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Colditz IG, Campbell DLM, Ingham AB, Lee C. Review: Environmental enrichment builds functional capacity and improves resilience as an aspect of positive welfare in production animals. Animal 2024; 18:101173. [PMID: 38761442 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The success of the animal in coping with challenges, and in harnessing opportunities to thrive, is central to its welfare. Functional capacity describes the capacity of molecules, cells, organs, body systems, the whole animal, and its community to buffer against the impacts of environmental perturbations. This buffering capacity determines the ability of the animal to maintain or regain functions in the face of environmental perturbations, which is recognised as resilience. The accuracy of physiological regulation and the maintenance of homeostatic balance underwrite the dynamic stability of outcomes such as biorhythms, feed intake, growth, milk yield, and egg production justifying their assessment as indicators of resilience. This narrative review examines the influence of environmental enrichments, especially during developmental stages in young animals, in building functional capacity and in its subsequent expression as resilience. Experience of enriched environments can build skills and competencies across multiple functional domains including but not limited to behaviour, immunity, and metabolism thereby increasing functional capacity and facilitating resilience within the context of challenges such as husbandry practices, social change, and infection. A quantitative method for measuring the distributed property of functional capacity may improve its assessment. Methods for analysing embedded energy (emergy) in ecosystems may have utility for this goal. We suggest functional capacity provides the common thread that links environmental enrichments with an ability to express resilience and may provide a novel and useful framework for measuring and reporting resilience. We conclude that the development of functional capacity and its subsequent expression as resilience is an aspect of positive animal welfare. The emergence of resilience from system dynamics highlights a need to shift from the study of physical and mental states to the study of physical and mental dynamics to describe the positive dimension of animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- I G Colditz
- Agriculture and Food, CSIRO, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.
| | - D L M Campbell
- Agriculture and Food, CSIRO, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia
| | - A B Ingham
- Agriculture and Food, CSIRO, St. Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - C Lee
- Agriculture and Food, CSIRO, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia
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Arsenault M, Lillie B, Nadeem K, Khafipour E, Farzan A. Progression of swine fecal microbiota during early stages of life and its association with performance: a longitudinal study. BMC Microbiol 2024; 24:182. [PMID: 38789948 PMCID: PMC11127378 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03336-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is vital to understand healthy gut microbiota composition throughout early life stages when environments are changing, and immunity is developing. There are limited large-scale longitudinal studies classifying healthy succession of swine microbiota. The objectives of this study were to (a) determine the microbiota composition of fecal samples collected from piglets within a few days after birth until one-week post-weaning, and (b) investigate the associations of early fecal microbiota with pig growth performance in nursery and later growing stages. Fecal samples were collected from nine cohorts of 40 pigs (n = 360) from distinct farrowing sources in Ontario and Quebec, Canada at four timepoints from birth to one-week post-weaning, with pig body weight was recorded at each fecal sampling. RESULTS Microbiota was dominated by the phyla Firmicutes, Bacteroides and Proteobacteria. There were notable differences in genera abundance between pigs from different provinces and farming systems. Over the early life stage, the genera Bacteroides, Escherichia/Shigella, and Clostridium cluster XIVa were abundant preweaning, while Prevotella dominated post-weaning. Hierarchical clustering identified three major stages of microbiota development, each associated with distinct composition. Stage one occurs from birth to 7 days, stage two from 7 days after birth until weaning, and stage three from weaning to one-week post-weaning. Three enterotypes were identified in stage two that showed differences in growth before weaning, and in the grower production stage. Piglets with a microbiota enterotype characterized by higher abundance of Prevotella and unclassified Ruminococcaceae had lower growth performance in the pre-weaning stage, and the growing stage. CONCLUSION These findings help identify the timing of microbiota shifts across early swine life which may be the optimal time for external intervention to shift the microbiota to a beneficial state. The project findings should help decrease antimicrobial use, increase animal welfare, and have positive economic impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brandon Lillie
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Khurram Nadeem
- Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | - Abdolvahab Farzan
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
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Baker JT, Deng Z, Sokale A, Frederick B, Kim SW. Nutritional and functional roles of β-mannanase on intestinal health and growth of newly weaned pigs fed two different types of feeds. J Anim Sci 2024; 102:skae206. [PMID: 39044687 PMCID: PMC11306790 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skae206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the nutritional and functional roles of β-mannanase on the intestinal health and growth of newly weaned pigs fed a typical or low-cost formulated feeds (LCF). Twenty-four newly weaned pigs at 6.2 kg ± 0.4 body weight (BW) were allotted to three dietary treatments based on a randomized complete block design with sex and initial BW as blocks. Three dietary treatments are as follows: Control, typical nursery feeds including animal protein supplements and enzyme-treated soybean meal; LCF with increased amounts of soybean meal, decreased amounts of animal protein supplements, and no enzyme-treated soybean meal; LCF+, low-cost formulated feed with β-mannanase at 100 g/t, providing 800 thermostable β-mannanase unit (TMU) per kg of feed. Pigs were fed based on a three-phase feeding program for a total of 37 d. On day 37 of feeding, all pigs were euthanized and the gastrointestinal tract was removed for sample collection to analyze intestinal health parameters, mucosa-associated microbiota, and gene expression of tight junction proteins. Pigs fed LCF increased (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Helicobacter in the jejunal mucosa, tended to decrease (P = 0.097; P = 0.098) the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the expression of zona occluden 1 (ZO-1) gene in the jejunum, tended to decrease average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.084) and final BW (P = 0.090), and decreased (P < 0.05) average daily feed intake. Pigs fed LCF + tended to decrease (P = 0.088) digesta viscosity, decreased (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of Helicobacter, and increased (P < 0.05) Lactobacillus in the jejunal mucosa compared to LCF. Additionally, LCF + tended to increase final BW (P = 0.059) and ADG (P = 0.054), increased (P < 0.05) gain to feed ratio (G:F), and reduced (P < 0.05) fecal score compared to LCF. LCF with decreased amounts of animal protein supplements and increased amounts of soybean meal had negative effects on the composition of the mucosa-associated microbiota, intestinal integrity, and growth performance of nursery pigs. Beta-mannanase supplementation to LCF decreased digesta viscosity, increased the relative abundance of potentially health-benefitting microbiota such as Lactobacillus, and improved growth and fecal score, thus reflecting its efficacy in low-cost formulated feeds with increased amounts of soybean meal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan T Baker
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Zixiao Deng
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | | | | | - Sung Woo Kim
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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Popov IV, Einhardt Manzke N, Sost MM, Verhoeven J, Verbruggen S, Chebotareva IP, Ermakov AM, Venema K. Modulation of Swine Gut Microbiota by Phytogenic Blends and High Concentrations of Casein in a Validated Swine Large Intestinal In Vitro Model. Vet Sci 2023; 10:677. [PMID: 38133228 PMCID: PMC10748322 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10120677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Phytogenic feed additives are gaining popularity in livestock as a replacement for antibiotic growth promotors. Some phytogenic blends (PB) positively affect the production performance, inhibit pathogens within the gut microbiota, and improve the overall health of farm animals. In this study, a swine large intestine in vitro model was used to evaluate the effect of two PBs, alone or in combination with casein, on swine gut microbiota. As a result, the combination of casein with PB1 had the most beneficial effects on swine gut microbiota, as it increased the relative abundance of some commensal bacteria and two genera (Lactobacillus and Oscillospiraceae UCG-002), which are associated with greater production performance in pigs. At the same time, supplementation with PBs did not lead to an increase in opportunistic pathogens, indicating their safety for pigs. Both PBs showed fewer changes in swine gut microbiota compared to interventions with added casein. In contrast, casein supplementation significantly increased beta diversity and the relative abundance of commensal as well as potentially beneficial bacteria. In conclusion, the combination of casein with PBs, in particular PB1, had the most beneficial effects among the studied supplements in vitro, with respect to microbiota modulation and metabolite production, although this data should be proven in further in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor V. Popov
- Centre for Healthy Eating & Food Innovation (HEFI), Maastricht University—Campus Venlo, 5928 SZ Venlo, The Netherlands; (I.V.P.); (M.M.S.); (S.V.)
