stillage solids (approximately 2/3 of FCP), and thin stillage solids (approximately 1/3 of FCP), and a control diet. Pigs preferred (P < 0.001) the control diet by consuming 82.5% of their intake compared with a diet containing FCP. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in feed consumption of diets containing whole stillage solids compared to FCP. Pigs preferred (P = 0.001) the diet containing thin stillage solids by consuming 75.8% of their intake with this diet compared to the diet containing FCP. In conclusion, feeding FCP decreased growth performance in nursery pigs, but increasing Ile + Val:Leu improved G:F. Diet preference comparisons suggest that whole stillage solids are the component of FCP that leads to reduced feed intake.

Effects of yeast-based pre- and probiotics in lactation diets of sows on litter performance and antimicrobial resistance of fecal Escherichia coli of sows.

A total of 80 sows (Line 241; DNA, Columbus, NE) across three farrowing groups were used in a study to evaluate the effect of feeding live yeast and yeast extracts to lactating sows on sow and litter performance and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of sow fecal E. coli. Sows were blocked by farrowing group, BW, and parity on day 110 of gestation and allotted to 1 of 2 dietary treatments. Dietary treatments consisted of a standard lactation diet with or without yeast-based pre- and probiotics (0.10% Actisaf Sc 47 HR+ and 0.025% SafMannan; Phileo by Lesaffre, Milwaukee, WI). Diets were fed from day 110 of gestation until weaning (approximately d 19 post-farrow). A tendency (P = 0.073) was observed for increased feed intake through lactation when sows were fed a diet with yeast additives compared with the control diet. There was no evidence (P > 0.10) that treatment influenced any other sow or litter performance measurements. Fecal samples were collected upon entry into the farrowing house and at weaning from the first farrowing group (27 sows) to determine the resistance patterns of E. coli. E. coli was isolated from fecal samples and species confirmed by PCR detection of uidA and clpB genes. Microbroth dilution method was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of E. coli isolates to 14 antimicrobials. Isolates were categorized as either susceptible, intermediate, or resistant based on Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. An interaction (P = 0.026) of diet × sampling day was observed for cefoxitin where fecal E. coli showed no evidence of treatment differences (P = 0.237) in MIC values at entry, but sows fed the control diet had lower (P = 0.035) MIC values at weaning compared with sows fed yeast additives. There were no diet main effects (P > 0.10) on the resistance of fecal E. coli. There was an increased (P < 0.02) toward resistance for 11 of the 14 antimicrobials over time. Fecal E. coli were resistant to tetracycline and ceftriaxone at weaning. Fecal E. coli were susceptible or intermediate in all sampling days to the remaining antimicrobials. In conclusion, feeding live yeast and yeast extracts tended to increase feed intake during lactation but did not influence either sow or litter performance measurements or the resistance of fecal E. coli during lactation except for cefoxitin, which had a higher MIC at the end of lactation when yeast additives were present in the diet.

Feeding sows live yeast and yeast extracts from day 110 of gestation through lactation tended to increase lactation feed intake but did not affect any other sow or litter performance criteria. Live yeast and yeast extracts in the diet had minimal effect on the antimicrobial resistance of fecal E. coli isolates. Regardless of the diet, fecal E. coli isolates were susceptible to 11 of the 14 antimicrobials when sows entered the farrowing house. But most of the antimicrobials were classified as intermediate or with a tendency toward resistance at weaning even though none of these antibiotics were used during the lactation period. Our findings agree with other cross-sectional studies on AMR where high AMR gene levels reported among young pigs were attributed to sow population.

