Effect of dietary supplementation with brewer's yeast hydrolysate on growth performance, faecal microbial counts, diarrhoea score, blood profile, rectal temperature in weanling pigs challenged with lipopolysaccharide

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of brewer's yeast hydrolysate (BYH) supplementation on growth performance, blood profile, diarrhoea score, faecal microbial and rectal temperature in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenged in weanling pigs. A total of 40 cross-bred weanling pigs [(Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc] with an average body weight of 8.15 ± 0.87 kg were used in a 6 weeks experiment. Pigs were randomly allotted to the following four dietary treatments (five pigs/two replicate/treatment) according to their initial body weight and gender. Treatments were as follows: CON, basal diet + Saline injection; NC, basal diet + LPS challenge; PC1, basal diet + 1.0% BYH + saline injection; and PC2, basal diet + 1.0% BYH + LPS challenge. Our results demonstrated pig fed diets with BYH had higher (p < .05) average daily feed intake (ADFI) during week 2-4 as well as gain:feed (G:F) during the whole experimental period than pigs fed diets without BYH. At the end of experiment, faecal Escherichia coli counts in pigs with an LPS injection tended to increase (p = .08). Meanwhile, the rectal temperature concentration of IgM and lymphocyte percentage in pigs with an LPS injection increase (p = .05) at 6 and 12 hr. In conclusion, the supplementation of 1.0% BYH can improve ADFI and G:F, as well as may reduce the diarrhoea in weanling pigs.

Changes in the Hematological Variables in Pigs Supplemented With Yeast Cell Wall in Response to a Salmonella Challenge in Weaned Pigs

Stressors experienced by pigs at weaning may negatively impact health and productivity. Thus, supplements that enhance pig immunity during the early post-weaned period are of great interest to the swine industry. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the performance and hematological responses of weaned pigs supplemented with yeast cell wall (YCW) when challenged orally with Salmonella Typhimurium. Weaned pigs were assigned to one of three treatments for 22d (n = 13/treatment): Control diet, which was a non-medicated starter diet (Control); Control diet supplemented with YCW at 250 mg/kg BW (YCW250; Phileo Lesaffre Animal Care, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA); and Control diet supplemented with YCW at 500 mg/kg BW (YCW500). On d19 blood samples were collected from -6 to 72 h relative to oral Salmonella Typhimurium (1 × 106 cfu/pig) challenge. Gain:feed was greater (P = 0.01) in YCW250 treatment compared to both Control and YCW500 pigs. Baseline intraperitoneal temperature was greater (P < 0.001) in YCW250 pigs than Control or YCW500 pigs. There was a treatment x time interaction for the change in intraperitoneal temperature (P < 0.01), post-challenge cortisol, white blood cell counts (WBC), neutrophils, and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (P ≤ 0.03). Control pigs had greater (P < 0.05) cortisol concentrations than both YCW-supplemented groups at 0 h, but Control pigs had reduced (P < 0.05) cortisol compared to YCW500 pigs at 24 and 30 h post-challenge. Control pigs had greater (P < 0.05) WBC counts than both YCW-supplemented groups 6 and 12 h post-challenge, and YCW250 pigs had reduced (P < 0.01) WBC counts than Control and YCW500 pigs 18 h post-challenge. Neutrophil counts were greater (P < 0.05) in Control pigs than both YCW-supplemented groups at 6 and 12 h post-challenge and were greater (P = 0.02) than YCW250 pigs at 18 h post-challenge. Lymphocytes were greater (P < 0.001) in Control and YCW500 pigs pre- and post-challenge compared to YCW250 pigs. Control pigs had the greatest (P < 0.001) monocyte counts compared to YCW treatments. There was no effect of yeast supplementation on fecal shedding or Salmonella counts in the rectum, colon or cecum (P ≥ 0.05). While some differences were observed in intraperitoneal temperature and some hematological variables, data suggests there were minimal effects of yeast supplementation on the acute immune response to Salmonella challenge.

Effects of artificial sweeteners on feed palatability and performance in weaned pigs

In experiment 1, a total of 30 weaning pigs were allotted to three dietary treatments to check the palatability of the dietary feed. Diet treatments were as follows: reference diets = basal diets + 0.05% saccharin (50% Saccharin-natrium), TRT1 = 0.03% saccharin–neotame mix (50% Saccharine-natrium + 2% Neotame), TRT2 = 0.02% neotame (10% Neotame), and TRT3 = 0.02% saccharin–neotame mix (10% Saccharine-natrium + 10% Neotame). TRT2 group was significantly higher than other treatments in palatability (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, a total of 52 weaning pigs were allotted to four dietary treatments. In the average daily gain and average daily feed intake over 1 wk, the TRT2 group was significantly higher than the TRT1 and TRT3 groups (P < 0.05). The concentration of triglyceride in the blood was highest in the TRT1 treated group and the lowest in the TRT2 group (P < 0.05). The Lactobacillus was significantly higher in the TRT2 and TRT3 treatments compared with 0.05% saccharin (50% Saccharine-natrium) (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the number of Escherichia coli (P < 0.05). In conclusion, diets supplemented with neotame could improve palatability, and artificial sweeteners can affect nutrient digestibility, blood characteristic, and fecal microbiota.