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The effect of surgery (insertion of an ileo-caecal cannula) and a subsequent parenteral treatment with oxytetracycline on the ileo-caecal and rectal coliform populations in 7 Swedish Yorkshire castrates were studied. Samples were collected during surgery as well as 3, 7, 14 and 20 days post surgery. The diversity of the enteric coliform flora was initially high both in the ileo-caecal ostium and in rectum. No alteration in the diversity of the enteric coliform flora was observed following surgery and treatment with oxytetracycline. As the insertion of ileo-caecal cannulas did not affect the intestinal coliform flora this study gives support to the use of this technique to mirror processes in the small intestine of pigs. Further, the diversity of the enteric coliform flora was unaffected by the parenteral treatment with oxytetracycline.

Dogs, in the age range 1–3 years old, were randomly selected from the largest animal insurance database in Sweden for inclusion in the study. The study was performed in 1997, and a total of 680 dog owners were selected for the study. A total of 461 dog owners completed the survey, at an overall response rate of 68%. Data was compared to a recent gallup performed on a sample of all dogs in Sweden. The demographic statistics of the insured dog population were in many aspects similar to the total dog population of Sweden. Typical for both insured dogs and the total population of dogs were a low proportion of neutered dogs, that many dogs were bought at an early age, that many dogs were in contact with a "breeder" when sold, and a similar profile of health status. However, "dog breeders" seemed to have their dogs insured to a higher extent than the general dog owner. It was concluded that as the populations were alike in many respects, it is reasonable to use the insurance database for epidemiological studies on diet and exercise in Swedish dogs.

Introduction: US home care (HC) aide visits to clients' homes typically involve cleaning and disinfecting (C&D) environmental surfaces, particularly in bathrooms. Some ingredients in C&D products are associated with respiratory illness: sodium hypochlorite (bleach), quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study assessed and compared aides' respiratory exposures to specific VOCs and QACs while using 2 conventional and 1 "green" household C&D spray products during bathroom cleaning. Measured exposures were compared to ingredients listed on publicly available sources., Methods: Three C&D products were selected with principal active disinfecting ingredients: 1% to 5% sodium hypochlorite by weight ("bleach-based"); 0.1% to 1% QACs ("QACs-based"); and 0.05% thymol ("green"). Twenty-two aides were recruited to perform C&D tasks in a simulated residential bathroom constructed in an environmental monitoring laboratory. A balanced experimental study design involved each aide visiting the lab 4 times to perform typical cleaning tasks with the 3 products and distilled water (as a control), randomly assigned across the 4 visits. Aides wore air sampling equipment for breathing zone samples: canisters to collect whole air for VOC analyses and filter cassettes for QACs analyses., Results: Aides performed 84 cleaning visits contributing approximately 20 air samples each for VOCs and QACs, for each of the 3 products and distilled water. In total, 38 unique VOCs were identified in the canister whole air samples: 20 in the QACs-based product samples, 15 in the bleach-based, and 10 in the green. Most VOCs were not listed in publicly available sources of cleaning product ingredients. Toxicity information was limited. Few VOCs had occupational exposure limits. The QACs-based product generated QACs aerosol: benzalkonium chloride (BAC)12 (geometric mean (GM) = 6.98 µg/m3), BAC14 (GM=2.97 µg/m3), BAC16 (GM=0.78 µg/m3); and the 3 QACs summed (GM=10.86 µg/m3)., Discussion: The use of C&D spray products for residential cleaning can generate respiratory exposures to complex mixtures of volatile and nonvolatile compounds. Notably, we measured aerosols containing QACs during the use of the QACs-based product. Dermal is usually considered the main route of exposure because QACs are nonvolatile salts. This study provides evidence that QACs inhalation exposure should be recognized and minimized in addition to the well-accepted dermal exposure routes. The green product generated the fewest VOCs. However, more toxicity information is needed on the health impacts of green C&D products. Spraying of C&D products, conventional and green, should be avoided., Conclusions: Aides' respiratory health should be protected from chemical exposures while performing C&D in home care., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.)

Home care (HC) aides experience numerous safety hazards in clients' homes; many hazards also put clients at risk. We hypothesized that safety coaching led by nurse managers (NMs) during their initial HC needs assessment could prompt clients to improve safety conditions in their homes. Following a 2-arm proof-of-concept intervention study design, intervention NMs used motivational interviewing (MI), facilitated by a safety handbook and video, to coach clients on home safety improvements. Control arm NMs performed intake assessments with no changes to usual practices. Intervention effectiveness was assessed by NMs and aides. Three HC agencies and two elder services contributed 35 intervention and 23 control homes. NMs coached 97% of clients and reported that 94% were engaged; 63% implemented improvements. NMs' and aides' assessments were consistent; homes with clients reported by NMs as resistant to safety changes had higher aides' hazard scores. Client coaching can be effective for improving HC safety., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Assuring home care (HC) workers' safety is challenging because the work environment is a private home. This paper presents the process evaluation for a proof-of-concept safety intervention study to assess whether nurse-led safety coaching, using motivational interviewing and a safety handbook, could enable HC clients to improve safety in their homes. The process evaluation objectives were to (i) document the intervention's implementation progress and (ii) assess the intervention's dose delivery, dose reception, and fidelity. Five agencies employing liaisons ( n = 5) and nurse managers (NMs, n = 8) implemented this study's intervention and control arms. NMs assigned to the intervention arm ( n = 6) coached 34 clients. Process evaluation metrics were assessed with mixed-methods data from (i) surveys completed by NMs during the intervention, (ii) postintervention audio-recorded and transcribed interviews ( n = 6) with NMs and liaisons, and (iii) study progress tracking tools. The delivered dose efficiency was 85%, measured by the distribution of safety handbook copies to clients. About 94% of clients ( n = 32) were considered "engaged" or "maybe engaged" during the safety coaching. Most coached clients ( n = 30) were reachable for follow-up by NMs to assess intervention progress. Despite challenges, the intervention was implemented with good fidelity. Safety coaching can be applied in many HC contexts in larger populations.

With more efficient utilisation of dietary nutrients and energy, diversified production systems, modifications of diet composition with respect to feedstuffs included and the use of free amino acids, the negative impact of animal food production on the environment and climate can be reduced. Accurate requirements for nutrients and energy for animals with differing physiological needs, and the use of robust and accurate feed evaluation systems are key for more efficient feed utilisation. Data on CP and amino acid requirements in pigs and poultry indicate that it should be possible to implement indispensable amino acid-balanced diets with low- or reduced-protein content without any reduction in animal performance. Potential feed resources, not competing with human food security, can be derived from the traditional food- and agroindustry, such as various waste streams and co-products of different origins. In addition, novel feedstuffs emerging from aquaculture, biotechnology and innovative new technologies may have potential to provide the lack of indispensable amino acids in organic animal food production. High fibre content is a nutritional limitation of using waste streams and co-products as feed for monogastric animals as it is associated with decreased nutrient digestibility and reduced dietary energy values. However, minimum levels of dietary fibre are needed to maintain the normal physiological function of the gastro-intestinal tract. Moreover, there may be positive effects of fibre in the diet such as improved gut health, increased satiety, and an overall improvement of behaviour and well-being., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effects of early supplementation with oat β-glucan during the suckling period on piglet gut microbiota composition, concentrations of short-chain fatty acids, and gut physiological markers were assessed. Fifty piglets from five litters, balanced for sex and birth weight, were divided within litters into two treatment groups: β-glucan and control. Piglets in the β-glucan group received the supplement three times/week from day 7 of age until weaning. Rectal swab samples were collected from 10 piglets per treatment group (balanced across litters) from week 1 to week 4, and plasma samples were collected at 1, 3, and 4 weeks of age. Additional samples of intestinal tissues and jugular and portal vein plasma were collected from 10 animals at weaning (one per treatment group and litter). The concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in plasma and the microbiota composition in rectal swabs were mainly influenced by piglet age, rather than the supplement. There were significant differences in microbiota composition between litters and several correlations between concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in plasma and specific microbial taxa in rectal swabs. Overall, β-glucan supplementation did not have any clear impact on the gut environment in suckling piglets, whereas a clear age-related pattern emerged.

