1. Effect of Supplementing a Bacillus Multi-Strain Probiotic to a Post-Weaning Diet on Nutrient Utilisation and Nitrogen Retention of Piglets.
- Author
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Huting, Anne Maria Stevina, Lagos, Liz Vanessa, Hansen, Lea Hübertz Birch, and Molist, Francesc
- Subjects
PROBIOTICS ,PIGLETS ,BACILLUS (Bacteria) ,BACILLUS amyloliquefaciens ,ENERGY consumption ,VALERIC acid ,LARGE intestine - Abstract
Simple Summary: There is a global need to produce pork that is free of antimicrobials and has a minimum impact on the environment. Most antibiotics are used during the nursery phase mainly for gastro-intestinal (GIT) diseases. Nutrition can help support gut health during the challenging process of weaning. At weaning, piglets experience short-term anorexia and suffer from an impaired development of the gastrointestinal tract. In order to keep weaned piglets healthy, it is important to support the function and development of the GIT of piglets' by enhancing nutrient digestibility and absorption. Especially since undigested proteins entering the large intestine are one of the major risk factors for the development of post-weaning diarrhoea. Probiotics (i.e., live microorganisms) are suggested to not only modulate piglets' health but also enhance nutrient utilisation; therefore, they may contribute to improved piglet health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a novel Bacillus multi-strain on nutrient efficiency. This study demonstrated that the use of the multi-strain Bacillus probiotic (B. amyloliquefaciens and B. subtilis) was able to improve the nutrient efficiency of weaned piglets and may contribute to a reduced N pollution into the environment. Probiotics are suggested to improve pig health, nutrient utilisation, performance, and they may reduce nitrogen (N) pollution. However, the effectivity of a single strain might be different from that of a multi-strain. The study was conducted to investigate the effect of a novel Bacillus multi-strain on nutrient digestibility, energy utilisation, and N retention in weaned piglets using an European diet. The experiment consisted of a control diet (CD) and a supplemented diet (SD). The probiotic used for SD consisted of B. amyloliquefaciens—516 and B. subtilis—541. A total of eight boars/treatment were weaned (day 0; 8.5 kg body weight). Only boars were used to ease the collection of urine. Until day 10, piglets were fed ad libitum and were housed in pairs; from day 11, piglets were fed semi ad libitum (feeding level 3.2× metabolic body weight) and were housed individually. From day 14, faecal and urine were collected twice daily. Piglets were humanely euthanised at day 19 (15.0 kg bodyweight) after which the jejunum, ileum, and colon content were collected. In faeces, the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of, amongst others, DM, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), and subsequently net energy (NE) were calculated using titanium dioxide as an indigestible marker. In the jejunum and ileum, the apparent digestibility of CP was estimated, and in the ileum, the apparent AA digestibility was measured. In urine, the N content was measured to determine N retention. The volatile fatty acid (VFA), branched-chain fatty acid (BCFA), and lactic acid content were analysed in the colon and faeces. The apparent CP digestibility in the jejunum and ileum was not affected by treatment (p > 0.05), and no effect was observed on the apparent ileal digestibility of AA (p > 0.05). Supplementation with the multi-strain probiotic improved the ATTD of DM (p = 0.01; +1.3%) and OM (p = 0.02; +1.2%) and tended to improve the ATTD of CP (p = 0.10; +2.2%) and NSP (p = 0.07; +1.9%). The multi-strain probiotic also improved the NE value (p = 0.02; +0.2 MJ/kg DM) and improved N retention (p = 0.05; +1.6%). Supplementation did not influence the VFA, BCFA, and lactic acid content in the faeces (p > 0.05). However, in the colon, supplementation did influence the lactic acid content (lower; p = 0.01) and tended to influence the valeric acid content (higher; p = 0.09). In conclusion, results from the current study suggest that the multi-strain probiotic has the potential to contribute to improve nutrient efficiency in weaned piglets. More research needs to be conducted to identify the impact of the improved nutrient utilisation on gut health in post-weaned pigs as well as environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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