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Veterinary Medicine, Don State Technical University, 344000 Rostov-on-Don, Russia (A.M.E.)
- Division of Immunobiology and Biomedicine, Center of Genetics and Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal Territory Sirius, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | | | - Mônica Maurer Sost
- Centre for Healthy Eating & Food Innovation (HEFI), Maastricht University—Campus Venlo, 5928 SZ Venlo, The Netherlands; (I.V.P.); (M.M.S.); (S.V.)
| | - Jessica Verhoeven
- Centre for Healthy Eating & Food Innovation (HEFI), Maastricht University—Campus Venlo, 5928 SZ Venlo, The Netherlands; (I.V.P.); (M.M.S.); (S.V.)
| | - Sanne Verbruggen
- Centre for Healthy Eating & Food Innovation (HEFI), Maastricht University—Campus Venlo, 5928 SZ Venlo, The Netherlands; (I.V.P.); (M.M.S.); (S.V.)
| | - Iuliia P. Chebotareva
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Veterinary Medicine, Don State Technical University, 344000 Rostov-on-Don, Russia (A.M.E.)
- Division of Nanobiomedicine, Center of Genetics and Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal Territory Sirius, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Alexey M. Ermakov
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Veterinary Medicine, Don State Technical University, 344000 Rostov-on-Don, Russia (A.M.E.)
| | - Koen Venema
- Centre for Healthy Eating & Food Innovation (HEFI), Maastricht University—Campus Venlo, 5928 SZ Venlo, The Netherlands; (I.V.P.); (M.M.S.); (S.V.)
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5
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TSUJIKAWA Y, NISHIYAMA K, NAMAI F, IMAMURA Y, SAKUMA T, SAHA S, SUZUKI M, SAKURAI M, IWATA R, MATSUO K, TAKAMORI H, SUDA Y, ZHOU B, FUKUDA I, VILLENA J, SAKANE I, OSAWA R, KITAZAWA H. Establishment of porcine fecal-derived ex vivo microbial communities to evaluate the impact of livestock feed on gut microbiome. BIOSCIENCE OF MICROBIOTA, FOOD AND HEALTH 2023; 43:100-109. [PMID: 38577893 PMCID: PMC10981943 DOI: 10.12938/bmfh.2023-085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Sustainable livestock production requires reducing competition for food and feed resources and increasing the utilization of food by-products in livestock feed. This study describes the establishment of an anaerobic batch culture model to simulate pig microbiota and evaluate the effects of a food by-product, wakame seaweed stalks, on ex vivo microbial communities. We selected one of the nine media to support the growth of a bacterial community most similar in composition and diversity to that observed in pig donor feces. Supplementation with wakame altered the microbial profile and short-chain fatty acid composition in the ex vivo model, and a similar trajectory was observed in the in vivo pig experimental validation. Notably, the presence of wakame increased the abundance of Lactobacillus species, which may have been due to cross-feeding with Bacteroides. These results suggest the potential of wakame as a livestock feed capable of modulating the pig microbiome. Collectively, this study highlights the ability to estimate the microbiome changes that occur when pigs are fed a specific feed using an ex vivo culture model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji TSUJIKAWA
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
- Central Research Institute, Ito En Ltd., 21 Mekami,
Sagara-cho, Haibara-gun, Shizuoka 421-0516, Japan
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural
Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Keita NISHIYAMA
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
- Livestock Immunology Unit, International Education and
Research Center for Food and Agricultural Immunology (CFAI), Graduate School of
Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi
980-8576, Japan
| | - Fu NAMAI
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
- Livestock Immunology Unit, International Education and
Research Center for Food and Agricultural Immunology (CFAI), Graduate School of
Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi
980-8576, Japan
| | - Yoshiya IMAMURA
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
| | - Taiga SAKUMA
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
| | - Sudeb SAHA
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
- Livestock Immunology Unit, International Education and
Research Center for Food and Agricultural Immunology (CFAI), Graduate School of
Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi
980-8576, Japan
- Department of Dairy Science, Faculty of Veterinary, Animal
and Biomedical Sciences, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet-3100, Bangladesh
- JSPS Fellow
| | - Masahiko SUZUKI
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
- Central Research Institute, Ito En Ltd., 21 Mekami,
Sagara-cho, Haibara-gun, Shizuoka 421-0516, Japan
| | - Mitsuki SAKURAI
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
| | - Ryo IWATA
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural
Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Kengo MATSUO
- Miyagi Prefecture Animal Industry Experiment Station, Osaki,
Miyagi 989-6445, Japan
| | - Hironori TAKAMORI
- Miyagi Prefecture Animal Industry Experiment Station, Osaki,
Miyagi 989-6445, Japan
| | - Yoshihito SUDA
- Department of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Science,
Miyagi University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
| | - Binghui ZHOU
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
- Livestock Immunology Unit, International Education and
Research Center for Food and Agricultural Immunology (CFAI), Graduate School of
Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi
980-8576, Japan
| | - Itsuko FUKUDA
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural
Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Julio VILLENA
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
- Livestock Immunology Unit, International Education and
Research Center for Food and Agricultural Immunology (CFAI), Graduate School of
Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi
980-8576, Japan
- Laboratory of Immunobiotechnology, Reference Centre for
Lactobacilli (CERELA-CONICET), Tucuman 4000, Argentina
| | - Iwao SAKANE
- Central Research Institute, Ito En Ltd., 21 Mekami,
Sagara-cho, Haibara-gun, Shizuoka 421-0516, Japan
| | - Ro OSAWA
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
- Department of Agrobioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural
Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
| | - Haruki KITAZAWA
- Food and Feed Immunology Group, Laboratory of Animal Food
Function, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 468-1 Aramakiaoba,
Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi 980-8572, Japan
- Livestock Immunology Unit, International Education and
Research Center for Food and Agricultural Immunology (CFAI), Graduate School of
Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi
980-8576, Japan