Retention of the home care (HC) aide workforce is essential to meet the needs of our aging population. Some studies suggest that improving HC safety could increase job retention. This study objective was to explore qualitatively the connection between aide and client safety and factors impacting this care relationship. Data consisted of audio-recorded, verbatim responses to open-ended questions of two focus groups with aides ( n = 10), two in-person interviews with HC agency managers, and 37 phone interviews with those working in (aides, n = 16; managers, n = 12) and receiving (clients, n = 9) HC. Clients reported home layout and accessibility as safety concerns. Aides and managers reported that client family members can make the care job more challenging. The aide-client connection was affected by communication style, family and HC agency support, allotted care time, and job task boundaries. Interventions that address the safety of both clients and aides can influence HC job satisfaction and retention.

Tail biting is an abnormal behaviour that causes stress, injury and pain. Given the critical role of the gut-microbiota in the development of behavioural problems in humans and animals, the aim of this study was to determine whether pigs that are biters, victims of tail biting or controls (nine matched sets of pigs) have a different microbiota composition, diversity and microbial metabolite profile. We collected faecal and blood samples from each individual for analysis. The gut microbiota composition was most different between the biter and the control pigs, with a higher relative abundance of Firmicutes in tail biter pigs than the controls. Furthermore, we detected differences in faecal and plasma short chain fatty acids (SCFA) profiles between the biter and victim pigs, suggesting physiological differences even though they are kept in the same pen. Thus, in addition to supporting an association between the gut microbiota and tail biting in pigs, this study also provides the first evidence of an association between tail biting and SCFA. Therefore, further research is needed to confirm these associations, to determine causality and to study how the SCFA profiles of an individual play a role in the development of tail biting behaviour., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose of Review: To identify important home care (HC) aide occupational safety and health (OSH) hazards and examine how addressing these can improve aide health and the delivery of HC services overall. Specifically, this review seeks to answer: Why is HC aide OSH important? What are the most significant OSH challenges? How can improving HC aide OSH also improve the safety and health of their clients? What implications do the findings have for future research?, Recent Findings: HC is one of the fastest growing US industries. Aides comprise its largest workforce and are increasingly needed to care for the rapidly aging population. There is an aide shortage due in part to instabilities in HC work organization and to serious job-specific hazards, resulting in aides losing work time. Recent social, economic, and technological factors are rapidly changing the nature of HC work, creating OSH hazards similar to those found in nursing homes. At the same time, aides are experiencing social and economic inequities that increase their vulnerability to OSH hazards. These hazards are also a burden on employers who are challenged to recruit, retain, and train aides. OSH injuries and illness interrupt the continuity of care delivery to clients. Many OSH hazards also put HC clients and families at risk. A new framework and methodologies are needed to assess aide and client safety together in order to guide future HC research, policies, and practices. Government, industry, and labor commitment is needed to fund and coordinate a comprehensive, multidisciplinary research program., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Free faecal liquid (FFL) in horses is characterised by the excretion of faeces in two phases (one solid and one liquid), which may cause dermatitis on the hindlegs. The causes of FFL are not known. Results from previous studies have indicated that feed ration composition and management factors may play important roles in the occurrence of FFL. A case-control study was therefore performed in which data on feed rations, feeding practices and management factors were compared between horses with (case) and without (control) FFL on 50 private farms in Sweden and Norway. The comparisons show that case and control horses were reported to be fed similar average amounts of wrapped forage ( p = 0.97) and to be subject to similar management practices, but case horses were fed higher proportions of concentrates in their diet ( p < 0.001) and lower average amounts of straw and lucerne ( p < 0.05) compared to control horses. Case horses were reported to be fed twice as much concentrate per 100 kg BW and day as control horses and a higher daily intake of starch and water-soluble carbohydrates ( p < 0.05). Case horses also had a lower daily intake of digestible crude protein and neutral detergent fibre compared to control horses ( p < 0.05). These differences were small but are of interest for further studies of factors causing FFL.

Home care (HC) aide visits to clients' homes often involve cleaning and disinfecting (C&D) bathrooms. Some ingredients in C&D household products are associated with respiratory illness, including sodium hypochlorite (bleach) and quaternary ammonium compounds (quats). "Green" products may be safer for the environment, however there are limited quantitative evaluations of their respiratory risks. This study assessed airborne concentrations and time profiles of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and chlorine generated during typical bathroom cleaning performed by aides using conventional and green products. Aides performed cleaning tasks in a simulated residential bathroom constructed in an environmental air sampling laboratory. A balanced experimental design involved each aide coming to the lab for four visits during which she performed two 20-min cleaning sessions using one of three C&D products (bleach-based, 1-5% sodium hypochlorite by weight; quats-based, 0.1-1% by weight quaternary ammonium compounds; and "green," 0.05% by weight thymol, a component of botanical thyme oil) or distilled water as a control. TVOC and chlorine direct reading instruments were attached to aides with sample inlets located in the breathing zone. Ten-second averages of TVOC and chlorine gas concentrations and instantaneous peak concentrations were recorded for the sessions' duration. TVOC concentrations by methods of C&D application (spraying, streaming, wiping) also were evaluated. The study completed 169 air sampling sessions with 22 aides. The quats-based product generated more than twice the average TVOC concentrations (mean = 1,210 ppb) than the bleach-based (mean = 593 ppb) or green (mean = 498 ppb) products. Each product generated TVOC concentrations that rose rapidly within the first few minutes of application. Spraying produced the highest TVOC exposures, wiping the lowest. Thirteen aides (65%) experienced peak chlorine exposures above the OSHA PEL ceiling limit (1 ppm) when using the bleach-based product. HC aides may experience respiratory hazards from use of conventional or green C&D products formulated with bleach or other respiratory irritants and sprayed in small, poorly ventilated spaces typical of bathrooms. Spraying should be avoided.

Free faecal liquid (FFL) is a condition in horses where faeces are voided in one solid and one liquid phase. The liquid phase contaminates the tail, hindlegs and area around the anus of the horse, resulting in management problems and potentially contributing to impaired equine welfare. The underlying causes are not known, but anecdotal suggestions include feeding wrapped forages or other feed- or management-related factors. Individual horse factors may also be associated with the presence of FFL. This study, therefore, aimed to characterize horses showing FFL particularly when fed wrapped forages, and to map the management and feeding strategies of these horses. Data were retrieved by a web-based survey, including 339 horses with FFL. A large variety of different breeds, ages, disciplines, coat colours, housing systems and feeding strategies were represented among the horses in the study, meaning that any type of horse could be affected. Respondents were asked to indicate if their horse had diminished signs of FFL with different changes in forage feeding. Fifty-eight percent (n = 197) of the horse owners reported diminished signs of FFL in their horses when changing from wrapped forages to hay; 46 (n = 156) of the horse owners reported diminished signs of FFL in their horses when changing from wrapped forages to pasture; 17% (n = 58) reported diminished signs of FFL when changing from any type of forage batch to any other forage. This indicated that feeding strategy may be of importance, but cannot solely explain the presence of FFL. The results also showed that the horses in this study had a comparably high incidence of previous colic (23%, n = 78) compared to published data from other horse populations. In conclusion, the results showed that FFL may affect a large variety of horse types and that further studies should include detailed data on individual horse factors including gastrointestinal diseases as well as feeding strategies, in order to increase the chance of finding causes of FFL., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of the data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

