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International audience; Early-life microbial exposure is of particular importance to growth, immune system development and long-lasting health. Hence, early microbiota composition is a promising predictive biomarker for health and disease but still remains poorly characterized in regards to susceptibility to diarrhoea. In the present study, we aimed to assess if gut bacterial community diversity and composition during the suckling period were associated with differences in susceptibility of pigs to post-weaning diarrhoea. Twenty piglets from 5 sows (4 piglets / litter) were weaned in poor housing conditions to challenge their susceptibility to post-weaning diarrhoea. Two weeks after weaning, 13 pigs exhibited liquid faeces during 2 or 3 days and were defined as diarrhoeic (D) pigs. The other 7 pigs did not have diarrhea during the whole post-weaning experimental periodand were defined as healthy (H) pigs. Using a molecular characterisation of fecal microbiota with CE-SSCP fingerprint, Next Generation Sequencing and qPCR, we show that D and H pigs were mainly discriminated as early as postnatal day (PND) 7, i.e. 4 weeks before post-weaning diarrhoea occurence. At PND 7 H pigs displayed a lower evenness and a higher abundance of Prevotellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminocacaceae and Lactobacillaceae compared to D pigs. The sPLS regression method indicates that these bacterial families were strongly correlated to a higher Bacteroidetes abundance observed in PND 30 H pigs one week before diarrhoea. These results emphasize the potential of early microbiota diversity and composition as being an indicator of susceptibility to post-weaning diarrhoea. Furthermore, they support the health promoting strategies of pig herds through gut microbiota engineering.

When exposed to a new feed, farm birds are commonly reluctant to eat this feed. This phenomenon, called feed neophobia, could be reduced by exposing young animals to a variety of novel feeds. We investigated whether previous experience with a variety of feed colours could reduce food neophobia in turkeys. We hypothesised that both greater variety in visual experience and frequency of changes would increase the acceptance of novel feeds. To test this hypothesis, hatchling turkeys were exposed to a 28-day feeding regime differing in feed colours and frequency of feeding transitions. There were 3 experimental groups: one group was exposed to only one colour of feed (C0 group); the second group was exposed to green and red feeds on alternate weeks (low change rate: LC group) and the third group was exposed to green and red feeds changed randomly each day (high change rate: HC). As the contrast between the novel colour and the familiar feed could also influence bird responses, two subgroups were constituted within each experimental group: one receiving green feed and the other red feed before the novel feed test (i.e. C0 red, C0 green; LC red, LC green; HC red, HC green). From D29 to D31, all birds were exposed to blue, light-green or white novel feeds for 5 min each. Short-term feed intake (5 min) was measured the day before change-over and at each change-over on the three subsequent test-days. All groups were found to eat less of the novel feed than the familiar feed but this difference varied according to the 28-day feeding regime and the feed received immediately prior to testing, suggesting a colour contrast effect. The effect of visual experience with a variety of feed colours on neophobia was observed only when there was a marked contrast of colour with the feed received prior to testing which could be explained by an effect of memory on discrimination. When birds had been exposed to LC schedules, this visual experience resulted in the most significant decrease in neophobia. We conclude that changes in diet colour induce various levels of neophobia in turkeys which depend on the visual contrast between the new diet and that of the previous day, and the alternation rate of the visual experience. These results suggest that in production systems, the use of early visual experience with a variety of feed colours could reduce neophobia problems during change-over.

Construction et validation d’un premier catalogue de gènes du microbiome intestinal chez le porc . 50. Journées de la Recherche Porcine en France