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Schokker D, Kar SK, Willems E, Bossers A, Dekker RA, Jansman AJM. Dietary supplementation of zinc oxide modulates intestinal functionality during the post-weaning period in clinically healthy piglets. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2023; 14:122. [PMID: 37789352 PMCID: PMC10548679 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-023-00925-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To improve our understanding of host and intestinal microbiome interaction, this research investigated the effects of a high-level zinc oxide in the diet as model intervention on the intestinal microbiome and small intestinal functionality in clinically healthy post-weaning piglets. In study 1, piglets received either a high concentration of zinc (Zn) as zinc oxide (ZnO, Zn, 2,690 mg/kg) or a low Zn concentration (100 mg/kg) in the diet during the post weaning period (d 14-23). The effects on the piglet's small intestinal microbiome and functionality of intestinal tissue were investigated. In study 2, the impact of timing of the dietary zinc intervention was investigated, i.e., between d 0-14 and/or d 14-23 post weaning, and the consecutive effects on the piglet's intestinal functionality, here referring to microbiota composition and diversity and gene expression profiles. RESULTS Differences in the small intestinal functionality were observed during the post weaning period between piglets receiving a diet with a low or high concentration ZnO content. A shift in the microbiota composition in the small intestine was observed that could be characterized as a non-pathological change, where mainly the commensals inter-changed. In the immediate post weaning period, i.e., d 0-14, the highest number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in intestinal tissue were observed between animals receiving a diet with a low or high concentration ZnO content, i.e., 23 DEGs in jejunal tissue and 11 DEGs in ileal tissue. These genes are involved in biological processes related to immunity and inflammatory responses. For example, genes CD59 and REG3G were downregulated in the animals receiving a diet with a high concentration ZnO content compared to low ZnO content in both jejunum and ileum tissue. In the second study, a similar result was obtained regarding the expression of genes in intestinal tissue related to immune pathways when comparing piglets receiving a diet with a high concentration ZnO content compared to low ZnO content. CONCLUSIONS Supplementing a diet with a pharmaceutical level of Zn as ZnO for clinically healthy post weaning piglets influences various aspects intestinal functionality, in particular in the first two weeks post-weaning. The model intervention increased both the alpha diversity of the intestinal microbiome and the expression of a limited number of genes linked to the local immune system in intestinal tissue. The effects do not seem related to a direct antimicrobial effect of ZnO.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Soumya K Kar
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Els Willems
- Royal Agrifirm Group, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
| | - Alex Bossers
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ruud A Dekker
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alfons J M Jansman
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Deng Z, Duarte ME, Kim SW. Efficacy of soy protein concentrate replacing animal protein supplements in mucosa-associated microbiota, intestinal health, and growth performance of nursery pigs. ANIMAL NUTRITION (ZHONGGUO XU MU SHOU YI XUE HUI) 2023; 14:235-248. [PMID: 37600837 PMCID: PMC10432921 DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2023.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of using soy protein concentrate (SPC) to replace animal protein supplements on mucosa-associated microbiota, intestinal health, and growth performance of nursery pigs. Fifty-six newly weaned pigs (BW = 6.4 ± 0.6 kg) were allotted to 5 treatments in a randomized complete block design. Pigs were fed for 35 d in 3 phases (P; 1, 2, 3) for 10, 12, 13 d, respectively. Dietary treatments were: (1) basal diet with fish meal (P1: 4%, P2: 2%, and P3: 1%), poultry meal (P1: 10%, P2: 8%, and P3: 4%), and blood plasma (P1: 4%, P2: 2%, and P3: 1%), where SPC replacing none (NC); (2) basal diet with SPC replacing fish meal (RFM); (3) basal diet with SPC replacing poultry meal (RPM); (4) basal diet with SPC replacing blood plasma (RBP); and (5) basal diet with SPC replacing all animal protein supplements (PC). Growth performance was recorded for each phase. Pigs were euthanized on d 35 to collect jejunal mucosa and tissue to evaluate intestinal health and microbiota, and ileal digesta to measure apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Overall, RFM, RPM, and RBP did not affect growth performance, whereas PC decreased (P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI. The RPM increased (P < 0.05) Prevotella stercorea and decreased (P < 0.05) Helicobacter rappini. The PC decreased (P < 0.05) H. rappini, whilst increasing (P < 0.05) Prevotella copri, Propionibacterium acnes, and Pelomonas aquatica. The RFM tended to increase (P = 0.096) immunoglobulin A in the jejunum. The PC tended to decrease (P = 0.078) jejunal crypt cell proliferation. There were no differences in the villus height, AID of nutrients, intestinal inflammation, and intestinal oxidative stress among treatments. In conclusion, SPC can replace fish meal, poultry meal, or blood plasma individually without affecting growth performance and intestinal health, and AID of nutrients of nursery pigs. Particularly SPC replacing poultry meal benefitted intestinal health by reducing H. rappini and increasing P. stercorea. However, SPC replacing all three animal protein supplements reduced growth of nursery pigs mainly by reducing feed intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixiao Deng
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Marcos Elias Duarte
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Sung Woo Kim
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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St-Pierre B, Perez Palencia JY, Samuel RS. Impact of Early Weaning on Development of the Swine Gut Microbiome. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1753. [PMID: 37512925 PMCID: PMC10385335 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11071753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Considering that pigs are naturally weaned between 12 and 18 weeks of age, the common practice in the modern swine industry of weaning as early as between two and four weeks of age increases challenges during this transition period. Indeed, young pigs with an immature gut are suddenly separated from the sow, switched from milk to a diet consisting of only solid ingredients, and subjected to a new social hierarchy from mixing multiple litters. From the perspective of host gut development, weaning under these conditions causes a regression in histological structure as well as in digestive and barrier functions. While the gut is the main center of immunity in mature animals, the underdeveloped gut of early weaned pigs has yet to contribute to this function until seven weeks of age. The gut microbiota or microbiome, an essential contributor to the health and nutrition of their animal host, undergoes dramatic alterations during this transition, and this descriptive review aims to present a microbial ecology-based perspective on these events. Indeed, as gut microbial communities are dependent on cross-feeding relationships, the change in substrate availability triggers a cascade of succession events until a stable composition is reached. During this process, the gut microbiota is unstable and prone to dysbiosis, which can devolve into a diseased state. One potential strategy to accelerate maturation of the gut microbiome would be to identify microbial species that are critical to mature swine gut microbiomes, and develop strategies to facilitate their establishment in early post-weaning microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit St-Pierre
