• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.788-793
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• 2016

Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD), mostly caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), remains to be a major source of economic loss in swine industry. The use of the ETEC-oral challenge model is often applied to mimic unsanitary commercial swine farm conditions where pathogens and unknown complex microbes exist and can cause severe infections in pigs. The purpose of this study was (1) to estimate ETEC density using spectrophotometric computation, (2) to determine survivability of ETEC after storing at $-20^{\circ}C$ for 7 days, and (3) to evaluate survivability of ETEC after blending with diluted sweeteners (0, 5, 10, 20, and 40% sucrose in phosphate buffered saline [PBS]). Cell density was quantified using UV-VIS spectrophotometer and counting ETEC colony forming units (cfu) at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, and 240 min. The established linear equation ($y=0.0031x^2-0.0079x+0.0043$ and $y=0.0046x^2-0.0151x+0.0113$) was used for robust quantification of each ETEC cell density. ETEC stored at $-20^{\circ}C$ showed 108 cfu/mL after thawing and incubation. When ETEC was blended with sweeteners (20 and 40%), survival of ETEC was decreased by 58 and 54% in 5 min post blending. However, addition of 20% of sweetener resulted in a higher survivability than those with other media concentrations. Therefore, the use of ETEC-oral challenge model would be possible as a stable method if we could confirm the appropriate medium that increases survivability of ETEC in weaner pigs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.555-566
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• 2008

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of medicinal herbs on characteristics and qualities of pork for 6 months using 102 post-weaning piglets, To improve the bod gain and feed efficiency rate, post-weaning piglets were fed with medicinal herbs from 4 to 10 weeks after birth, while grower pigs for 60 days before slaughter. Daily body gain of piglets of experimental group was higher(493.1g) than control(447.8g), with feed demand index 1.49 versus 1.6 times in control, indicating. The more pigs were fed with herbs, the higher body gain was observed. Among carcass characteristics, dressing percentage and backfat thickness were higher in experimental group(68.26% and 14.52mm) than control(67.39% and 14.36mm). Experimental group(0.5% medicinal herb-fed) produced more A class carcass. In fatty acid analysis, meats of experimental group contained less saturated(more unsaturated) fatty acids than control. Especially, palmitic acid, a precursor of cholesterol, was less and oleic acid was more contained than control. In amino acid analysis, essential amino acids(methionine and isoleucine) were increased in meats of experimental group. In concolusion, feeding medicinal herbs has effects such as increased body gain, improved feed demand, and carcass class on piglets and improved meat quality on growers.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.293-304
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• 2005

This experiment was carried out to investigate effects of honeybee venom treatment on the body weight gain, feed conversion and growth rate' in pigs. One hundred twenty nine piglets(LY) from 12 sows were allocated into two groups; honeybee venom-treated group (66 piglets from 6 sows) and non-treated control group (63 piglets from 6 sows). Natural honeybee venom was administrated at 0, 3, 14, 30, and 74 days after birth. The acupoints were Hai-men(ST-25), Du-kou(CV-8) and liao-chao(GV-I) points at 0 day, the regions of castration and tail ampution at 3 days, liao-chao(GV-1) and Bai-hui(GV-20) points at 14(weaning), 30(move into piglet stall) and 74(move into grower stall) days after birth. Control group was injected 1 ml of saline to the same site. Average body weight at 150 days after birth was 98.44 kg in bee venom treated group and 86.24 kg in control group, respectively. Average body weight of treated group was significantly increased by 14.15%(P < 0.0001). Average daily gain of bee venom treated group and control group were 649 g and 569 g, respectively, increased by 14.06%(P< 0.0001). Feed conversion of the treated group was 2.21 and control group was 2.49, increased by 11.25% in control group(P < 0.001). Survival rate at weaning was 95.5 % in treated group and 92.0% in control group, at growing(74 days after birth) was 92.4% in treated group and 85.7% in control group and survival rate at finishing(l50 days after birth) was 89.5 % and 79.4 %, respectively. Collecting together, the results in this study showed that growth performance and feed conversion were increased by treatment of natural honeybee venom to pigs. These results suggested that the treatment of bee venom could be used effectively for the increase productivity of livestock industry.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.1419-1424
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• 2001

