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The aim of the present in vivo study was to evaluate the efficacy of a novel multicomponent mycotoxin detoxifying agent, as mineral premix consisting of modified zeolite, Bacillus spp., yeast cell wall and silymarin (MMDA; Patent Co, Misicevo, Serbia), in-feed to adsorb mycotoxins zearalenone (ZEN) and T-2, administered through feed in weaned pigs. In total, 112 post-weaning barrows and gilts (Danbred x Pietrain) from the 25th day of age (day 0 of the trial) until 66th day of age (end of trial) were allocated in four trial groups. Each group consisted of 28 pigs placed in seven pens (replicates) with four animals in each pen. Group G1 served as control group that received feed without any mycotoxins or MMDA; Group G2 received feed with spiked corn and wheat reaching contamination levels of 0.35 mg ZEN/kg and 0.5 mg T2/kg feed. Group G3 received contaminated feed (similar contamination levels with G2 group) with the additions of 1 g MMDA/kg, whereas G4 group received also contaminated feed (similar contamination levels with G2 group) with the addition of 3 g MMDA/kg. Growth performance (body weight, average daily gain, feed conversion ratio), as well as hematological and serum biochemical parameters, fecal scoring, gross pathology, and mycotoxins residue levels in liver, spleen, kidneys and muscle tissue were assessed. Results suggested that inclusion of MMDA in trial diets induced dose-dependent reduction of genital organs (sum of ovaries, cornu uteri and vagina-vestibule) relative weight and vulva size, which had been increased due to ZEN ingestion in G2 group. Additionally, in both groups that received MMDA, significantly reduced residue levels of ZEN in liver and kidney samples were observed, in comparison with G2 group. Significant residue levels reduction of T-2/HT-2 toxins was also observed in kidney samples of MMDA-fed groups when compared with G2 group. Taken together MMDA added to diets containing ZEN and T-2 toxin has a dose dependent affinity for ZEN and to a lower extend for T2 toxin, whereas such effect seems greater at inclusion level of 3 g MMDA/kg feed.

The immune response of piglets to a vaccination against the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) was tested after feeding different feed additives. The trial included four groups of ten piglets and lasted 39 days. Feed additives were added to a control diet (C). Tested substances included an autolyzed yeast preparation from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (YA) at 0.2%, dried bovine colostrum (CM) at 0.9% and the probiotic Bacillus cereus var. toyoi NCIMB 40112 (BC) at 109 colony forming units/kg diet. Three-week-old piglets were vaccinated against PRRS-Virus, blood samples were taken before vaccination and 7, 21, and 35 days after vaccination for complete blood counts, flow cytometry for phenotyping of different lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood, measurement of specific IgG antibodies and ELISpot assay to detect specific interferon γ-producing lymphocytes. Animal performance was not affected by the experimental diets. Hematological parameters and complete blood counts displayed time-dependent changes, feed-related effects were not observed. The analysis of the expressed lymphocyte surface markers showed distinct time dependent shifts but no dietary effects. CD4−CD8α+ cells reached highest levels on day 21 post vaccination and decreased thereafter (P=0.037), the CD2+CD5− cells decreased in all groups towards day 35 (P

Dietary inulin can affect the composition and metabolic activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota in piglets. To investigate whether the chain length of inulin may influence its stability in the gut and the bacterial community, 18 weaned piglets were housed 2 per cage, with 1 female and 1 castrated male animal each. The piglets received a control diet without or with 4% inulin, defined by an average degree of polymerisation (DP) of 31 (short-chain, I31) or 57 (long-chain, I57), with 6 piglets/diet. After a short feeding period of 6 d, fructan concentrations, selected bacterial groups, lactic acid, short-chain fatty acid concentrations, and the pH were determined in the digesta of different segments of the gastrointestinal tract. The results indicated that differences in the microbial degradation of inulin were depending on the DP. Compared to the short-chain inulin, the concentrations of the long-chain inulin were numerically greater in the small intestine and caecum, and greater in the digesta of the ascending colon. Differences were also observed in the bacterial composition of the digesta, showing greater cell numbers of enterococci (P=0.029), bifidobacteria (P=0.029), and Lactobacillus mucosae (P=0.028) in the ileum in group I57 compared to group I31. However, most bacteria tended to be numerically reduced in the ileum in group I31 compared to both control and I57 groups. Minor effects were observed in the ascending colon: L. reuteri and L. amylovorus were decreased in group I57 compared to the control group (P=0.031 and 0.034, respectively), and L. mucosae was decreased in group I31 compared to the control animals (P=0.029). The concentrations of bacterial metabolites were distinctively changed in the large intestine of the piglets fed inulin. The pH was lower in the rectum contents in group I57 compared to the control piglets (P=0.026), but lactic acid and total short-chain fatty acid concentrations were not affected. The molar ratios of propionic acid increased in the caecal contents (P=0.040) and in both, the ascending and descending colonic digesta (P=0.017 and 0.013, respectively) in group I57 compared to the control group, while acetic acid decreased (P