Influence of yeast-based pre- and probiotics in lactation and nursery diets on nursery pig performance and antimicrobial resistance of fecal Escherichia coli.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the impact of various combinations of yeast-based direct fed microbials (DFM) in diets fed to nursery pigs weaned from sows fed lactation diets with or without yeast additives. In Exp. 1, 340 weaned pigs, initially 5.1 kg ± 0.02, were used to evaluate previous sow treatment (control vs. yeast additives) and nursery diets with or without added yeast-based DFM on growth performance and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of fecal Escherichia coli. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of sow treatment (control vs. yeast-based pre- and probiotic diet; 0.10% ActiSaf Sc 47 HR+ and 0.025% SafMannan, Phileo by Lesaffre, Milwaukee, WI) and nursery treatment (control vs. yeast-based pre- and probiotic diet; 0.10% ActiSaf Sc 47 HR+, 0.05% SafMannan, and 0.05% NucleoSaf from days 0 to 7, then concentrations were decreased by 50% from days 7 to 24) with 5 pigs per pen and 17 replications per treatment. Progeny from sows fed yeast additives had increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) from days 0 to 24 and days 0 to 45. However, pigs that were fed yeast additives for the first 24 d in the nursery tended to have decreased days 0 to 45 ADG (P = 0.079). Fecal E. coli isolated from pigs from the sows fed yeast group had increased (P = 0.034) resistance to nalidixic acid and a tendency for increased resistance to ciprofloxacin (P = 0.065) and gentamicin (P = 0.054). Yet, when yeast additives were added in the nursery, there was reduced (P < 0.05) fecal E. coli resistance to azithromycin and chloramphenicol. In Exp. 2, 330 weaned pigs, initially 5.8 kg ± 0.03, were used to evaluate diets with two different combinations of DFM on growth performance. Treatments were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial with main effects of sow treatment (same as described in Exp. 1) and nursery treatment (control; YCW, 0.05% of SafMannan from days 0 to 38 and NucleoSaf at 0.05% from days 0 to 10 and 0.025% from days 10 to 24; or DFM, 0.10% MicroSaf-S from days 0 to 38 and NucleoSaf at 0.05% from days 0 to 10 and 0.025% from days 10 to 24) with 6 pigs per pen and 8 to 10 replications per treatment. From days 0 to 10 post-weaning, progeny of sows fed yeast additives had increased (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F. In conclusion, feeding sows yeast through lactation improved offspring growth performance in the nursery. Although feeding live yeast and yeast extracts reduced nursery pig performance in Exp. 1, feeding DFM improved growth later in the nursery period in Exp. 2.

Feeding sows a diet containing live yeast and yeast extract from day 110 of gestation through weaning resulted in progeny that were heavier at weaning and had increased average daily gain and average daily feed intake throughout the nursery period. However, feeding yeast additives to pigs only in the nursery tended to reduce average daily gain. Fecal E. coli isolates from offspring that were fed yeast showed tendency towards antimicrobial resistance among fecal E. coli isolates to nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin. Yet, feeding live yeast and yeast extracts in the nursery phase may reduce the antimicrobial resistance of fecal E. coli to azithromycin and chloramphenicol.

Live yeast and yeast extracts with and without pharmacological levels of zinc on nursery pig growth performance and antimicrobial susceptibilities of fecal Escherichia coli.

A total of 360 weanling barrows (Line 200 ×400, DNA, Columbus NE; initially 5.6 ± 0.03 kg) were used in a 42-d study to evaluate yeast-based pre- and probiotics (Phileo by Lesaffre, Milwaukee, WI) in diets with or without pharmacological levels of Zn on growth performance and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of fecal Escherichia coli. Pens were assigned to one of four dietary treatments with five pigs per pen and 18 pens per treatment. Dietary treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of yeast-based pre- and probiotics (none vs. 0.10% ActiSaf Sc 47 HR+, 0.05% SafMannan, and 0.05% NucleoSaf from days 0 to 7, then concentrations were lowered by 50% from days 7 to 21) and pharmacological levels of Zn (110 vs. 3,000 mg/kg from days 0 to 7, and 2,000 mg/kg from days 7 to 21 with added Zn provided by ZnO). All pigs were fed a common diet from days 21 to 42 post-weaning. There were no yeast ×Zn interactions or effects from yeast additives observed on any response criteria. From days 0 to 21 and 0 to 42, pigs fed pharmacological levels of Zn had increased (P < 0.001) ADG and ADFI. Fecal samples were collected on days 4, 21, and 42 from the same three pigs per pen for fecal dry matter (DM) and AMR patterns of E. coli. On day 4, pigs fed pharmacological levels of Zn had greater fecal DM (P = 0.043); however, no differences were observed on day 21 or 42. Escherichia coli was isolated from fecal samples and the microbroth dilution method was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of E. coli isolates to 14 different antimicrobials. Isolates were categorized as either susceptible, intermediate, or resistant based on Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. The addition of pharmacological levels of Zn had a tendency (P = 0.051) to increase the MIC values of ciprofloxacin; however, these MIC values were still well under the CLSI classified resistant breakpoint for ciprofloxacin. There was no evidence for differences (P > 0.10) for yeast additives or Zn for AMR of fecal E. coli isolates to any of the remaining antibiotics. In conclusion, pharmacological levels of Zn improved ADG, ADFI, and all isolates were classified as susceptible to ciprofloxacin although the MIC of fecal E. coli tended to be increased. Thus, the short-term use of pharmacological levels of Zn did not increase antimicrobial resistance. There was no response observed from live yeast and yeast extracts for any of the growth, fecal DM, or AMR of fecal E. coli criteria.