Coated omega-3 fatty acid from linseed oil positively affect sow immunoglobulin G concentration and pre-weaning performance of piglet

Probiotic, Paraprobiotic, and Hydrolyzed Yeast Mixture Supplementation Has Comparable Effects to Zinc Oxide in Improving Growth Performance and Ameliorating Post-weaning Diarrhea in Weaned Piglets

A total of 150 21-day-old weaned piglets [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] were randomly assigned to 3 groups (CON, TRT1, TRT2) to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of probiotic, paraprobiotic, and hydrolyzed yeast mixture (PPY) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal bacterial counts, fecal calprotectin contents, and diarrhea rate in a 42-day experiment (phase 1: days 1-14; phase 2: days 15-42). There were 10 replicate pens per treatment with 5 pigs per pen (three gilts and two barrows). Pigs in CON were only provided with a basal diet. Pigs in TRT1 were provided with a basal diet + 3000 mg/kg zinc oxide during phase 1 and a basal diet during phase 2. Pigs in TRT2 were provided with a basal diet + 200 mg/kg probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii) + 800 mg/kg paraprobiotic (inactivated yeast strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Cyberlindnera jadinii) + 10 g/kg hydrolyzed yeast mixture during phase 1, and a basal diet + 100 mg/kg probiotic + 400 mg/kg paraprobiotic mixture during phase 2. Pigs in TRT1 and TRT2 were significantly heavier at day 14 and 42 than CON pigs. Growth rate during days 1-14, 15-42, and 1-42 and feed efficiency during days 1-14 were similarly affected by treatment while feed efficiency was significantly higher for TRT2 pigs between 15-42 and 1-42 days. Moreover, nitrogen and energy digestibility in both TRT1 and TRT2 were higher than that in CON. During experimental periods, diarrhea rate in TRT1 and TRT2 was lower than that in CON. Therefore, we demonstrated that PPY supplementation had comparable effects as ZnO in improving growth performance and nutrient digestibility as well as ameliorating post-weaning diarrhea in weaned piglets.

Investigating the impact of linseed supplementation, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, on the expression of immune genes in Beetal Goats

The present study investigated the effect of linseed supplementation on serum profiling and differential expression levels of IL-2 and TLR 2 genes involved in the immune system of lactating goats. The study was conducted on 15 lactating Beetal goats for 3 months, which were divided into three groups. Treatment group T1 was kept as a control group with no linseed supplementation, whereas treatment group T2 received ground linseed at the rate 10% of concentrate per day per animal, and treatment group T3 received 20% ground linseed. The concentration of triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL concentration were found to be significantly lower (P < 0.05) in both 10% and 20% linseed supplemented group than the control group. Whereas, HDL concentration in T2 and T3 group were found to be significantly higher than the control group. The differential expression of targeted genes comparatively revealed highest relative expression in the group that received 20% linseed supplementation. Although the study did not show a significant effect of linseed supplementation on the expression of TLR-2 and IL-2 genes in goats, it highlights the potential benefits of omega-3 PUFA supplementation on immune system modulation in animals.

Proteomic changes associated with maternal dietary low ω6:ω3 ratio in piglets supplemented with seaweed Part II: Ileum proteomes

This study evaluates how long-term dietary low ω6:ω3 ratio in sows and offspring's seaweed (SW) intake affects piglet intestinal function and growth through modifying ileum proteome. Sows were assigned to either control diet (CR, ω6:ω3 ratio = 13:1) or treatment diet (LR, ω6:ω3 = 4:1) during gestation and lactation (n = 8 each). The male weaned offspring were received a basal diet with or without SW powder supplementation (4 g/kg) for 21 days, denoted as SW and CT groups, respectively. In total, four groups of weaned piglets were formed following maternal and offspring's diets combination, represented by CRCT, CRSW, LRCT, and LRSW (n = 10 each). Piglet ileum tissue was collected on day 22 post-weaning and analysed using TMT-based quantitative proteomics. The differentially abundant proteins (n = 300) showed the influence of maternal LR diet on protein synthesis, cell proliferation, and cell cycle regulation. In contrast, the SW diet lowered the inflammation severity and promoted ileal tissue development in CRSW piglets but reduced the fat absorption capacity in LRSW piglets. These results uncovered the mechanism behind the anti-inflammation and intestinal-boosting effects of maternal LR diet in piglets supplemented with SW.