Previous research in our laboratory has demonstrated the importance of lactose in phase I and II pig starter diets. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of a carbohydrate by-product (food by-products) as a replacement for lactose. In Exp. I, 120 weaned pigs ($14{\pm}2d$ and 5.65kg) were allotted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) to 10 replications with four pigs per pen. This experiment evaluated three carbohydrate sources (lactose, carbohydrate by-product, and 50-50 blend of the carbohydrate by-product and lactose). The carbohydrate sources were added at 26% in the phase I diets and 15% in the phase II diets. Phase I diets contained 7.5% spray dried plasma protein (SDP). The phase I diets were fed from d 0 to 14 and the phase II diets from d 15 to 28. There were no significant differences between carbohydrate sources on pig performance in phase I. However, during phase II pigs fed the diet with lactose had an improved gain/feed ratio (G/F) (p=0.06) compared to pigs fed the carbohydrate by-product. For the entire 28 d trial ADG, ADFI and G/F were similar for the 50-50 blend and those fed lactose. Total replacement of lactose with the carbohydrate byproduct resulted in a reduced G/F (p=0.09). Exp. 2 used 100 weaned pigs ($17{\pm}2d$ and 4.75kg) with five replications with five pigs per pen. This experiment evaluated four carbohydrate treatments (lactose, carbohydrate by-products, 50-50 blend, and corn). All phase I diets contained 3.5% SDP with the carbohydrate sources included at 15%, and were fed d 0 to 14. The phase II diets contained 7.5% of the carbohydrate sources and were fed d 15 to 27. A common phase III diet was fed d 28 to 42. During all phases pigs fed com tended to have a lower ADG than pigs fed the other carbohydrate sources with the 50-50 blend resulting in the highest ADG. The results of both experiments suggest that this carbohydrate by-product can replace at least 50% of the lactose in phase I and phase II pig starter diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.777-785
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• 2010

The effect of two doses of different sources of zinc, inorganic (zinc oxide) or chelated (zinc glutamate chelate), on morphology and turn-over of the small intestine was assessed in early-weaned pigs orally challenged with enterotoxigenic E. coli K88 (ETEC). Sixty pigs weaned at 21 days were assigned to one of the following 5 diets: control (C); C+Zinc oxide (ZnO), either a 200 or a 2,500 mg Zn/kg dose; or C+zinc chelate with glutamic acid (Glu-Zn), either a 200 or a 2,500 mg Zn/kg dose. On d 2, the pigs were orally inoculated with 1.5 ml of a $10^{10}$ CFU/ml E. coli K88ac O148 suspension. Zinc supplements did not improve the performance of the pigs, but on d 5 faecal excretion of ETEC was reduced, and this was mainly due to high zinc doses (p<0.05). The villous height in the duodenum was improved by the zinc supplements (p<0.01) whatever the source and the level, whereas no effect was seen in the other two tracts of small intestine. The diet did not affect apoptosis and mitosis counts, while ETEC-susceptible pigs had more mitotic cells in the villi than non-susceptible pigs, particularly in the jejunum (p<0.01). The duodenum had fewer mitotic cells in the villi (p<0.05) and in the crypts (p<0.01) and more apoptotic cells in the villi. High dietary doses of ZnO or Zn-Glutamate improve villous height of the duodenum, but not of the jejunum and the ileum, and do not affect the epithelial proliferative activity and apoptotic index of intestinal mucosa of early-weaned pigs orally challenged with ETEC.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.1344-1354
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• 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of brown rice (Japonica) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood parameters of weanling pigs. A total of 60 weanling pigs (28-day-old, 30 barrows and 30 gilts, 6.73 ± 0.77 kg body weight [BW]) were randomly allotted to 2 dietary treatments (6 pigs per pen; 5 replicates per treatment) in a randomized complete block design with the initial BW and sex as blocks. The dietary treatments were a typical nursery diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON) and the CON replaced 50% of corn with brown rice (BR). Pigs were fed respective dietary treatments for 5 weeks. For the last week of experiment period, pigs were fed respective dietary treatments containing 0.2% chromic oxide as an indigestible marker. Fecal samples were collected from randomly selected 1 pig in each pen daily for the last 3 d after the 4-d adjustment period. Blood was collected from randomly selected 1 pig in each pen on d 0, 3, 7, and 14 after weaning. Compared with pig fed CON diet, pigs fed the BR diet were found to have higher (p < 0.05) final BW, overall average daily gain, and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter and energy. However, there were no significant differences between the groups with respect to average daily feed intake, gain to feed ratio, frequency of diarrhea, and the AID and ATTD of crude protein during overall experimental period. Similarly, there were no significant differences on blood parameters between the groups. Thus, the findings of this study indicate that brown rice (Japonica) can be used to replace 50% of corn in the diet of pigs during the nursery period without negatively affecting growth performance, nutrient digestibility, or blood parameters.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.854-862
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of different levels of crude protein (CP) diets supplemented with dietary protease on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of the weanling pigs. In a 5-week study, 100 crossbred ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc) of weaner pigs that have an average initial body weight (BW) of 7.17±1.06 kg were assigned to one of four dietary treatments with 5 replications and 5 pigs (3 gilts and 2 castrated male pigs) per pen in a randomized complete block design. The dietary treatments were as follows: Phase 1: CON: basal diets (20.60% CP); low protein (LP): CON - 0.30% CP; PLP1: (CON - 0.30% CP) + 0.05% protease; PLP2: (CON - 0.50% CP) + 0.05% protease. Phase 2: CON: basal diets (18.88% CP); LP: CON - 0.30% CP; PLP1: (CON - 0.30% CP) + 0.05% protease; PLP2: (CON - 0.50% CP) + 0.05% protease. The addition of protease to low CP diets significantly increased the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p = 0.039), BW (p = 0.046), average daily gain (ADG) (p = 0.049), and average daily feed intake (ADFI) tended to increase (p = 0.053) in the young pigs during phase 1. However, FCR tended to increase throughout the experiment but did not change during phase 2, whereas BW, ADG, and ADFI stayed unchanged throughout phase 2 and overall. There was no significant difference in dry matter, nitrogen (N), and gross energy of nutrient digestibility in all phases and overall in weaned pigs with low CP when protease was fed. In contrast, adding protease to the low CP diets increased the tendency of N digestibility (p = 0.059) during phase 1. It is concluded that dietary protease supplementation tended to increase N retention during the first phase of the weaning period, hence increasing piglet performance.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.1463-1473
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• 2024