- Department of Animal Science, South Dakota State University, Animal Science Complex, Box 2170, Brookings, SD 57007, USA
| | - Jorge Yair Perez Palencia
- Department of Animal Science, South Dakota State University, Animal Science Complex, Box 2170, Brookings, SD 57007, USA
| | - Ryan S Samuel
- Department of Animal Science, South Dakota State University, Animal Science Complex, Box 2170, Brookings, SD 57007, USA
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Rørvang MV, Schild SLA, Stenfelt J, Grut R, Gadri MA, Valros A, Nielsen BL, Wallenbeck A. Odor exploration behavior of the domestic pig ( Sus scrofa) as indicator of enriching properties of odors. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1173298. [PMID: 37214639 PMCID: PMC10196037 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1173298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction and aim Although the sense of smell in pigs is widely recognized as being highly developed, surprisingly little is known about their sensory ability. This study aimed to (a) identify which non-social odors pigs were able to detect and distinguish between, (b) investigate the types of behavior expressed when exploring odors and, (c) compare pigs' responses to the different odors to evaluate their interest in the odors. Methods Growing pigs (N = 192) of crossbred commercial breeds were enrolled in the experiment (32-110 days of age, weighing 64.9 ± 10.1kg). Littermate pairs of opposite sex were tested in test pens with two odor insertion points in the pen wall, 55 cm apart. All pigs were habituated to the test pens and experimenters. Twelve odors were tested (eight essential oils and four synthetic perfumes) in groups of three odors, with each pig pair tested once with one set of three odors (all possible orders of the three odors were tested on 24 pairs in total), always against a non-odor control (demineralized water). In a test, each of the three odors were presented during three trials in a row (a total of 9 trials per test; trial duration: 1 min; inter-trial breaks: 2 min; total test duration: 25 min). Response variables included: duration of sniffing, feeding-related behavior (licking, biting and rooting), agonistic behavior (biting, displacement and pushing) and no approach of the odor or control, recorded throughout each 1-min odor presentation. Results All pigs sniffed an odor less when repeatedly presented (LMM: all odors P < 0.05), and significantly longer at the subsequent presentation of a new odor [LMM (3rd vs. 1st presentations): P < 0.001]. Specific odor and odor type (essential oil vs. synthetic perfume) had no significant effect on sniffing duration. Overall, feeding-related behavior and agonistic behavior were expressed significantly more when pigs explored the odor compared with the control insertion point (Paired t-tests: P < 0.001), and specific odor only affected the expression of feeding-related behavior. Conclusion Collectively, pigs express sniffing, agonistic, and feeding-related behavior when exploring odors, which suggests that pigs perceive odors of non-social origin as a resource. Odors may thus constitute relevant enrichment material for pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vilain Rørvang
- Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden
| | | | - Johanna Stenfelt
- Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Rebecca Grut
- Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Moses A. Gadri
- Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Anna Valros
- Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Research Centre for Animal Welfare, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Birte L. Nielsen
- Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW), Wheathampstead, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Wallenbeck
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skara, Sweden
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10
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Correa F, Luise D, Palladino G, Scicchitano D, Brigidi P, Martelli PL, Babbi G, Turroni S, Litta G, Candela M, Rampelli S, Trevisi P. Influence of body lesion severity on oxidative status and gut microbiota of weaned pigs. Animal 2023; 17:100818. [PMID: 37172356 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Body lesions in pigs are a common welfare concern, particularly during the weaning period. These lesions can lead to pain, infection, and impaired mobility, resulting in reduced growth performance and increased mortality. Moreover, weaning stress can affect gut microbiota, immune response and increase the oxidative stress of piglets during this transition period. It has been hypothesised that social stress and body lesions could contribute to affect the gut microbiota, physiological and immune response of piglets. The study aims to evaluate the impact of the body lesions due to social stress on microbial profile, immune response, and oxidative status of weaned piglets. Lesion score (LS) on skin, tail, ear, neck, middle trunk, and hind quarters was measured 1 week (28 days of age, T1) and 7 weeks postweaning (T2) on 45 tail-docked pigs according to the method suggested from the Walfer Quality® (2009) on a scale from 0 to 2. Based on the LS, at T1, piglets were classified as High LS (n = 16), when LS was >1 in at least two of the areas considered, or Low LS (n = 29). At T2, based on the same scoring system and to the LS observed at T1, piglets were divided into four groups: High to Low LS (H-L, n = 11), High to High LS (H-H, n = 5), Low to Low LS (L-L, n = 21) and Low to High LS (L-H, n = 8). Blood and faecal samples were collected at T1 and T2. At T1, pigs with a high LS had a lower biological antioxidant potential compared with the L group (P < 0.02). At T2, the L-H group had a lower Reactive Oxygen Metabolites concentration compared with the H-H group (P = 0.03) while the L-L group had a lower concentration of Immunoglobulin A compared with H-H and L-H groups (P = 0.02 and P = 0.04, respectively). At T1, piglets with high LS had a different microbiota compared to piglets with low LS (R2 = 0.04, P < 0.01). Low LS pigs were characterised by a higher abundance of Firmicutes, Blautia, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes, Faecalibacterium, Megasphaera, Subdoligranulum (P.adj < 0.05), while pigs with high LS were characterised by higher abundance of Bacteroidota, Rikenellaceae RC9, Prevotellaceae UCG-003, uncultured-Lachnospiraceae and uncultured-Oscillospiraceae (P.adj < 0.05). At T2, the H-H group were characterised by Oscillospirales-UCG-010, H-L by Agatobachter and L-L by Alloprevotella (P.adj < 0.05). Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the relationship between body lesions, oxidative stress, and gut microbiota in weaned pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Correa
- Department of Agro-Food Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - D Luise
- Department of Agro-Food Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - G Palladino
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - D Scicchitano
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - P Brigidi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - P L Martelli
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - G Babbi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - S Turroni
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - G Litta
- DSM Nutritional Products, Animal Nutrition and Health, Wurmisweg 576, 4303 Kaiseraugst, Switzerland