This study investigated the effect of providing extra water and nesting material to Moo Lath sows on piglet survival and growth. Three treatments were evaluated in a randomized block design with six sows/treatment. In the Control treatment, sows were not provided with nesting material or extra water apart from that included in the feed (conventional smallholder practice). In treatment NM, nesting material was provided 1-2 days before expected farrowing. In treatment NMW, nesting material as in NM and extra water were provided ad libitum throughout the study. Data on sow feed and water intake, plasma protein concentration (TPP), body weight, and re-mating period, and on litter size, body weight, and survival of piglets, were collected for two reproduction cycles. NMW sows had higher water intake than Control and NM sows (14.7, 4.5, and 4.5 L/day, respectively, SE = 0.2). The weight loss from 2 weeks prior to farrowing until weaning was smaller in NMW than in NM and Control sows (16.0, 23.8, and 22.9 kg, respectively, SE = 0.9). TPP dropped from farrowing until 21 days of lactation in NMW sows, whereas it increased or was unchanged in NM and Control sows. The re-mating period was shorter and the number of litters/year was higher in NMW than in Control and NM sows (2.2, 2.0, and 2.0, respectively, SE = 0.01). Piglet mortality was lower in NMW than in Control and NM (9.5, 43.9, and 26.7%, respectively, SE = 4.9). Piglets in NMW were heavier at weaning and had higher daily weight gain than Control and NM piglets. It was concluded that providing water ad libitum and nesting material improved piglet survival and growth, and that providing water ad libitum improved sow physiological and reproductive fitness. However, provision of nesting material without access to ad libitum water might increase susceptibility to heat stress in sows.

Primary vagal afferent neurons express a multitude of thermosensitive ion channels. Within this family of ion channels, the heat-sensitive capsaicin receptor (TRPV1) greatly influences vagal afferent signaling by determining the threshold for action-potential initiation at the peripheral endings, while controlling temperature-sensitive forms of glutamate release at central vagal terminals. Genetic deletion of TRPV1 does not completely eliminate these temperature-dependent effects, suggesting involvement of additional thermosensitive ion channels. The warm-sensitive, calcium-permeable, ion channel TRPV3 is commonly expressed with TRPV1; however, the extent to which TRPV3 is found in vagal afferent neurons is unknown. Here, we begin to characterize the genetic and functional expression of TRPV3 in vagal afferent neurons using molecular biology (RT-PCR and RT-quantitative PCR) in whole nodose and isolated neurons and fluorescent calcium imaging on primary cultures of nodose ganglia neurons. We confirmed low-level TRPV3 expression in vagal afferent neurons and observed direct activation with putative TRPV3 agonists eugenol, ethyl vanillin (EVA), and farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP). Agonist activation stimulated neurons also containing TRPV1 and was blocked by ruthenium red. FPP sensitivity overlapped with EVA and eugenol but represented the smallest percentage of vagal afferent neurons, and it was the only agonist that did not stimulate neurons from TRPV3(-/-1) mice, suggesting FPP has the highest selectivity. Further, FPP was predictive of enhanced responses to capsaicin, EVA, and eugenol in rats. From our results, we conclude TRPV3 is expressed in a discrete subpopulation of vagal afferent neurons and may contribute to vagal afferent signaling either directly or in combination with TRPV1., (Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate how inclusion of chicory forage or ribwort forage in a cereal-based diet influenced the fecal microbial community (microbiome) in newly weaned (35 days of age) piglets. The piglets were fed a cereal-based diet without (B) and with inclusion (80 and 160 g/kg air-dry forage) of vegetative shoots of chicory (C) and leaves of ribwort (R) forage in a 35-day growth trial. Fecal samples were collected at the start (D0), 17 (D17) and 35 (D35) days after weaning and profiles of the microbial consortia were generated using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). 454-FLX pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons was used to analyze the microbial composition in a subset of the samples already analyzed with T-RFLP., Results: The microbial clustering pattern was primarily dependent on age of the pigs, but diet effects could also be observed. Lactobacilli and enterobacteria were more abundant at D0, whereas the genera Streptococcus, Treponema, Clostridium, Clostridiaceae1 and Coprococcus were present in higher abundances at D35. Pigs fed ribwort had an increased abundance of sequences classified as Treponema and a reduction in lactobacilli. However, the abundance of Prevotellaceae increased with age in on both the chicory and the ribwort diet. Moreover, there were significant correlations between the abundance of Bacteroides and the digested amount of galactose, uronic acids and total non-starch polysaccharides, and between the abundance of Bacteroidales and the digested amount of xylose., Conclusion: This study demonstrated that both chicory and ribwort inclusion in the diet of newly weaned pigs influenced the composition of the fecal microbiota and that digestion of specific dietary components was correlated with species composition of the microbiota. Moreover, this study showed that the gut will be exposed to a dramatic shift in the microbial community structure several weeks after weaning.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a set of highly conserved proteins that can serve as intestinal gate keepers in gut homeostasis. Here, effects of a probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), and two novel porcine isolates, Lactobacillus johnsonii strain P47-HY and Lactobacillus reuteri strain P43-HUV, on cytoprotective HSP expression and gut barrier function, were investigated in a porcine IPEC-J2 intestinal epithelial cell line model. The IPEC-J2 cells polarized on a permeable filter exhibited villus-like cell phenotype with development of apical microvilli. Western blot analysis detected HSP expression in IPEC-J2 and revealed that L. johnsonii and L. reuteri strains were able to significantly induce HSP27, despite high basal expression in IPEC-J2, whereas LGG did not. For HSP72, only the supernatant of L. reuteri induced the expression, which was comparable to the heat shock treatment, which indicated that HSP72 expression was more stimulus specific. The protective effect of lactobacilli was further studied in IPEC-J2 under an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) challenge. ETEC caused intestinal barrier destruction, as reflected by loss of cell-cell contact, reduced IPEC-J2 cell viability and transepithelial electrical resistance, and disruption of tight junction protein zonula occludens-1. In contrast, the L. reuteri treatment substantially counteracted these detrimental effects and preserved the barrier function. L. johnsonii and LGG also achieved barrier protection, partly by directly inhibiting ETEC attachment. Together, the results indicate that specific strains of Lactobacillus can enhance gut barrier function through cytoprotective HSP induction and fortify the cell protection against ETEC challenge through tight junction protein modulation and direct interaction with pathogens., (© 2015 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological Society.)

Most plant-origin fiber sources used in pig production contains a mixture of soluble and insoluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). The knowledge about effects of these sources of NSP on the gut microbiota and its fermentation products is still scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of feeding diets with native sources of NSP on the ileal and fecal microbial composition and the dietary impact on the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and lactic acid. The experiment comprised four diets and four periods in a change-over design with seven post valve t-cecum cannulated growing pigs. The four diets were balanced to be similar in NSP content and included one of four fiber sources, two diets were rich in pectins, through inclusion of chicory forage (CFO) and sugar beet pulp, and two were rich in arabinoxylan, through inclusion of wheat bran (WB) and grass meal. The gut microbial composition was assessed with terminal restriction fragment (TRF) length polymorphism and the abundance of Lactobacillus spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Bacteroides-Prevotella-Porphyromonas and the β-xylosidase gene, xynB, were assessed with quantitative PCR. The gut microbiota did not cluster based on NSP structure (arabinoxylan or pectin) rather, the effect was to a high degree ingredient specific. In pigs fed diet CFO, three TRFs related to Prevotellaceae together consisted of more than 25% of the fecal microbiota, which is about 3 to 23 times higher (P<0.05) than in pigs fed the other diets. Whereas pigs fed diet WB had about 2 to 22 times higher abundance (P<0.05) of Megasphaera elsdenii in feces and about six times higher abundance (P<0.05) of Lactobacillus reuteri in ileal digesta than pigs fed the other diets. The total amount of digested NSP (r=0.57; P=0.002), xylose (r=0.53; P=0.004) and dietary fiber (r=0.60; P=0.001) in ileal digesta were positively correlated with an increased abundance of Bacteroides-Prevotella-Porphyromonas. The effect on SCFA was correlated to specific neutral sugars where xylose increased the ileal butyric acid proportion, whereas arabinose increased the fecal butyric acid proportion. Moreover, chicory pectin increased the acetic acid proportion in both ileal digesta and feces.

