• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.520-530
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• 2021

This experiment was performed to verify whether dietary heat-killed Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR) improves growth performance and modulates immune responses of weaned pigs. Ninety-six weaned pigs ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc; 6.95 ± 0.25 kg body weight [BW]; 28 d old) were randomly allocated to four treatments: 1) a basal diet without heat-killed LR (CON), 2) T1 (CON with 0.1% heat-killed LR), 3) T2 (CON with 0.2% heat-killed LR), and 4) T3 (CON with 0.4% heat-killed LR). Each treatment had six pens with four pigs (6 replicates per treatment) in a randomized completely block design. The heat-killed LR used in this study contained 1 × 10⁹ FU/g of LR in a commercial product. Pigs were fed each treatment for four weeks using a two-phase feeding program to measure growth performance and frequency of diarrhea. During the last week of this study, all diets contained 0.2% chromic oxide as an indigestible marker. Fecal sampling was performed through rectal palpation for the consecutive three days after the four adaptation days to measure apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter, crude protein, and gross energy (GE). Blood sampling was also performed on day 1, 3, 7, and 14 after weaning to measure immune responses such as serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), C-reactive protein (CRP), and cortisol. The heat-killed LR increased (p < 0.05) growth rate, feed efficiency, and ATTD of GE for overall experimental period compared with CON, but reduced (p < 0.05) post-weaning diarrhea. In addition, pigs fed diets contained heat-killed had lower concentrations of serum TNF-α (d 7; p < 0.05), TGF-β1 (d 7; p < 0.10), and cortisol (d 3 and 7; p < 0.05) than pigs fed CON. In conclusion, dietary heat-killed LR improved growth rate, modified immune responses of weaned pigs, and alleviated post-weaning diarrhea.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters between first and later parities as different traits in reproductive traits of pigs using multiple trait animal model procedures. Data related to reproductive traits from a total of 2,371 individuals maintained at a farm were taken from the pedigree file. Sires and dams were consisted of Duroc, Landrace, and Yorkshire breeds, respectively. The first and later parity records were considered as different traits. Traits included in analyses were total pigs born (TB1), number of pigs born alive (NBA1), number of pigs weaned (NW1), and litter weaning weight (LWT1) in the first parity, and total pigs born (TB2), number of pigs born alive (NBA2), number of pigs weaned (NW2), litter weaning weight (LWT2) and interval between farrowing events (FTF) in later parities. Heritability estimates of TB1, NBA1, NW1 and LWT1 in the first parity were 0.27, 0.25, 0.16 and 0.20, respectively. For TB2, NBA2, NW2, LWT2 and FTF in later parities, heritabilities were estimated as 0.15, 0.15, 0.08, 0.11 and 0.07, respectively. Genetic correlations between sow reproductive traits in the first parity and in the second and later parity were estimated to be 0.89, 0.77, 0.58 and 0.66, respectively, between TB1 and TB2, NBA1 and NBA2, NW1 and NW2, and LWT1 and LWT2. While phenotypic correlations between TB1 and TB2, NBA1 and NBA2, NW1 and NW2, and LWT1 and LWT2 were estimated as 0.18, 0.15, 0.06 and 0.10, respectively. Genetic correlations between reproductive traits of first and later parities were not high indicating that reproductive traits for sows should be analyzed while considering the parities as different traits.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2023

A total of 96 weanling pigs with an initial body weight of 5.96 ± 0.08 kg were randomly allocated to two dietary treatments and fed experimental weaning diets for 36 days in three phases; phase 1: day 1 to 7; phase 2: day 8 to 21, and phase 3: day 22 to 36. Treatments consisted of a basal diet (CON) containing 334.0 g/kg dried whey versus a lactic acid (LA) supplemented diet containing 313.6 g/kg dried whey with 10 g/kg LA during phase 1; a CON diet containing 200.0 g/kg dried whey versus an LA diet containing 186.0 g/kg dried whey with 7 g/kg LA during phase 2. During phase 3, both CON and LA groups were fed a diet without dried whey and LA. Pigs fed the LA diet had a higher average daily feed intake ADFI (p = 0.014) and reduced (p = 0.035) gain-feed ratio compared to pigs fed CON diet in phase 2. In phase 3, the average daily gain and feed intake were both increased (p = 0.026 and; p = 0.010, respectively) in the pigs previously fed the LA diet than those fed the CON diet. The apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter and, nitrogen, and the digestible energy were decreased (p < 0.05) in the LA diet group on day 7; however, increased (p < 0.05) digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen and digestible energy was observed at the end of phase 2 and 3. In conclusion, the inclusion of LA was inferred to have improved the average daily gain, feed intake, and nutrient digestibility during the late weanling period of pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.987-992
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• 2015