| | - M Candela
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - S Rampelli
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - P Trevisi
- Department of Agro-Food Sciences and Technologies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
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11
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Gavaud S, Haurogné K, Buchet A, Garcia Vinado I, Allard M, Lehébel A, Leblanc-Maridor M, Bach JM, Belloc C, Lieubeau B, Hervé J. Effects of improved early-life conditions on health, welfare, and performance of pigs raised on a conventional farm. Animal 2023; 17:100810. [PMID: 37172358 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, most pigs are raised indoors, on intensive farms providing a poor environment. In these conditions, the risk of the occurrence of damaging behaviours is high, with dramatic consequences for animal health and welfare as well as economic losses for farmers. Early-life conditions may predispose individuals to develop damaging behaviours later in life. In contrast, reinforcing affiliative behaviours between piglets before weaning might help to prevent tail-biting episodes. In this field study, we aimed at improving early-life conditions of piglets on a commercial farm by completely suppressing painful procedures and staggering their exposure to weaning stress factors. The alternative early-life management strategy combined housing in free-farrowing pens with temporary crating of the sow, socialisation during the lactation period with whole-life maintenance of the hierarchical groups, and delayed transfer to the postweaning room after sow removal. Control conditions included birth in farrowing crates, tail docking, absence of socialisation during the lactation period, abrupt weaning with immediate transfer to the postweaning room and mixing with non-littermates. We evaluated the health, welfare, and performance of alternatively raised pigs (n = 80) as compared to controls (n = 75). Visits were made throughout the lifespan of individuals to evaluate their growth and health status. Body and tail lesions were scored as proxy measures of aggressiveness and impaired welfare. Blood and bristle samples were periodically collected to evaluate stress, inflammation and immune competence. While the whole-life performance of pigs was similar among groups, the alternative early-life conditions prevented the growth slowdown usually observed after weaning. In addition, alternatively raised pigs displayed more neutrophils, eosinophils and monocytes the day after weaning, as well as higher C-Reactive Protein levels. One week later, their monocytes displayed greater phagocytic capacity. Altogether, these data suggest an enhanced innate immune competence for alternatively raised pigs around weaning. Piglets reared under alternative conditions also exhibited fewer and less severe body lesions than standard pigs, one week after weaning. In contrast, they showed more tail lesions on days 36 and 66 associated with greater levels of acute phase proteins (C-Reactive Protein and haptoglobin). To conclude, alternative early-life management better prepared piglets for weaning. However, the whole-life maintenance of early-established social groups was not sufficient to prevent the occurrence of damaging behaviours in undocked pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Gavaud
- Oniris, INRAE, IECM, Nantes, France
| | | | - A Buchet
- Cooperl Innovation, Lamballe, France
| | | | - M Allard
- Oniris, INRAE, IECM, Nantes, France
| | - A Lehébel
- Oniris, INRAE, BIOEPAR, Nantes, France
| | | | - J M Bach
- Oniris, INRAE, IECM, Nantes, France
| | - C Belloc
- Oniris, INRAE, BIOEPAR, Nantes, France
| | | | - J Hervé
- Oniris, INRAE, IECM, Nantes, France.
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12
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Huang L, Chen C. Employing pigs to decipher the host genetic effect on gut microbiome: advantages, challenges, and perspectives. Gut Microbes 2023; 15:2205410. [PMID: 37122143 PMCID: PMC10153013 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2205410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota is a complex and diverse ecosystem comprised of trillions of microbes and plays an essential role in host's immunity, metabolism, and even behaviors. Environmental and host factors drive the huge variations in the gut microbiome among individuals. Here, we summarize accumulated evidences about host genetic effect on the gut microbial compositions with emphases on the correlation between host genetic kinship and the similarity of microbial compositions, heritability estimates of microbial taxa, and identification of genomic variants associated with the gut microbiome in pigs as well as in humans. A proportion of bacterial taxa have been reported to be heritable, and numerous variants associated with the diversity of the gut microbiota or specific taxa have been identified in both humans and pigs. LCT and ABO gene have been replicated in multiple studies, and its mechanism have been elucidated clearly. We also discuss the main advantages and challenges using pigs as experimental animals in exploring host genetic effect on the gut microbial composition and provided our insights on the perspectives in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lusheng Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
| | - Congying Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Pig Genetic Improvement, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
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13
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Saladrigas-García M, Durán M, D’Angelo M, Coma J, Pérez JF, Martín-Orúe SM. An insight into the commercial piglet's microbial gut colonization: from birth towards weaning. Anim Microbiome 2022; 4:68. [PMID: 36572944 PMCID: PMC9791761 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-022-00221-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The establishment of the gut microbiota can be influenced by several perinatal factors, including, most importantly, the maternal microbiota. Moreover, early-life environmental variation affects gut microbial colonization and the intestinal health of offspring throughout life. The present study aimed to explore the development of piglet gut microbiota from birth to weaning in the commercial practice and also to assess how different farm environments could condition this process. Although it is possible to find in the literature other studies with similar objectives this work probably represents one of the few studies that make a systematic evaluation of such differential factors under a real scenario. To achieve this objective, we performed two trials. In a first Trial, we selected 2 farms in which we performed an intensive sampling (5 samples /animal) to characterize the gut colonization pattern during the first days of life and to identify the time window with the greatest impact. Both farms differed in their health status and the use of antimicrobials in the piglets. In a second Trial, we selected 4 additional farms with variable rearing conditions and a distinctive use of antimicrobials in the sows with a simplified sampling pattern (2 samples/animal). Faecal samples were obtained with swabs and DNA was extracted by using the PSP® Spin Stool DNA Kit and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 region) performed by Illumina MiSeq Platform. RESULTS The present study contributes to a better understanding of microbiome