Chitinolytic activity, nutrient uptake and intestinal barrier functions were investigated in gut tissues of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) fed iso-nitrogenous diets based on fish meal, with or without inclusion of zygomycetes (Rhizopus oryzae). We found that gut tissue of Arctic charr had significant chitinase activity, of both endo- and exo-chitinase iso-forms. Moreover, the distribution pattern along the GI tract of Arctic charr differed between endo-chitinase and exo-chitinase. The endo-chitinase activity in stomach tissue and in the distal intestine was several hundred-fold higher than the exo-chitinase activity in stomach tissue. The greatest exo-chitinase activity was found in the distal intestine. The zygomycete-based diet resulted in higher chitinolytic activity in gut tissue compared to the fish meal-based diet. Disturbed intestinal integrity and increased uptake rate of the amino acid lysine were observed in the distal, but not proximal, intestine of fish fed the zygomycete-based feed., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract of mammals is inhabited by trillions of microorganisms, resulting in exceedingly complex networking. The interaction between distinct bacterial species and the host immune system is essential in maintaining homeostasis in the gut ecosystem. For instance, the gut commensal microbiota dictates intestinal mucosa maturation and its abundant immune components, such as cytoprotective heat shock proteins (HSP). Here we examined physiological expression of HSP in the normal porcine GI tract and found it to be gut region- and cell type-specific in response to dietary components, microbes, and microbial metabolites to which the mucosa surface is exposed. Correlations between HSP72 expression and ileal Lactobacillus spp. and colonic clostridia species, and between HSP27 expression and uronic acid ingestion, were important interplays identified here. Thus this study provides novel insights into host-microbe interactions shaping the immune system that are modifiable by dietary regime., (Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.)

Dietary fiber is associated with impaired nutrient utilization and reduced net energy values. However, fiber has to be included in the diet to maintain normal physiological functions in the digestive tract. Moreover, the negative impact of dietary fiber will be determined by the fiber properties and may differ considerably between fiber sources. Various techniques can be applied to enhance nutritional value and utilization of available feed resources. In addition, the extent of fiber utilization is affected by the age of the pig and the pig breed. The use of potential prebiotic effects of dietary fiber is an attractive way to stimulate gut health and thereby minimize the use of anti-microbial growth promoters. Inclusion of soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) in the diet can stimulate the growth of commensal gut microbes. Inclusion of NSP from chicory results in changes in gut micro-environment and gut morphology of pigs, while growth performance remains unaffected and digestibility was only marginally reduced. The fermentation products and pH in digesta responded to diet type and were correlated with shifts in the microbiota. Interestingly, fiber intake will have an impact on the expression of intestinal epithelial heat-shock proteins in the pig. Heat-shock proteins have an important physiological role in the gut and carry out crucial housekeeping functions in order to maintain the mucosal barrier integrity. Thus, there are increasing evidence showing that fiber can have prebiotic effects in pigs due to interactions with the gut micro-environment and the gut associated immune system.

Trillions of microorganisms that inhabit the intestinal tract form a diverse and intricate ecosystem with a deeply embedded symbiotic relationship with their hosts. As more detailed information on gut microbiota complexity and functional diversity accumulates, we are learning more about how diet-microbiota interactions can influence the immune system within and outside the gut and host health in general. Heat shock proteins are a set of highly conserved proteins that are present in all types of cells, from microbes to mammals. These proteins carry out crucial intracellular housekeeping functions and unexpected extracellular immuno-regulatory features in order to maintain the mucosal barrier integrity and gut homeostasis. It is becoming evident that the enteric microbiota is one of the major determinants of heat shock protein production in intestinal epithelial cells. This review will focus on the interactions between diet, gut microbiota and their role for regulating heat shock protein production and, furthermore, how these interactions influence the immune system and the integrity of the mucosal barrier.

Dietary fiber, resistant to host-mediated digestion in the small intestine due to lack of endogenous enzymes, impacts many facets of animal health and is associated with gut development especially in young monogastrics. Furthermore, it can be used as in-feed antibiotic alternative. Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) forage with high content of pectin (uronic acids as building blocks) is a novel class of dietary fiber that is chemically different from cereal grains (with high content of arabinoxylans). In the present study, we investigated effects of dietary inclusion of chicory forage on digestibility, gut morphology and microbiota in broilers and young pigs. In the chicken experiment, 160 1-d old broiler chicks were fed 3 nutritionally balanced diets for 30 d including a cereal-based diet and 2 diets with part of the cereals substituted with 60 and 120 g/kg chicory forage (CF60 and CF120), whereas in the pig experiment, 18 seven-wk old Yorkshire pigs were fed 3 diets for 18 d including a cereal-based diet and 2 diets with 80 and 160 g/kg chicory forage inclusion (CF80 and CF160). Our results showed that young pigs were capable to utilize chicory forage well with higher total tract apparent digestibility (TTAD) of all fiber fractions, particularly uronic acid, compared with the control (P < 0.01). In contrast, a decreased TTAD of all fiber fractions was observed in chickens fed on diet CF120 (P < 0.05). Moreover, diet induced changes in gut morphology were observed in the large intestine of chickens. The alteration of cecal mucosal thickness was further positively correlated with TTAD of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and its constituent sugars (P < 0.05). In addition, in pigs, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of intestinal microbiota revealed substantial dietary effects (cereal control diet vs. chicory forage inclusion) on the relative abundance of 2 dominant bacterial phylotypes (Prevotella sp. vs. Roseburia sp.) respectively (P < 0.05). In conclusion, our data showed that chicory forage (Cichorium intybus L.), a novel dietary fiber source in animal nutrition, have potential beneficial properties as fiber ingredient in diets for both pigs and chickens.

The effect of replacing soybean crude protein (CP) with legume leaf meal (LLM) CP on feed intake, growth performance and carcass traits was studied in native female Moo Lath Lao pigs. The diets comprised one traditional diet (T) without soybean meal, one control diet (C) with soybean meal and six diets iso-nitrogenous with diet C in which soybean protein was replaced (33, 66 and 100 % of CP) with LLM CP from porcupine joint vetch (PLM) or Stylosanthes (SLM). Feed and water were offered ad libitum. Replacing soybean CP with LLM CP reduced (P < 0.05) intake of dry matter (DMI), CP (CPI), metabolisable energy (MEI), final body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG), but had no effect (P > 0.05) on feed conversion ratio (FCR). Increasing the replacement rate of soybean CP with LLM CP had a negative linear effect (P < 0.001) on DMI, CPI, MEI, final BW and ADG, and on all carcass traits except lean meat percentage. There were no differences in dressing percentage or organ weight and length between treatments. Supplementing diet T with soybean meal resulted in higher (P < 0.05) DMI, CPI and MEI, lower (P < 0.05) FCR, and higher (P < 0.05) final BW and ADG. Slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, eye muscle thickness, back fat, fat in carcass and lean meat were lower (P < 0.05) with diet T than diet C. In conclusion, LLM from stylo and porcupine joint vetch can be used as a CP source to partially replace soybean meal CP in the diet of growing native female Moo Lath Lao pigs.