International audience; This study aimed at assessing the impact of four barley forms on total tract apparent digestibility of dietary fibre in horses fed a large amount of starch in the morning meal (0.27% BW). Processed barley forms had a greater pre-caecal starch digestibility than the whole form. Based on this result, we hypothesised that using barley-processing methods would limit the potential dumping of undegraded starch in the hindgut of horses and, consequently, the potential negative effect on fibre degradation in the hindgut. In a 4×4 latin square design, four mature geldings fitted with a right ventral colon-fistula were fed a meadow hay : concentrate (62 : 38; dry matter (DM) basis) diet at 1.7% BW. The concentrate was made of 80% barley distributed either as whole grain or as processed forms: 2.5 mm ground, pelleted or steam-flaked. For each period, total tract apparent digestibilities of DM, NDF and ADF were determined over 3 consecutive days by total faecal collection, whereas pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations and cultural functional bacteria counts (total anaerobic, cellulolytic bacteria, lactic acid producers, amylolytic bacteria and lactic acid utilisers) in colonic content were evaluated on 1 day 4 h after the morning meal. Total tract apparent digestibility of DM and dietary fibre was influenced (P

Equipe UMRH Dima; Reduction of methane (CH 4) emissions from ruminants may limit the negative environmental impacts of their breeding and may improve their digestive efficiency. In the rumen, CH 4 is mainly produced by methanogens from hydrogen (H 2). Hydrogen availability for these micro-organisms is reduced by limiting its production by protozoa (via lipids or plants extracts supplementation in diets) or by stimulating pathways competing with methanogenesis for H 2 consumption (via nitrate supplementation in diets). No study tested association of dietary strategies acting on both H 2 production and consumption to reduce CH 4 emissions. Our objective was to understand the importance of the different H 2 metabolic pathways in the rumen. We assumed that simultaneous manipulation of H 2 production and consumption reduces CH 4 emissions to a higher extent than acting on a single pathway. Our experimental results showed the additive CH 4 -mitigating effect of the association lipids from linseed-nitrate supplemented to bovine. This effect was persistent but not beneficial for digestive and lactating performances of animals. The association tea saponin-nitrate was not efficient to reduce CH 4 emissions, as the depressive effect of saponin towards protozoa has not been observed. This PhD thesis opens the possibility to study the anti-methanogenic potential of new association of dietary strategies having different mechanisms of action in the rumen. Conditions of use of these strategies at the breeding scale will have to be delineated, and their cost effectiveness proved to be accepted by farmers.; La réduction des émissions de méthane (CH4) des ruminants permet de limiter les impacts environnementaux négatifs de leur élevage et d’améliorer leur efficacité digestive. Dans le rumen, le CH4 est majoritairement produit par les méthanogènes à partir de l’hydrogène (H2). La disponibilité de l’H2 pour ces micro-organismes est réduite en limitant sa production par les protozoaires (via un apport de lipides ou extraits de plantes dans la ration) ou en stimulant des voies utilisatrices d’H2 compétitives à la méthanogenèse (via un apport alimentaire de nitrate). Aucune étude n’a porté sur l’association de stratégies alimentaires jouant à la fois sur la production et l’utilisation d’H2 pour diminuer les émissions de CH4. Notre objectif était de comprendre l’importance des différentes voies métaboliques de l’H2 dans le rumen. Nous avons émis l’hypothèse que manipuler simultanément la production et l’utilisation de l’H2 permet une diminution plus importante des émissions de CH4 plutôt que d’agir sur un seul niveau. Nos résultats expérimentaux ont montré l’additivité de l’association lipides du lin-nitrate sur la méthanogenèse des bovins. Cet effet était persistant mais non bénéfique pour les performances digestives et laitières des animaux. L’association saponine de thé-nitrate n’a pas été efficace pour réduire les émissions de CH4 car l’effet dépressif de la saponine sur les protozoaires n’a pas été observé. Cette thèse ouvre la possibilité d’étudier le potentiel anti-méthanogène de nouvelles associations de stratégies alimentaires ayant des mécanismes d’action différents dans le rumen. Les conditions d’utilisation de ces stratégies en élevage devront être délimitées, et leur rentabilité prouvée, pour être acceptées par l’éleveur.