development during the transition from birth to weaning in commercial conditions. Alpha diversity was strongly affected by age, with an increased richness of species through time. Beta diversity decreased after weaning, suggesting a convergent evolvement among individuals. We pinpointed the early intestinal colonizers belonging to Bacteroides, Escherichia-Shigella, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, and Fusobacterium genera. During lactation(d7-d21 of life), the higher relative abundances of Bacteroides and Lactobacillus genera were correlated with a milk-oriented microbiome. As the piglets aged and after weaning (d36 of life), increasing abundances of genera such as Prevotella, Butyricimonas, Christensenellaceae R-7 group, Dorea, Phascolarctobacterium, Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, Subdoligranulum, and Ruminococcaceae UCG-002 were observed. These changes indicate the adaptation of the piglets to a cereal-based diet rich in oligosaccharides and starch. Our results also show that the farm can have a significant impact in such a process, evidencing the influence of different environments and rearing systems on the gut microbiota development of the young piglet. Differences between farms were more noticeable after weaning than during lactation with changes in alpha and beta biodiversity and specific taxa. The analysis of such differences suggests that piglets receiving intramuscular amoxicillin (days 2-5 of life) and being offered an acidifying rehydrating solution (Alpha farm in Trial 1) have a greater alpha diversity and more abundant Lactobacillus population. Moreover, the only farm that did not offer any rehydrating solution (Foxtrot farm in Trial 2) showed a lower alpha diversity (day 2 of life) and increased abundance of Enterobacteriaceae (both at 2 and 21 days). The use of in-feed antibiotics in the sows was also associated with structural changes in the piglets' gut ecosystem although without changes in richness or diversity. Significant shifts could be registered in different microbial groups, particularly lower abundances of Fusobacterium in those piglets from medicated sows. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, during the first weeks of life, the pig microbiota showed a relevant succession of microbial groups towards a more homogeneous and stable ecosystem better adapted to the solid dry feed. In this relevant early-age process, the rearing conditions, the farm environment, and particularly the antimicrobial use in piglets and mothers determine changes that could have a relevant impact on gut microbiota maturation. More research is needed to elucidate the relative impact of these farm-induced early life-long changes in the growing pig.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireia Saladrigas-García
- grid.7080.f0000 0001 2296 0625Servicio de Nutrición Y Bienestar Animal. Departamento de Ciencia Animal Y de los Alimentos, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Matilde D’Angelo
- grid.7080.f0000 0001 2296 0625Servicio de Nutrición Y Bienestar Animal. Departamento de Ciencia Animal Y de los Alimentos, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaume Coma
- Grupo Vall Companys, 25191 Lleida, Spain
| | - José Francisco Pérez
- grid.7080.f0000 0001 2296 0625Servicio de Nutrición Y Bienestar Animal. Departamento de Ciencia Animal Y de los Alimentos, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susana María Martín-Orúe
- grid.7080.f0000 0001 2296 0625Servicio de Nutrición Y Bienestar Animal. Departamento de Ciencia Animal Y de los Alimentos, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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14
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Loor JJ, Elolimy AA. Immunometabolism in livestock: triggers and physiological role of transcription regulators, nutrients, and microbiota. Anim Front 2022; 12:13-22. [PMID: 36268165 PMCID: PMC9564998 DOI: 10.1093/af/vfac061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ahmed A Elolimy
- Department of Animal Production, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt
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15
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Bučková K, Muns R, Cerón J, Kyriazakis I. Consequences of timing of organic enrichment provision on pig performance, health and stress resilience after weaning and regrouping. Animal 2022; 16:100637. [PMID: 36183434 PMCID: PMC9596380 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2022.100637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We tested fodder beet and jute bags as novel enrichment for pigs in slatted systems. We investigated if enrichment mattered more when offered at weaner or finisher stage. Weaner enrichment improved ear lesions and performance at both stages. Enrichment provision throughout reduced finisher body lesions. Fodder beet and jute bags could be feasible enrichment for pigs in slatted systems.
Most pigs in slatted systems are provided with enrichment meeting only minimum legal requirements. We aimed to explore the effects of a novel enrichment treatment consisting of daily provided fodder beet and jute bags for pigs in slatted systems, and investigate the timing of enrichment provision on performance, health and stress resilience. We used 280 weaners allocated into standard (S, meeting only legal requirements consisting of a plastic toy and softwood) or enriched (E) treatment (n = 14 groups/treatment). At regrouping during the grower to finisher transition, pigs were either kept in the same treatment (EE, SS) or switched from enriched to standard (ES) and vice versa (SE); each treatment was replicated on five groups. Pigs were weighted at the start and end of weaner, and finisher stage, and feed intake was recorded. Occurrence of scouring, respiratory problems, locomotor disorders, tail, ear, and body lesions were recorded twice a week. Ten males per treatment were sampled for saliva on days 1, 2 and 4, either postweaning or after the housing switch. Saliva samples were analysed for cortisol, alpha-amylase, haptoglobin (Hp), and adenosine deaminase. Additionally, these pigs were sampled for hair at the start and end of weaner, and end of finisher stage to analyse for hair cortisol and cortisone. We found that E weaners consumed less feed (P = 0.04), had better FCR (feed conversion ratio, P = 0.03) and less ear lesions for two weeks postweaning (P = 0.04), and tended to have lower occurrence of scouring (P = 0.07) and higher salivary cortisol concentrations (P = 0.09) than S weaners. Effects of enrichment treatment during weaner stage on performance were carried through to finisher stage, with EE and ES pigs having better FCR (P = 0.0009) and higher BW (P = 0.0001) compared to SS and SE pigs. E treatment during finisher stage decreased feed intake (P = 0.04) and tended to decrease Hp levels (P = 0.07). There was a significant interaction between enrichment treatments during weaner and finisher stages on finisher body lesions: EE finishers had less lesions than SS, ES, and SE finishers (P = 0.04). There were no other significant differences caused either by enrichment treatment during weaner/finisher stage or their interaction. We conclude that the novel enrichment applied at weaner stage had positive effects on ear lesions and performance, which were carried through to finisher stage. Body lesions were affected by its application during both stages, with finishers receiving the enrichment treatment throughout (EE) having reduced body lesions than the rest of the finishers.