This study identified the indigenous criteria used by livestock farmers in urban and peri-urban areas of Kampala to assess the nutritional quality of available feed resources. Focus group discussions and questionnaire interviews (with a total of 120 livestock farming households) were conducted. The findings showed that banana peels, leftover food and own-mixed feeds were the most commonly used feed resources for cattle, pigs and chickens, respectively. Farmers use several indigenous criteria to judge the nutritional quality of the available feed resources. These included perceived effects on disease resistance, feed intake, growth/body condition, hair coat appearance, faecal output, faecal texture and level of production, among others. According to farmers, animals offered with a feed resource of good nutritional quality are more resistant to diseases, ingest much of the feed, gain weight with well-filled bodies, have smooth hair coats, produce large quantities of faeces that are not too firm or watery and exhibit good performance (lactating cows produce more milk, sows produce piglets of good body size, hens lay more eggs of normal size, etc.). Although this indigenous knowledge exists, farmers put more importance on availability and cost as opposed to nutritional quality when choosing feed resources. This explains why banana peels were among the feed resources perceived to be of low nutritional quality but, at the same time, were found to be the most commonly used. Hence, there is a need to sensitise farmers on the importance of nutritional quality in ensuring better and efficient utilisation of the available feed resources.

Thirty castrated male Moo Lath pigs (6-8 weeks of age) were used in a 15-week growth trial to study the effect of high dietary sodium chloride (NaCl) content on feed and water intake, performance, sodium (Na) and potassium (K) balance, and plasma aldosterone concentration. The pigs were randomly allocated (ten per treatment) to diets containing 0.24 % Na (Na0.24), 0.28 % Na (Na0.28), and 0.32 % Na (Na0.32) per kg diet. Feed and water was provided ad libitum, and water consumption, feed offered, and feed residues were recorded daily. Every third week, the pigs were weighed, blood samples were collected, and a 3-day total collection of urine and feces was performed. Water intake was higher (P = 0.001) in pigs fed with diets Na0.28 (3.7 L/day) and Na0.32 (3.9 L/day) than in pigs fed with diet Na0.24 (3.4 L/day), and dry matter (DM) intake was higher on diet Na0.32 (P = 0.041) than on the other diets. The average daily body weight (BW) gain was higher on diet Na0.32 than on the other diets (P = 0.031). The feed conversion ratio (in kilogram feed DM to kilogram BW gain) was 4.6, 4.6, and 4.1 on treatments Na0.24, Na0.28, and Na0.32, respectively (P = 0.14). The highest Na balance was observed on diet Na0.32 followed by diets Na0.28 and Na0.24 (P < 0.001), while there was no treatment-related pattern for the K balance. The Na/K ratio in feces and urine increased (P < 0.001), and the K/Na ratio in feces (P < 0.001) decreased with increasing Na content in the diet. Plasma aldosterone concentration decreased (P < 0.001) with increasing dietary content of Na. These results indicate that high NaCl intake and free access to water will increase Na balance but do not negatively influence feed intake and performance of growing local pigs.

The impact of fibre level and fibre source on digestibility, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) development, total tract mean retention time (MRT) and growth performance was studied in indigenous Mong Cai (MC) and exotic Landrace × Yorkshire (LY) pigs. The diets were based on maize, rice bran, soyabean meal, fish meal and soyabean oil, and cassava residue (CR) or brewer's grain (BG) as fibrous ingredient sources in the high-fibre diets (HF) and were fed ad libitum. A low-fibre diet (LF), containing around 200 g NDF/kg dry matter (DM), was formulated without CR and BG as feed ingredients. The HF diets (HF-CR and HF-BG) were formulated to contain around 270 g NDF/kg DM. The experiment was arranged as a 2 × 3 factorial completely randomized design with six replications, and lasted 27 days. Increased dietary fibre level resulted in a reduction (P < 0.05) in average daily gain, digestibility of organic matter (OM), CP and gross energy (GE) at the ileum and in the total tract, and in MRT, and an increase (P < 0.05) in the feed conversion ratio and in the weight of the GIT (except for small intestine and caecum). The coefficients of total tract digestibility of fibre fractions were higher in HF diets than in the LF diet, with highest values for diet HF-CR, which had a high proportion of soluble non-starch polysaccharides. MC pigs had longer MRT of digesta than LY pigs (P < 0.05), resulting in higher digestibility at the ileum and in the total tract. Across diets and breeds, the total tract apparent digestibility of OM, CP and GE was positively related (R 2 = 0.80 to 0.84) to the MRT of solids, whereas the MRT was negatively related to the DM intake (R 2 = 0.60).

The present study examined the impact of replacing crude protein (CP) from soybean with CP from ensiled stylo (ES) on growth performance, carcass traits and organ weights in Landrace × Yorkshire (LY) and Moo Lath (ML) native Lao pigs. Twenty-four castrated male pigs, 12 of each breed, were allocated to the diet treatments according to a completely randomised 3 × 2 factorial (three ES levels × two breeds) arrangement, with four pigs per diet treatment. Pigs were kept in individual pens and fed at 4 % dry matter of body weight for 98 days. The control diet was formulated with soybean meal as the main CP source, and in the other two experimental diets, CP from soybean was replaced at 25 % (ES25) and 50 % (ES50) by CP from ES. Calculated metabolisable energy intake decreased with ES50 diet, while dry matter intake (DMI) and CP intake (CPI) were the highest in ES25 diet (P < 0.001). Overall, average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were unaffected by diet treatments. Carcass weight, backfat thickness and dressing percentage were unaffected by soybean CP replacement, while the weights of lung, large intestine and stomach were higher (P < 0.001) when 25 % of soybean CP was replaced by CP from ES. LY pigs had higher (P < 0.001) DMI, CPI and ADG and poorer (P < 0.001) FCR than ML pigs. LY pigs had higher carcass weight (P < 0.001), lower backfat thickness (P < 0.001) and higher organ weight (P < 0.001) than ML pigs, except for small intestine weight, where there was no difference between the LY and ML pigs (P > 0.05). In conclusion, ES can replace up to 50 % of soybean CP in the diet of growing Lao LY and ML pigs without negative effects on performance and carcass traits.

The aim of the present study was to investigate feed allowances, body weight (BW), haematocrit, haemoglobin, plasma ionised calcium (iCa), sodium, potassium, pH and glucose concentration and faecal K/Na ratio in local growing pigs, sows and piglets kept by small-holder farmers in Laos. Starting hypotheses were that (1) local pigs are under fed, (2) BW is higher in pigs receiving supplementary feed and (3) the blood profile of pigs subjected to very poor nutrition is outside the normal range. On 54 pig-keeping smallholdings in Borikhamxay province, Lao PDR, daily feed allowances were weighed and BW recorded for 27 lactating sows, 54 piglets and 27 growing pigs. Blood samples were collected from the vena jugularis in all pigs. Feed supplementation did not affect BW, but plasma iCa concentration was outside the normal range for all pigs. There was a tendency for lower faecal K/Na ratio in Na-supplemented sows. The results confirm that local pigs in small-scale production systems in Laos suffer from poor nutrition. The most important challenge for farmers appears to be provision of more feed, particularly feed with a high Ca content.