Objective: Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of Saccharomyces yeast postbiotics (SYP) in feeds for sows on the growth of offspring (Exp. 1), for nursery pigs on their growth (Exp. 2), and for nursery and finishing pigs on their growth (Exp. 3). Methods: Exp. 1 had 80 sows at breeding assigned to 4 groups with SYP at 0, 0.050, 0.175, and 0.500 g/kg. Offspring were fed a common diet for 126 d. Exp. 2 had 144 barrows at 8 kg body weight (BW) allotted to CON (no SYP); YPC (SYP at 0.175 g/kg; d 0 to 42); and YPD (SYP at 1.25, 0.75, and 0 g/kg; d 0 to 7, d 8 to 21, and d 22 to 42, respectively) with 8 pens/treatment (6 pigs/pen). Exp. 3 had 96 barrows at 8 kg BW allotted to CON (no SYP); YPN (SYP at 0.175 g/kg; d 0 to 42); YPF (SYP at 0.100 g/kg; d 43 to 119); and YPA (SYP at 0.175 and 0.100 g/kg; d 0 to 42 and d 43 to 119, respectively) with 8 pens/treatment (3 pigs/pen). Results: In Exp. 1, increasing SYP increased (p<0.05, quadratic) the sow body score (maximum at 0.30% SYP), reduced (p<0.05, quadratic) the days-wean-to-estrus (minimum at 0.27% SYP), and increased (p<0.05) offspring BW at weaning and their average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (G:F) at d 126. In Exp. 2, ADG, average daily feed intake (ADFI), and G:F of YPC were the greatest (p<0.05). The ADG and ADFI of YPD were greater (p<0.05) than CON. Fecal score of YPC and YPD was smaller (p<0.05) than CON. In Exp. 3, YPA had the greatest (p<0.05) ADG and YPN and YPF had greater (p<0.05) ADG than CON. Conclusion: SYP enhanced sow performance, offspring growth, growth of nursery and growing pigs with the greater efficacy at 0.27 to 0.32 g/kg feed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1153-1158
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of Lactobacillus plantarum ZLP001 and its effects on growth performance and antioxidant status in weaning piglets. The survival in hydrogen peroxide and free radical-scavenging activity of Lactobacillus plantarum ZLP001 were analysed in vitro. The Lactobacillus plantarum ZLP001 showed high viability in 1.0 mmol/L hydrogen peroxide and high scavenging ability against hydroxyl, superoxide anion, and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radicals which was dose dependent. Ninety-six weaning piglets were selected ($7.45{\pm}0.79kg$) and divided into three groups comprising of negative control without any supplementation, treatment group with supplemented $6.8{\times}10^7$ Lactobacillus plantarum ZLP001 CFU/g of diet, and positive control with antibiotic treatment (chlorotetracycline, 80 mg/kg diet). The results showed that Lactobacillus plantarum ZLP001 supplementation enhanced feed conversion rates in piglets compared with control (p<0.05). Supplementation of Lactobacillus plantarum ZLP001 increased the concentration of superoxide dismutase (p<0.05), glutathione peroxidase (p<0.01) and catalase in serum (p<0.10), while decreased the concentration of malondialdehyde (p<0.05). The present study implies that the strain Lactobacillus plantarum ZLP001 had high antioxidant ability and its supplementation improved the growth performance and antioxidant status of weaning piglets, so it can be considered useful to alleviate oxidative stress and increase productive performance of pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.287-294
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• 1999

Vitamin and mineral deletion from swine diets can result in reduced growth if done during the period wher muscle and bone development is occurring. Several of the vitamins and minerals decline in the serum during the starter period, suggesting a higher dietary inclusion may be necessary postweaning. Vitamin research with grower-finisher pigs is limited, but results suggest that rapidly growing lean pigs may have a higher dietary requirement for the B vitamins. Several studies have suggested that early weaning and pigs of a lean genotype may have a dietary requirement for vitamin C, CI and Cr. High dietary vitamin E levels are fortified in the diet and seems to be effective in preventing mulberry heart problems in weanling and grower pigs. Organic Se is more effectively retained in muscle tissue than inorganic Se, approximately 20% less is excreted, but the bioavailability of organic Se for glutathione peroxidase activity is only 80 to 90% to that of sodium selenite. The active form of thyroxine (T4) is dependent upon a Se containing enzyme. Withdrawal of vitamins and minerals during the latter part of the finisher period has not affected pig performance responses, but studies with poultry suggest that the vitamin content of the meat may be reduced if the vitamins are withdrawn prior to marketing. High levels of vitamin E have been shown to improve pork quality, by reducing drip loss. Studies with vitamin C and Se have suggested that they may also be involved in pork quality.