International audience; The objective of this study was to test the effect of linseed oil and nitrate fed alone or in combination on methane (CH4) emissions and diet digestibility in cows. The experiment was conducted as a 2 x 2 factorial design using 4 multiparous nonlactating Holstein cows (initial BW 656 +/- 31 kg). Each experimental period lasted 5 wk, with measures performed in the final 3 wk (wk 3 to 5). Diets given on a DM basis were 1) control (CON; 50% natural grassland hay and 50% concentrate), 2) CON with 4% linseed oil (LIN), 3) CON with 3% calcium nitrate (NIT), and 4) CON with 4% linseed oil plus 3% calcium nitrate (LIN+NIT). Diets were offered twice daily and were formulated to deliver similar amounts (DM basis) of CP (12.2%), starch (25.5%), and NDF (39.5%). Feed offer was restricted to 90% of voluntary intake (12.4 kg DMI/d). Total tract digestibility and N balance were determined from total feces and urine collected separately for 6 d during wk 4. Daily CH4 emissions were quantified using open chambers for 4 d during wk 5. Rumen fermentation and microbial parameters were analyzed from samples taken before and 3 h after the morning feeding. Rumen con-centrations of dissolved hydrogen (H2) were measured continuously up to 6 h after feeding using a H-2 sensor. Compared with the CON diet linseed oil and nitrate decreased (P < 0.01) CH4 emissions (g/kg DMI) by 17 and 22%, respectively, when fed alone and by 32% when combined. The LIN diet reduced CH4 production throughout the day, increased (P = 0.02) propionate proportion, and decreased (P = 0.03) ruminal protozoa concentration compared with CON diet. The NIT diet strongly reduced CH4 production 3 h after feeding, with a simultaneous increase in rumen dissolved H-2 concentration, suggesting that nitrate does not act only as an electron acceptor. As a combined effect, linseed plus nitrate also increased H2 concentrations in the rumen. Diets had no effect (P > 0.05) on total tract digestibility of nutrients, except linseed oil, which tended to reduce (P < 0.10) fiber digestibility. Nitrogen balance (% of N intake) was positive for all diets but retention was less (P = 0.03) with linseed oil. This study demonstrates an additive effect between nitrate and linseed oil for reducing methanogenesis in cows without altering diet digestibility.

Understanding how arthropod pests and their natural enemies interact in complex agroecosystems is essential for pest management programmes. Theory predicts that prey sharing a predator, such as a biological control agent, can indirectly reduce each other's density at equilibrium (apparent competition). From this premise, we (i) discuss the complexity of indirect interactions among pests in agroecosystems and highlight the importance of natural enemy-mediated indirect interactions other than apparent competition, (ii) outline factors that affect the nature of enemy-mediated indirect interactions in the field and (iii) identify the way to manipulate enemy-mediated interactions for biological control. We argue that there is a need to increase the link between community ecology theory and biological control to develop better agroecological methods of crop protection via conservation biological control. In conclusion, we identify (i) interventions to be chosen depending on agroecosystem characteristics and (ii) several lines of research that will improve the potential for enemy-mediated indirect interactions to be applied to biological control. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry

International audience; Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites present worldwide in agricultural commodities and produced by filamentous fungi that cause a toxic response (mycotoxicosis) when ingested by animals. Prevention of mycotoxicoses includes pre- and post-harvest strategies. The best way to reduce the mycotoxin content in food and feed is the prevention of mycotoxin formation in the field but this is often not sufficient so that other methods are needed. To decontaminate and/or detoxify mycotoxin-contaminated food and feed, the most prevalent approach in the feed industry is the inclusion of sorbent materials in the feed thus obtainig more or less selective removal of toxins by adsorption during passage through the gastrointestinal tract. Another reliable approach is to add enzymes or microorganisms capable of detoxifying some mycotoxins. Through a comprehensive review of published reports on the strategies for mycotoxin removal, this present work aims to update our understanding of mycotoxin removal. It could provide insight in the detoxification in mycotoxin present in food and feed. In the future, more emphasis should be placed on adsorption of mycotoxins in the gastrointestinal tract. Concerning the enzymatic transformation of mycotoxins, further effort is required in understanding detoxification reactions, the toxicity of transformation products and in the characterization of enzymes responsible for the transformations.