The impact of replacing soybean crude protein (CP) with CP from ensiled taro leaves (ET) on growth performance, carcass traits, and organ weights in Landrace × Yorkshire (LY) and Moo Lath (ML) Lao pigs was studied. Twenty-four castrated male pigs, 12 of each breed, were allocated to the treatments according to a completely randomized 3 × 2 factorial (three levels of ET × two breeds) arrangement with four pigs per treatment. The pigs were kept in individual pens and were fed at 4 % dry matter of body weight for 105 days. The control diet (ET0) was formulated with soybean meal as the main CP source, and in the other two diets, soybean CP was replaced to 25 % (ET25) and 50 % (ET50), respectively, with CP from ensiled taro leaves. Calculated metabolizable energy intake decreased with increasing replacement of soybean CP in the diet, while dry matter intake (DMI), CP intake (CPI), average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were unaffected. Carcass weight, back fat thickness, and dressing percentage were unaffected by soybean CP replacement, while organ weights (except for spleen) increased (P < 0.001) when soybean CP was replaced by CP from ensiled taro leaves in the diet. LY pigs had higher (P < 0.001) DMI, CPI, and ADG and better (P < 0.001) FCR than ML pigs. LY pigs had higher carcass weight (P < 0.001), lower back fat thickness (P < 0.001), and higher organ weights (P < 0.05-0.001) than the ML pigs. In conclusion, taro leaf silage can replace up to 50 % of soybean CP in the diet of growing Lao LY and ML pigs without negative effects on performance and carcass traits.

A survey was carried out in smallholder farming systems in the districts of Borrikun, Khamkeuth, and Pakkading, in central Lao People's Democratic Republic, to assess the feeding regime and health status of local Lao pigs. In total, 216 farmers, 72 in each district, were interviewed using a questionnaire. Feed samples were collected for nutrient analysis and pen soil samples for mineral content determination. Farmers kept sows of native breeds such as Moo Lath, Moo Chid, and Moo Hmong. The number of sows per household was low (1.1 ± 0.1, 1.1 ± 0.1, and 1.2 ± 0.1 in Borrikun, Khamkeuth, and Pakkading, respectively) and pigs were mainly fed with rice bran and fresh cassava roots. Daily protein and mineral (Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium) allowances were lower than requirements. In all districts, the number of piglets at birth was around seven and pre-weaning piglet mortality was around 20 %. The most common causes of piglet death, before weaning, were diarrhea, runts, and squashed piglets. Most piglets were weaned after 4 months of age, but in the Borrikun and Pakkading districts, 11-16 % of households were weaned at <4 months. In all districts, pig management was mainly women's responsibility (around 90 %) and most farmers spent less than 1 h per day on pig management. A feasible and cheap way to increase nutrient supply to local pigs in central Lao People's Democratic Republic would be to include more fresh plant material (e.g., thick head, taro) and salt in the diet. Information and education on improving pig management should be targeted towards women.

The effect of genotype, fibre level and fibre source on gut morphology, environment and microflora was studied using 18 Mong Cai (MC) and 18 Landrace×Yorkshire (LY) pigs, aged around 60 d. The diets were based on maize, rice bran, soybean meal, fish meal and soybean oil, and cassava residue (CR) or brewer's grain (BG) as fibrous ingredient sources in the high-fibre diets (HF). A low-fibre diet (LF), containing around 200 g NDF/kg dry matter (DM), was formulated without CR and BG as feed ingredients. The HF diets (HF-CR and HF-BG) were formulated to contain around 270 g NDF/kg DM. The experiment was arranged according to a 2×3 factorial completely randomized design with six replications, and lasted 30 d. Crypt density in ileum was lowest (p<0.05) and villus height in jejunum and ileum were the greatest (p<0.05) in pigs fed diet HF-BG. Villus width in ileum was greatest in pigs fed diets HF-CR and HF-BG (p<0.05). Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts in stomach were greatest (p<0.05) and E. coli counts in ileum and colon were lowest (p<0.05) in pigs fed diet HF-CR. The concentration of total organic acids in ileum, caecum and colon were greatest (p<0.05), and pH in ileum and colon were lowest (p<0.05) in pigs fed diet HF-CR. Crypt density in ileum was lowest, and villus height in ileum and villus width in jejunum and ileum was greatest in LY pigs (p<0.05). LAB counts in stomach and ileum were greatest, and E. coli counts in ileum were lowest in MC pigs (p<0.05). The concentration of total organic acids in ileum, caecum and colon were greatest (p<0.05) and pH lowest (p<0.05) in MC pigs.

The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients were evaluated in 2 commercially available products: wheat (Triticum aestivum) wet distillers grain with solubles (WDGS) and wheat dried distillers grain with solubles (DDGS). Two diets included (DM basis) 50% basal diet with either 50% WDGS (W) or 50% DDGS (D). The basal diet included corn (Zea mays) starch, sugar, vitamins, and minerals. Seven castrated male pigs with post valve T-cecum cannulas were fed the diets according to a changeover design during two 14-d periods. In a pre- and postperiod, casein was given as the only protein source with the basal diet to estimate endogenous losses of N and AA for calculation of standardized ileal digestibility (SID). The AID of OM did not differ between diets, but ATTD of OM was higher (P < 0.05) for diet W. The AID (76.2 vs. 68.9%), SID, and ATTD of CP was higher (P < 0.05) in diet W than diet D. The SID for Lys (75.7 vs. 51.8%) and Met (75.8 vs. 70.1%) was higher (P < 0.01) in WDGS than DDGS. In conclusion, drying of wheat distillers grain products can markedly lower ileal digestibility of Lys and Met whereas negative effects on energy value are small.

The effect of dietary fiber source on molecular weight (MW) distribution of soluble fiber fractions and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) in ileal digesta of 7 post valve T-cecum (PVTC) cannulated growing pigs was studied. Pigs were fed semisynthetic diets with sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) pulp (SBP) or chicory (Cichorium intybus) forage (CFO) as fiber sources of which the soluble nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) fraction originated mainly from pectin. Three MW intervals were selected-large MW (MWL): 10,000,000 to 1,000,000 g/mol, medium MW (MWM): 1,000,000 to 200,000 g/mol, and small MW (MWS): 200,000 to 10,000 g/mol-and the relative distribution (% of total) of molecules in each interval was calculated. The MWM fraction was higher (P < 0.05) in ileal digesta of pigs fed diet SBP and the MWS fraction was higher (P < 0.05) in ileal digesta of pigs fed diet CFO. The mole/100 mole of propionic acid (HPr) was higher (P < 0.010) in pigs fed diet SBP whereas pigs fed diet CFO had higher (P < 0.010) mole/100 mole of acetic acid (HAc). The proportion of the MWL and MWM fractions in ileal digesta were negatively correlated to HAc (r = -0.52, P = 0.05, and r = -0.62, P = 0.02, respectively). The proportion of MWM in ileal digesta was positively correlated to HPr (r = 0.83; P = 0.001) whereas MWS and HPr were negatively correlated (r = -0.76; P = 0.002). In conclusion, the bacterial degradation of the soluble NSP fraction is selective and MW distribution may explain differences in SCFA production.

The physiological expression of cytoprotective heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) in the gut was investigated in eighteen 7-wk-old pigs fed one of 3 fiber-rich diets for 18 d. The diets were a cereal-based control diet and a cereal-based diet with inclusion of either 80 g/kg chicory forage (CF80) or chicory root (CR80). Immunohistochemical staining showed that Hsp27 was expressed in all the samples from ileum and colon. The expression was most intensive in the apical intestinal epitheliums in close contact with luminal contents and lighter in crypt cells. The ileal Peyer's patches showed a strong expression of Hsp27, which was highly correlated with Hsp27 expression in the ileal epithelial cells (P = 0.003). The frequency of ileal Hsp27 expression with the most intensive staining was distributed higher in pigs fed chicory forage diet (CF80, 25%) followed by chicory root diet (CR80, 16.7%) and the control (11.1%). In proximal colon, the frequency of expression showed a similar pattern for the different diets. The intestinal microbiota profile was characterized with the intention to find correlations to heat shock protein (Hsp) expression in pig gastrointestinal (GI) tract and showed that the distal ileum and proximal colon encompass its own unique microbial profile. However, no significant relationship was found between gut microbiota diversity and Hsp27 expression. These indicate that Hsp27 expression in the porcine gut could be associated with specific dietary fiber components but not the overall microbiota diversity.