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16
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Van de Vliet M, Joossens M. The Resemblance between Bacterial Gut Colonization in Pigs and Humans. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1831. [PMID: 36144433 PMCID: PMC9500663 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10091831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Thorough understanding of the initial colonization process of human intestines is important to optimize the prevention of microbiota-associated diseases, and also to further improve the current microbial therapies. In recent years, therefore, colonization of the human gut has gained renewed interest. However, due to a lack of standardization of life events that might influence this early colonization process in humans, many generally accepted insights are based on deduction and assumption. In our review, we compare knowledge on colonization in humans with research in piglets, because the intestinal tract of pigs is remarkably similar to that of humans and the early-life events are more standardized. We assess potential similarities and challenge some concepts that have been widely accepted in human microbiota research. Bacterial colonization of the human gut is characterized by successive waves in a progressive process, to a complex gut microbiota community. After re-analyzing available data from piglets, we found that the bacterial colonization process is very similar in terms of the wave sequence and functionality of each wave. Moreover, based on the piglet data, we found that, in addition to external factors such as suckling and nutrition, the bacterial community itself appears to have a major influence on the colonization success of additional bacteria in the intestine. Thus, the colonization process in piglets might rely, at least in part, on niche dependency, an ecological principle to be considered in the intestinal colonization process in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marie Joossens
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology (WE10), Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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17
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de Jong IC, Schokker D, Gunnink H, van Wijhe M, Rebel JMJ. Early life environment affects behavior, welfare, gut microbiome composition, and diversity in broiler chickens. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:977359. [PMID: 36213407 PMCID: PMC9534479 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.977359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to identify whether early-life conditions in broiler chickens could affect their behavior and welfare, and whether or not this was associated with an altered gut microbiome composition or diversity. Broilers were tested in a 2 x 2 factorial design with hatching conditions [home pen (OH) or at the hatchery (HH)] and enrichment (dark brooder (EE) or no brooder (NE) until 14 days of age) as factors (N = 6 per treatment combination). Microbiota composition was measured in the jejunum on days (d) 7, 14, and 35 and in pooled fecal samples on day 14. A novel environment test (NET) was performed on days 1 and 11, and the behavior was observed on days 6, 13, and 33. On day 35, composite asymmetry was determined and footpad dermatitis and hock burn were scored. In their home pen, HH showed more locomotion than OH (P = 0.05), and NE were sitting more and showed more comfort behavior than EE at all ages (P <0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). On days 6 and 13 NE showed more eating and litter pecking while sitting, but on day 33 the opposite was found (age*enrichment: P = 0.05 and P <0.01, respectively). On days 1 and 11, HH showed more social reinstatement in the NET than OH, and EE showed more social reinstatement than NE (P <0.05). Composite asymmetry scores were lower for EE than NE (P <0.05). EE also had less footpad dermatitis and hock burn than NE (P <0.001). Within OH, NE had a more diverse fecal and jejunal microbiome compared to EE on day 14 (feces: observed richness: P = 0.052; jejunum: observed richness and Shannon: P <0.05); the principal component analysis (PCA) showed differences between NE and EE within both HH and OH in fecal samples on day 14, as well as significant differences in bacterial genera such as Lactobacillus and Lachnospiraceae (P <0.05). On day 35, PCA in jejunal samples only showed a trend (P = 0.068) for differences between NE vs. EE within the OH. In conclusion, these results suggest that especially the dark brooder affected the behavior and had a positive effect on welfare as well as affected the composition and diversity of the microbiome. Whether or not the behavior was modulated by the microbiome or vice versa remains to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid C. de Jong
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Ingrid C. de Jong
| | - Dirkjan Schokker
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Henk Gunnink
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Maudia van Wijhe
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Johanna M. J. Rebel
- Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University and Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
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18
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De Souza MM, Koltes DA, Beiki H, Sales MA, Tsai T, Maxwell CV, Zhao J, Koltes JE. Early-Life Exposure of Pigs to Topsoil Alters miRNA and mRNA Expression in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells. Front Genet 2022; 13:886875. [PMID: 36081988 PMCID: PMC9445269 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.886875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to less-hygienic conditions during early childhood has been associated with stimulation and development of the immune system. A recent study indicated that exposure of piglets to soil-borne microbes during lactation was related with modulation of gut microbiota and immune function. To identify the potential molecular mechanisms and pathways impacted by early-life topsoil exposure, we analyzed the messenger RNA (mRNA) and micro-RNA (miRNA) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from these piglets. Total RNA was extracted from the PBMCs of piglets exposed to topsoil only from d 4–d 21 of life (mRNA n = 6; miRNA n = 5) or unexposed control pigs (mRNA n = 6; miRNA n = 8) at 11, 20, and 56 days of age. Small RNA and mRNA were sequenced with 50-bp single-end reads using Illumina chemistry. Sequence data were quality checked with FASTQC software and aligned to the Sscrofa 11.1 genome with the STAR aligner for mRNA and mirDeep2 for miRNA. Differential expression (DE) analysis was performed using PROC Glimmix of SAS to evaluate changes in expression due to topsoil exposure over time with genes declared DE at a false discovery rate (FDR) of q < 0.10. A total of 138 mRNA and 21 miRNAs were identified as DE for the treatment by age interaction. Ontology enrichment analysis of DE mRNA revealed Gene ontology (GO) terms directly involved in the connection between T-cell and antigen-presenting cells that are associated with T-cell activation. Key regulatory genes identified include PTPRJ, ITGB3, TRBV30, CD3D, mir-143, mir-29, and mir-148a. While these results require validation, this study provides data supporting the hypothesis that less-hygienic environments during early life may contribute to the development of the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. M. De Souza
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - D. A. Koltes
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - H. Beiki
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - M. A. Sales
- Department of Animal Science, University of Arkansas-Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - T. Tsai
- Department of Animal Science, University of Arkansas-Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - C. V. Maxwell
- Department of Animal Science, University of Arkansas-Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - J. Zhao
- Department of Animal Science, University of Arkansas-Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - J. E. Koltes
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
- *Correspondence: J. E. Koltes,
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19
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Düpjan S, Dawkins MS. Animal Welfare and Resistance to Disease: Interaction of Affective States and the Immune System. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:929805. [PMID: 35774975 PMCID: PMC9237619 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.929805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Good management and improved standards of animal welfare are discussed as important ways of reducing the risk of infection in farm animals without medication. Increasing evidence from both humans and animals suggests that environments that promote wellbeing over stress and positive over negative emotions can reduce susceptibility to disease and/or lead to milder symptoms. We point out, however, that the relationship between welfare, immunity, and disease is highly complex and we caution against claiming more than the current evidence shows. The accumulating but sometimes equivocal evidence of close links between the brain, the gut microbiome, immunity, and welfare are discussed in the context of the known links between mental and physical health in humans. This evidence not only provides empirical support for the importance of good welfare as preventative medicine in animals but also indicates a variety of mechanisms by which good welfare can directly influence disease resistance. Finally, we outline what still needs to be done to explore the potential preventative effects of good welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Düpjan