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of palm kernel expellers on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood profiles of weaned pigs. A total of 88 weaned pigs ($6.94{\pm}0.76kg$ body weight [BW]; 28 d old) were randomly allotted to 2 dietary treatments (4 pigs/pen; 11 replicates/treatment) in a randomized complete block design (sex as a block). The dietary treatments were a typical nursery diet based on corn and soybean meal (CON) and CON added with 20% of palm kernel expellers (PKE). Pigs were fed for 6 wk using a 3-phase feeding program with declining diet complexity and with phases of 1, 2, and 3 wk, respectively. Blood was collected from randomly selected 2 pigs in each pen before weaning and on d 7 after weaning. Pigs were fed respective dietary treatments containing 0.2% chromic oxide from d 29 to 35 after weaning. Fecal samples were collected from randomly selected 2 pigs in each pen daily for the last 3 days after the 4-d adjustment period. Measurements were growth performances, digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen and energy, white and red blood cell counts, packed cell volume, and incidence of diarrhea. The PKE increased average daily gain (ADG) (246 vs 215 g/d; p = 0.06) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) (470 vs 343 g/d; p<0.05) and decreased gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) (0.522 vs 0.628 g/g; p<0.05) during phase 2 compared with CON, but did not affect growth performance during phase 1 and 3. During overall experimental period, PKE increased ADG (383 vs 362 g/d; p = 0.05) and ADFI (549 vs 496 g/d; p<0.05) compared with CON, but did not affect G:F. However, no differences were found on digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, and energy between CON and PKE. The PKE reduced frequency of diarrhea (15% vs 25%; p = 0.08) for the first 2 wk after weaning compared with CON. Similarly, PKE decreased white blood cells (8.19 vs $9.56{\times}10^3/{\mu}L$; p = 0.07), red blood cells (2.92 vs $3.25{\times}10^6/{\mu}L$; p = 0.09), and packed cell volume (11.1% vs 12.6%; p = 0.06) on d 7 after weaning compared with CON. In conclusion, addition of 20% palm kernel expellers to nursery diet based on corn and soybean meal had no negative effects on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood profiles of weaned pigs.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.119-131
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• 2023

Objective: This study was to assess the effects of different doses of an essential oil blend (EOB) on growth performance, diarrhea occurrence (DO), hematological and blood biochemical profile, intestinal morphometry, morphology and microbiology, relative weight and length of organs, digestive content pH, and liver antioxidant status in weaning piglets. Methods: A total of 135 barrows (7.09±0.29 kg body weight) were allotted randomly in a randomized complete block design based on body weight with nine replications and three animals per pen. Dietary treatments were a negative control (NC): basal diet; positive control (PC): NC plus 125 mg performance-enhancing antibiotic (enramycin 8%)/kg diet; NC plus 100 mg EOB/kg diet (EO100); NC plus 200 mg EOB/kg diet (EO200); and NC plus 400 mg EOB/kg diet (EO400). Diarrhea occurrence was monitored daily, and performance at the end of each phase. Results: Gain to feed ratio was greater (p<0.05) in starter II pigs fed EO400 and EO200 than in those fed EO100. Pigs fed EO400 had lower (p<0.05) DO than those fed NC and EO100 in the total period. Pre-starter II pigs fed NC had (p<0.05) lower serum total protein and plasma protein than pigs fed PC. Pigs fed EO100 showed smaller (p<0.05) mean corpuscular volume (MCV) than pigs fed EO400. Starter II pigs fed EO400 had (p<0.05) greater MCV and lower mean corpuscular hemoglobin and erythrocytes than those fed EO100. There was a greater concentration (p<0.05) of band cells for PC, similar to EO400 and EO200. Performance-enhancing antibiotic and EOB to diets increased (p<0.05) liver superoxide dismutase activity. Conclusion: Adding 200 and 400 mg EOB/kg diet decreased DO and was advantageous to hematological and blood biochemical profile and liver antioxidant status without being detrimental to growth performance and gastrointestinal health in nursery pigs.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.1307-1315
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• 2012

We evaluated the effect of dietary supplements with benzoic acid on intestinal beneficial bacteria concentration and immune response of weaning pigs. Supplementation with benzoic acid at 0.5% or control diet for 35 days resulted in a higher Lactobacillus casei concentration in the cecum. Supplementation with benzoic acid at 0.5% increased concentration of L. plantarum in the cecum. Pigs with the control diet and 0.5% benzoic acid had significantly increased concentration of B. subtillis in the cecum compared to the antibiotic group, while the concentration of B. subtillis in the rectum increased in pigs given 0.3 and 0.5% benzoic acid (p<0.05). Compared with the control group, the level of interleukin-$1{\beta}$ mRNA showed a significant decrease in the proximal small intestine in pigs fed diets supplemented with benzoic acid at 0.5% or antibiotic. Feeding 0.5% benzoic acid resulted in a marked reduction in the expression of IL-6 mRNA in the middle small intestine (p<0.05). Supplementation with benzoic acid at 0.5% or antibiotic resulted in a lower level of tumor necrosis factor-mRNA in the middle intestine. Up to 0.5% benzoic acid may be included in weaning diets for improvement of intestinal beneficial bacteria, thus modulating genes of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the gastrointestinal tract.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1601-1606
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• 2011