Most athletic horses are fed a high-starch diet despite the risk of health problems. Replacing starch concentrate with high-energy forage would alleviate these health problems, but could result in a shift in major substrates for muscle energy supply from glucose to short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) due to more hindgut fermentation of fibre. Dietary fat inclusion has previously been shown to promote aerobic energy supply during exercise, but the contribution of SCFA to exercise metabolism has received little attention. This study compared metabolic response with exercise and lactate threshold (VLa4) in horses fed a forage-only diet (F) and a more traditional high-starch, low-energy forage diet (forage-concentrate diet - FC). The hypothesis was that diet F would increase plasma acetate concentration and increase VLa4 compared with diet FC. Six Standardbred geldings in race training were used in a 29-day change-over experiment. Plasma acetate, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), lactate, glucose and insulin concentrations and venous pH were measured in samples collected before, during and after a treadmill exercise test (ET, day 25) and muscle glycogen concentrations before and after ET. Plasma acetate concentration was higher before and after exercise in horses on diet F compared with diet FC, and there was a tendency (P = 0.09) for increased VLa4 on diet F. Venous pH and plasma glucose concentrations during exercise were higher in horses on diet F than diet FC, as was plasma NEFA on the day after ET. Plasma insulin and muscle glycogen concentrations were lower for diet F, but glycogen utilisation was similar for the two diets. The results show that a high-energy, forage-only diet alters the metabolic response to exercise and, with the exception of lowered glycogen stores, appears to have positive rather than negative effects on performance traits.

Seven post-valve T-caecum cannulated growing pigs were used in a change-over experiment with four diets and four 14-day periods to evaluate the total tract apparent digestibility (TTAD) and the ileal apparent digestibility (IAD) of diets with inclusion of chicory forage (CFO), sugar beet pulp (SBP), wheat bran (WB) and grass meal (GM), as well as the TTAD of the mentioned fibre sources. Moreover, this experiment evaluated the molecular weight distribution of soluble non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) fractions in diet and ileal digesta from pigs fed the CFO and SBP diets. The experimental diets were balanced to have similar NSP content and compromised of one part of the basal diet and one part of the four fibre sources (CFO, SBP, WB and GM). In addition, all pigs were fed the basal diet during a 14-day period before and after the experimental periods. Diet affected the TTAD of all dietary components except glucose. The TTAD of organic matter (OM) was higher for Diet SBP than for Diets WB and CFO, showing both were higher than Diet GM. The TTAD of NSP was higher for Diet SBP than Diets WB and GM. The IAD of OM was higher in Diet SBP than in the other diets. The IAD of NSP was lower in Diet WB than in the other diets. The TTAD of OM and energy of CFO was 0.43 ± 0.04 (standard error), which is similar to that reported for commonly used forage crops. The molecular weight distribution in ileal digesta showed different distributions between Diets CFO and SBP as well as between digesta from pigs fed these diets.

A total of 30 7-week-old pigs were used to evaluate the effects of chicory inclusion on digestibility, digestive organ size and faecal microbiota. Five diets were formulated: a cereal-based control diet and four diets with inclusion of 80 and 160 g/kg chicory forage (CF80 and CF160), 80 g/kg chicory root (CR80) and a mix of 80 g/kg forage and 80 g/kg chicory root (CFR). Generally, the pigs showed a high growth rate and feed intake, and no differences between the different diets were observed. The coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of energy, organic matter and CP did not differ between the control and CF80, whereas they were impaired in diet CF160. The CTTAD of non-starch polysaccharides and especially the uronic acids were higher (P < 0.05) with chicory inclusion, with highest (P < 0.05) values for diet CF160. Coliform counts were lower and lactobacilli : coliform ratio was higher (P < 0.05) in diet CFR than in the control. Global microbial composition was investigated by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism combined with cloning and sequencing. Analysis of gut microbiota pattern revealed two major clusters where diet CF160 differed from the control and CR80 diet. Chicory forage diets were correlated with an increased relative abundance of one species related to Prevotella and decreased abundance of two other species related to Prevotella. For diet CFR, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus johnsonii was higher than in the other diets. This study shows that both chicory forage and root can be used as fibre sources in pig nutrition and that they modulate the composition of the gut microbiota differently.

The content and composition of prebiotic plant fiber in the diet is important in promoting gut-related health. This study investigated the effects of the dietary inclusion of chicory forage and roots on the intestinal microenvironment of pigs. Thirty-seven-week-old pigs were fed 1 of 5 diets for 18 days, including a cereal-based control diet and 4 diets with the inclusion of 80 and 160 g kg(-1) of body weight chicory forage (CF80 and CF160), 80 g kg(-1) chicory root (CR80), and a mix of 80 g kg(-1) forage and 80 g kg(-1) chicory root (CFR). The animals maintained good performance and health irrespective of diet. Bacterial community structure and diversity in ileal and colonic samples was assessed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), combined with cloning and sequencing. Samples clustered perfectly according to gut segment with a higher bacterial diversity in colon than ileum. Distal ileum was dominated by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and the relative amount of this group was increased by the CF160 and CFR diets. The colonic bacterial community was dominated by butyrate-producing bacteria and Prevotella. The increased relative abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria in the colon was positively correlated with the molar proportion of acetic acid and furthermore linked to the chicory forage diets (CF80 and CF160). Diets including chicory roots (CR80 and CFR) were correlated with a higher colonic abundance of Megasphaera elsdenii. The fermentation products and pH in digesta responded to diet type and were correlated with shifts in the microbiota, showing that chicory influences the intestinal microenvironment of pigs.

During two years, four samples per year were collected in Vietnam from rice bran, cassava residue, brewer's grain, tofu residue, soybean meal, coconut cake, sweet potato vines and water spinach for chemical analysis and assessment of water holding capacity (WHC). The selected feedstuffs represent fibre-rich plant sources and agro-industry co-products commonly used in pig feeding in Vietnam. The content (g/kg DM) of crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) varied between feedstuffs and ranged from 21 to 506 for CP, from 14 to 118 for EE and from 197 to 572 for NSP. Cassava residue had a high starch content of 563 g/kg DM, while sweet potato vines, water spinach, coconut cake and soybean meal had a high content of sugars (63-71 g/kg DM). The content of individual neutral sugars varied between feed ingredients, with the highest content of arabinose, galactose and glucose in tofu residue, the highest content of xylose in brewer's grain and the highest content of mannose in coconut cake. The content of uronic acid was high for cassava residue, tofu residue, sweet potato vines and water spinach (57-88 g/kg DM). The content of soluble non-cellulosic polysaccharides (S-NCP) was positively correlated (r(2) = 0.82) to the WHC. The content (g/kg DM) of CP, NDF, neutral sugars, total NSP, total NCP, S-NCP and total dietary fibre in tofu residue, water spinach and coconut cake varied (p<0.05) between years. In conclusion, diet formulation to pigs can be improved if the variation in chemical composition of the fibre fraction and in WHC between potential feed ingredients is taken into account.

A total of 256 broiler chickens (1 d old) were used in a 32-d growth trial to study the effects of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) forage and root inclusion on growth performance, digestibility, and gut development. The chicory forage originated from 2 harvests (June and September) and was included at 60 and 120 g/kg. The chicory root was included alone at 60 g/kg or together with chicory forage, from both harvests, in equal amounts (60 g/kg). The cereal-based control diet and 7 experimental diets were fed to each of 4 pens of chickens (8 chickens/pen). A higher BW gain and lower feed conversion ratio were found at 13 d of age in chickens fed the 60 g/kg chicory forage diet (P ≤ 0.05), whereas performance did not differ between the control and 60 g/kg chicory root diets. In contrast, a lower performance and digestibility of DM, organic matter, and AME as well as a thinner cecal mucosa layer were found for the 120 g/kg chicory forage diet (P ≤ 0.05). No diet effects on organ parameters or on pH of cecum digesta were detected. The soluble nonstarch polysaccharides fractions of chicory forage did not have any major negative effects on performance and gut development, and chicory forage from the September harvest was seen to have a higher nutritional value than that from the June harvest. Thus, results from the current study suggest that chicory forage is a potentially useful fiber-rich feed ingredient with high palatability for broiler chickens.