Silybum marianum seed extract supplementation positively affects the body weight of weaned piglets by improving voluntary feed intake

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of Silybum marianum seed (SMS) extract on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal noxious gas emission, and hematology parameters in weaned piglets. A total of 120, 21-day-old weaned piglets ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc) were randomly assigned to 3 groups based on the average initial body weight (6.46 ± 0.45 kg). There were 8 replicate pens per treatment and 5 pigs (mixed sex) per pen. The experimental period was 42 days. Dietary groups included a basal diet, and a basal diet supplemented with 0.05% or 0.10% SMS extract. Feeding weaned piglets with SMS extract containing diet significantly increased average daily gain and average daily feed intake. Additionally, the supplementation of SMS extract had no significant effects on nutrient digestibility, serum hematology, and fecal noxious gas emission parameters. We considered that the supplementation of SMS extract had positive effects on the voluntary feed intake in weaned piglets, thus improving growth performance.

Soy isoflavones supplementation improves reproductive performance and serum antioxidant status of sows and the growth performance of their offspring

A total of 60 sows (Landrace × Yorkshire, average parity was 1.39) were used to evaluate the effects of soy isoflavones (ISO) supplementation on reproductive performance, serum antioxidant enzyme parameters, and milk compositions of sows, and the growth performance of offspring. Sows were randomly assigned to 4 groups based on the parity. There were 15 replicates per treatment. Dietary treatments were based on a corn-soybean meal-based basal diet and supplemented with 0, 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg ISO. With the increase of the ISO dosage, average daily feed intake of sows increased linearly; oestrus interval decreased linearly and quadratically. In addition, on day 10 of lactation, linear increases in serum superoxide dismutase levels, linear and quadratic increases in serum total antioxidant capacity, and linear decreases in serum malondialdehyde levels were observed in increasing ISO dosage in the diet of sows. The body weight on day 10 and 21 and the average daily gain during days 3-10 and 3-21 of offspring increased linearly at graduated doses of ISO increased. Therefore, feeding sows with graded levels of ISO containing diet during late-gestation and lactation periods improved the reproductive performance of sows and the growth performance of their offspring in a dose-dependent manner.

Dietary supplementation of Aspergillus niger-expressed glucose oxidase ameliorates weaning stress and improves growth performance in weaning pigs

Weaning is one of the most stressful events in the pig's life, which disrupts physiological balance and leads to oxidative stress. It is reported that glucose oxidase supplementation could alleviate oxidative stress in animals by increasing the concentration of antioxidant enzymes in vivo. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of Aspergillus niger-expressed glucose oxidase (AN-GOX) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, faecal microbiota, faecal gas emission and serum antioxidant enzyme parameters in weaning pigs. A total of 120 21-day-old weaning pigs [(Yorkshire ×Landrace) × Duroc] with an initial body weight of 6.54 ± 0.55 kg were used in a 21-day experiment (phase 1, days 1-7; phase 2, days 8-21) with a completely randomized block design. Pigs were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups with 6 replicate pens per treatment and 5 pigs per pen (2 barrows and 3 gilts). Dietary treatments were corn-soybean meal-based basal diet supplemented with 0, 0.01, 0.03 or 0.05% AN-GOX (1000 unit/g). The results of this study showed that average daily gain during days 1-7 and 1-21 and the concentrations of serum glutathione peroxidase and glutathione increased linearly at graduated doses of AN-GOX increased in the diet. However, dietary supplementation of AN-GOX had no effects on the apparent nutrient digestibility, faecal microbiota and faecal gas emission. In conclusion, supplementing AN-GOX to the diet of weaning pigs ameliorated weaning stress, which manifested as the increase in serum antioxidant enzyme levels, thus improving growth performance. The suitable dosage of AN-GOX used in the diet of weaning pigs was 0.05%.