32 sows (Landrace${\times}$Yorkshire) and their litters were used to evaluate the effects of varying creep feed duration on pre-weaning, post-weaning performance of piglets and sows. Sows were randomly assigned with 1, 2 or 3+ parities into 1 of 4 treatments. Creep feeding was initiated at day 5, 10 and 15 from birth for treatment 1 (TRT1), 2 (TRT2) and (TRT3), respectively, with a control group provided no creep feed. In this study, TRT1 and TRT2 diets had reduced (p<0.05) the post-weaning diarrhea scores in piglets and the weaning-to-estrus interval and cortisol concentration in sows at weaning time compared with other treatments. Dietary TRT1 led to a higher (p<0.05) epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations than other treatments. No differences (p>0.05) were noted in suckling, sleeping, fighting frequency and mortality in piglet and eating, standing times, backfat and body weight loss in sows. In conclusion, creep feed initiated from day 5 and 10 reduce diarrhea scores in piglets and benefit the estrus interval in sows compared with those initiated from day 15 and no-creep feeding diets, indicating creep feeding could improve the pigs and sows performance, especially those initiated from day 5 and 10.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.78-84
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine shifts in the composition of the bacterial population in the intestinal tracts (ITs) of weaning piglets by antibiotic treatment using high-throughput sequencing. Methods: Sixty 28-d-old weaning piglets were randomly divided into two treatment groups. The Control group was treated with a basal diet without antibiotics. The Antibiotic group's basal diet contained colistin sulfate at a concentration of 20 g per ton and bacitracin zinc at a concentration of 40 g per ton. All of the pigs were fed for 28 days. Then, three pigs were killed, and the luminal contents of the jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon were collected for DNA extraction and high-throughput sequencing. Results: The results showed that the average daily weight gain of the antibiotic group was significantly greater (p<0.05), and the incidence of diarrhea lower (p>0.05), than the control group. A total of 812,607 valid reads were generated. Thirty-eight operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that were found in all of the samples were defined as core OTUs. Twenty-one phyla were identified, and approximately 90% of the classifiable sequences belonged to the phylum Firmicutes. Forty-two classes were identified. Of the 232 genera identified, nine genera were identified as the core gut microbiome because they existed in all of the tracts. The proportion of the nine core bacteria varied at the different tract sites. A heat map was used to understand how the numbers of the abundant genera shifted between the two treatment groups. Conclusion: At different tract sites the relative abundance of gut microbiota was different. Antibiotics could cause shifts in the microorganism composition and affect the composition of gut microbiota in the different tracts of weaning piglets.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.302-311
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• 2022

This study investigated the effect of a synergistic blend of free and buffered organic acid (FMP) on the performance of piglets born to sows supplemented with a blend of short- and medium-chain organic acids (SGG) during the late gestation and lactation period. A total of 150 multiparous sows (n = 50/treatment, Landrace × Yorkshire) were blocked (2.4 parity) and assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: CON - corn-soybean meal-based basal diet, SGG-Low - CON+ 1.5 kg/ton SGG, and SGG-High - CON + 3kg/ton SGG. During weaning, 600 piglets (6.72 ± 0.5kg) which weaned from sows supplemented with 3 levels of SGG were allocated to 2 weaner diets (Control and FMP - 3kg/ton) following 3 × 2 factorial arrangement. Supplemental effects on performance were measured at d0-d21 and d 21-42, and the entire period. Pigs fed with FMP and born to sows supplemented with SGG-High gained more weight and ate more (p < 0.05) compared with those in the CON group in both phases, and with SGG-Low in the second phase. Over the entire post-weaning period, piglets born to sows supplemented with SGG-Low and SGG-High had a higher average daily gain (ADG) and body weight (BW) (p < 0.05). Regardless of sow treatment, pigs fed with an FMP diet had higher ADG (p < 0.001), BW (p = 0.045), and a lower feed conversion ratio (p = 0.033). Also, feeding FMP diets reduced the fecal Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens counts at d42. The current study indicates that sows fed SGG supplement had a positive carry-over effect on the post-weaning growth rate, and FMP supplement enhances the growth performance and reduced the number of C. perfringens and E. coli. Thus, the application of 3 kg/ton of SGG in sows' diet and subsequent feeding of piglets with FMP would be an effective strategy to improve growth rate and reduce pathogenic bacteria in post-weaned piglets.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.281-285
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• 2003

This study was carried out to find out the changes on serum concentrations of estradiol-17$\beta$, progesterone in primiparous Duroc, Landrace and Yorkshire sows weaned at 7 or 21 days. Also, we compared the litter size at birth and weaning among the breeds weaned after lactation for 7 or 21 days. The estradiol-17$\beta$ concentrations among the breeds were 6.9∼8.8 pg/ml and 6.4∼8.8 pg/ml after lactation for 7 or 21 days, respectively. The progesterone concentrations ranged from 0.3 ng/ml to 1.6 ng/ml. Duroc sow showed higher progesterone concentration compared with Landrace and Yorkshire sows weaned after lactation for 7 or 21 days. Also, we found out that litter size at birth and weaning, respectively, did not show any differences between day 7 and day 21 of lactation. From the facts mentioned above, it was suggested that very early weaning systems could work with no apparent adverse effect on prolificacy.