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Marian Stamp Dawkins
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Marian Stamp Dawkins
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Bari MS, Kheravii SK, Bajagai YS, Wu SB, Keerqin C, Campbell DLM. Cecal Microbiota of Free-Range Hens Varied With Different Rearing Enrichments and Ranging Patterns. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:797396. [PMID: 35222302 PMCID: PMC8881003 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.797396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Free-range pullets are reared indoors but the adult hens can go outside which is a mismatch that may reduce adaptation in the laying environment. Rearing enrichments might enhance pullet development and adaptations to subsequent free-range housing with impact on behavior and health measures including gut microbiota. Adult free-range hens vary in range use which may also be associated with microbiota composition. A total of 1,700 Hy-Line Brown® chicks were reared indoors across 16 weeks with three enrichment treatment groups: “control” with standard litter housing, “novelty” with weekly changed novel objects, and “structural” with custom-designed perching structures in the pens. At 15 weeks, 45 pullet cecal contents were sampled before moving 1,386 pullets to the free-range housing system. At 25 weeks, range access commenced, and movements were tracked via radio-frequency identification technology. At 65 weeks, 91 hens were selected based on range use patterns (“indoor”: no ranging; “high outdoor”: daily ranging) across all rearing enrichment groups and cecal contents were collected for microbiota analysis via 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing at V3-V4 regions. The most common bacteria in pullets were unclassified Barnesiellaceae, Prevotella, Blautia and Clostridium and in hens Unclassified, Ruminococcus, unclassified Lachnospiraceae, unclassified Bacteroidales, unclassified Paraprevotellaceae YRC22, and Blautia. The microbial alpha diversity was not significant within the enrichment/ranging groups (pullets: P ≥ 0.17, hen rearing enrichment groups: P ≥ 0.06, hen ranging groups: P ≥ 0.54), but beta diversity significantly varied between these groups (pullets: P ≤ 0.002, hen rearing enrichment groups: P ≤ 0.001, hen ranging groups: P ≤ 0.008). Among the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), the propionic acid content was higher (P = 0.03) in the novelty group of pullets than the control group. There were no other significant differences in the SCFA contents between the rearing enrichment groups (all P ≥ 0.10), and the ranging groups (all P ≥ 0.17). Most of the genera identified were more abundant in the indoor than high outdoor hens. Overall, rearing enrichments affected the cecal microbiota diversity of both pullets and adult hens and was able to distinguish hens that remained inside compared with hens that ranging daily for several hours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Saiful Bari
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, NSW, Australia
- Department of Dairy and Poultry Science, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, Bangladesh
- *Correspondence: Md Saiful Bari,
| | - Sarbast K. Kheravii
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Yadav S. Bajagai
- Institute for Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD, Australia
| | - Shu-Biao Wu
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Chake Keerqin
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Dana L. M. Campbell
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, NSW, Australia
- Dana L. M. Campbell,
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21
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Matheson SM, Edwards SA, Kyriazakis I. Farm characteristics affecting antibiotic consumption in pig farms in England. Porcine Health Manag 2022; 8:7. [PMID: 35090562 PMCID: PMC8796333 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-022-00248-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pig production has been highlighted as one of the highest users of antibiotics amongst livestock, with several studies suggesting a variety of approaches to antibiotic reduction. We aimed to investigate links between antibiotic use (defined as total amount of critically (CIA) and non-critically important antibiotics, and as mg per kg of pig on farm), production stages present on farm (Breeder-Finisher, Nursery-Finisher, and Finisher), and pig farm characteristics using farm data collected through national recording systems in Great Britain for 2017 & 2018. Providing enrichment within pig pens may reduce the need for antibiotics by enhancing both pig welfare and resilience to infection; this was one of the hypotheses addressed by this paper. RESULTS The amount of antibiotic used, expressed as mg/kg, reduced between 2017 and 2018 for Breeder-Finisher farms, but not for Nursery-Finisher or Finisher farms. Breeder-Finisher farms were more likely to use CIA compared with other production stages. Larger farms were more likely to use CIA, but farm size had no effect on mg/kg of antibiotic used. As the proportion of pens containing straw increased, the total use of antibiotics decreased for Breeder-Finisher, but not for Nursery-Finisher or Finisher farms. As the proportion of pens containing straw increased, the probability of using CIAs also decreased. Farms with a higher proportion of finisher pens with an outdoor space had a lower use of non-critical antibiotics and lower probability of use of CIA. Farms with a higher proportion of pens with automatically controlled natural ventilation (ACNV) had lower total use of antibiotics, although ACNV had no effect on the probability of using CIA. CONCLUSIONS We quantified the influence of farm characteristics on the consumption of antibiotics in pig farms in England. Our findings support the hypothesis that farm characteristics have an influence on antibiotic use within a system and suggest that this reflects the balance of effects on both animal resilience and disease challenge. Consistent with our hypothesis, provision of straw was associated with reduced antibiotic use. We also demonstrate the value of using secondary databases, although further structural improvements are required to facilitate effective database combination and ensure maximum information benefits can be realised.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Matheson
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
- Sanday Bioscience Ltd, Academy House, Shedden Park Road, Kelso, Roxburghshire, TD5 7AL, Scotland
| | - S A Edwards
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
| | - I Kyriazakis
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK.
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22
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Albernaz-Gonçalves R, Olmos Antillón G, Hötzel MJ. Linking Animal Welfare and Antibiotic Use in Pig Farming-A Review. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:216. [PMID: 35049838 PMCID: PMC8773261 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Preventative measures, such as biosecurity and vaccinations, are essential but not sufficient to ensure high standards of health in pig production systems. Restrictive, barren housing and many widely used management practices that cause pain and stress predispose high-performance pigs reared in intensive systems to disease. In this context, antibiotics are used as part of the infrastructure that sustains health and high levels of production in pig farms. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global emergency affecting human and animal health, and the use of antibiotics (AMU) in intensive livestock farming is considered an important risk factor for the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria from animals to humans. Tackling the issue of AMR demands profound changes in AMU, e.g., reducing their use for prophylaxis and ending it for growth promotion. In support of such recommendations, we revise the link between animal welfare and AMU and argue that it is crucial to sustainably reduce AMU while ensuring that pigs can live happy lives. In support of such recommendations, we aimed to revise the link between animal welfare and AMU in pigs by analysing stress factors related to housing and management and their impact on pig welfare. In particular, we reviewed critical management practices that increase stress and, therefore, pigs' susceptibility to disease and reduce the quality of life of pigs. We also reviewed some alternatives that can be adopted in pig farms to improve animal welfare and that go beyond the reduction in stress. By minimising environmental and management stressors, pigs can become more immunocompetent and prepared to overcome pathogenic challenges. This outcome can contribute to reducing AMU and the risk of AMR while simultaneously improving the quality of life of pigs and, ultimately, maintaining the pig industry's social license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Albernaz-Gonçalves
- Campus Santa Rosa do Sul, Instituto Federal Catarinense, Santa Rosa do Sul 88965-000, SC, Brazil;
- Laboratório de Etologia Aplicada e Bem-Estar Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Rod. Admar Gonzaga 1346, Itacorubi, Florianópolis 88034-001, SC, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Olmos Antillón
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Maria José Hötzel
- Laboratório de Etologia Aplicada e Bem-Estar Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Rod. Admar Gonzaga 1346, Itacorubi, Florianópolis 88034-001, SC, Brazil
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