The study aimed at determining the ileal apparent (IAD) and standardised ileal (SID) digestibility of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in organically cultivated white-flowering faba beans (Vicia faba), and cakes from hemp seed (Cannabis sativa), linseed (Linum usitatissimum) and rapeseed (Brassica napus). The experiment was designed as a four period cross-over trial with six castrated male Yorkshire pigs fitted with post valve T-caecum (PVTC) cannulas. The IAD and SID of CP for the feed ingredients ranged from 79.2-85.9% and were affected by dietary treatment, with significantly lower values in rapeseed cake. The IAD and SID of most AA in the feed ingredients were also significantly affected by dietary treatment, but without any consistent trend. However, the overall digestibilities were in general comparable with conventional protein feed ingredients. Thus, these alternative protein feed ingredients have the potential to be used to a greater extent when formulating organic pig diets.

A feeding trial with growing pigs was carried out in which fish meal was replaced by different levels of Tra catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) by-product processing waste water (WW). A control diet included fish meal (FM) as the sole protein supplement (WW0), and there were four experimental diets in which 100% (WW100), 75% (WW75), 50% (WW50), and 25% (WW25), respectively, of the crude protein from FM in WW0 was replaced by WW. Thirty crossbred castrated (Yorkshire × Landrace) male pigs with an initial average body weight of 23.6 ± 1.6 kg were allocated into 30 individual pens in a randomized complete block design with six replications. Average daily feed intake and essential amino acid intakes were higher (P < 0.01) in WW0 and WW25 compared with the other three diets, and ether extract intake was highest in WW100 (P < 0.01). The highest average daily gain was in WW0 (582 g/day) and lowest in WW100 (501 g/day; P < 0.01). Dry matter feed conversion ratio was lowest in WW100 (2.16 kg feed/kg gain) and highest in WW0 (2.42 kg feed/kg gain) (P < 0.01).The cost/gain in pigs fed WW100 was lowest (12,476 VND/kg gain), and was highest in WW0 (18,312 VND/kg gain). In conclusion, although performance is reduced, it is possible to replace up to 100% of the fish meal by catfish by-product processing waste water in diets for growing pigs, resulting in much lower feed costs.

Twenty-five weaned 35-day-old piglets were used in a 35-day growth experiment to evaluate the effect of inclusion of chicory and ribwort forage in a cereal-based diet on growth performance, feed intake, digestibility and shedding of faecal coliform bacteria. A total of seven experimental diets were formulated, a cereal-based basal diet (B), and six diets with inclusion of 40, 80 and 160 g/kg chicory (C40, C80 and C160) or ribwort (R40, R80 and R160). Piglets had ad libitum access to feed and water throughout the experiment. Three and five weeks post-weaning faeces samples for determination of digestibility were collected once a day for five subsequent days. Additional faeces samples for determination of coliform counts were collected at days 1, 16 and 35 post-weaning. Piglets fed diet R160 had the lowest average daily feed intake (DFI) and daily weight gain (DWG), and differed (P < 0.05) from piglets fed diets B, R40 and R80. There were no differences in DFI and DWG between the chicory diets and diet B. Inclusion of chicory or ribwort had a minor negative impact on the coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein, whereas inclusion of both chicory and ribwort resulted in higher CTTAD of non-starch polysaccharides and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). The CTTAD of arabinose were higher for diets C160 and R160 than for diet B (P < 0.05), and the CTTAD of uronic acid was higher for diets C40, C80, C160, R80 and R160 than for diet B (P < 0.05). Age affected the CTTAD for all parameters (P < 0.05) except for NDF, with higher values at 5 than at 3 weeks post-weaning. The coliform counts decreased with increasing age (P < 0.05), but was not affected by treatment. The results indicate that inclusion of up to 160 g/kg of chicory do not negatively affect performance, whereas high inclusion of ribwort have a negative impact on feed consumption and consequently on growth rate. Both herbs have a higher digestibility of fibre compared to cereal fibre. Chicory and ribwort are both promising as feedstuffs to weaned piglets, but the low palatability of ribwort limits the inclusion level.

A survey was carried out in the North of Lao PDR to study feeding systems and the performance of pigs in smallholder systems. A total of 341 farmers from five provinces were interviewed. To feed their pigs, farmers mainly rely on feedstuffs produced on the farm and collected from areas near the village. The feedstuffs used included by-products such as rice bran and distiller's waste, planted feeds, mainly maize and cassava, and various green plant materials. The feedstuffs used are usually high in energy and low in protein content, and the only readily available protein source is green plant material. This results in nutritionally imbalanced diets and as a result poor pig performance. The average growth rate of pigs in these systems was found to be only approximately 100 g/day. The reproductive performance of sows was found to be relatively low, as is the case of local breeds in the region, with an average litter size at birth of 6.8 piglets. The mortality of piglets was as high as 50% and was a main concern of farmers. In order to improve the productivity of pigs in smallholder systems, there is a need to find alternative feed resources to improve the nutritional feed quality, and to develop management systems which are suited to the needs and practices of smallholders.

Reasons for Performing Study: A higher forage allowance to athletic horses might be an alternative to increase health and the gut fluid reservoir. However, more forage might increase bodyweight (bwt) and could therefore be a limitation during competition., Objectives: To investigate the effect of a forage-only diet (FD) compared to a 50:50 (dry matter basis) forage:oats diet (OD) on bwt, plasma protein concentration and some metabolic plasma parameters during 12 h of feed deprivation., Methods: Twelve adult Standardbred horses in training were used. The 2 diets were fed in 2 experimental periods of 3 weeks each in a crossover design. The last day of each period the horses were fasted for 12 h. The horses were weighed and their water intake measured every day during the trial and every hour during the 12 h feed deprivation. During feed deprivation total plasma protein (TPP), insulin, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), urea, glucose and acetate concentrations were analysed., Results: Bwt and water intake was higher on FD compared to OD. Bwt loss was higher during feed deprivation on FD compared to OD. TPP was lower before and during the last 8 h of feed deprivation on FD compared to OD. Plasma insulin was lower on FD than on OD at feeding and for 5 h during feed deprivation. Plasma NEFA and urea increased on both diets during feed deprivation. Plasma glucose was not affected by diet or feed deprivation., Conclusion: High energy forage diets could be an alternative to high grain diets for athletic horses. The small increase in bwt on FD diminished with feed deprivation and the low TPP concentration indicate a greater potential to use an internal fluid compartment to maintain plasma volume., (© 2010 EVJ Ltd.)

Eight mature Icelandic geldings were used in an experiment arranged as a change-over design to evaluate the effect of feeding level on the digestibility of a high-energy haylage-only diet. The horses were fed a low feeding level 10.7 g dry matter (DM)/kg body weight (BW) (maintenance) and a high feeding level 18.1 g DM/kg BW (1.5 × maintenance) during two 23 days experimental periods. Total collection of faeces was performed for 6 days at the end of each period to determine the coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD). The CTTAD for DM, organic matter, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre and energy was higher in horses fed at the low level of feed intake, while feeding level did not affect the CTTAD of crude protein. The largest difference in CTTAD between feeding levels was found for NDF. The content (/kg DM) of digestible energy in the haylage was 11.3 MJ at the low level of feed intake and 10.6 MJ at the high level of feed intake. It can be concluded that feeding level has a large impact on the digestibility and energy value of early cut haylage in Icelandic horses., (© 2009 The Authors. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2009 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)