Effect of fermented feed on the microbial population of the gastrointestinal tracts of pigs.

An in vivo experiment was performed with pigs to study the inhibitory effect of fermented feed on the bacterial population of the gastrointestinal tract. Results demonstrated a significant positive correlation between pH and lactobacilli in the stomach contents of pigs in dry feed as well as in the stomach contents of pigs fed fermented feed. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation between the pH and the numbers of bacteria in the family Enterobacteriaceae in the contents of the stomach of pigs fed dry feed was found. In the stomach contents of pigs fed fermented feed, a significant negative correlation was found between the concentration of the undissociated form of lactic acid and the numbers of Enterobacteriaceae. The numbers of Enterobacteriaceae in the contents of the stomach, ileum, cecum, colon, and rectum of pigs fed fermented feed were significantly lower compared with the contents of the stomach, ileum, caecum, colon, and rectum of pigs fed dry feed. The numbers of total lactobacilli were significantly higher in the stomach contents of pigs fed fermented feed and in the ileum contents of one pig group fed fermented feed compared with the contents of pigs fed dry feed. However, the influence of lactobacilli on numbers of Enterobacteriaceae could not be demonstrated. It was concluded that fermented feed influences the bacterial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract and reduces the levels of Enterobacteriaceae in the different parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

Monitoring of transmission of Salmonella enterica serovars in pigs using bacteriological and serological detection methods.

The standard method to detect Salmonella positive pigs is bacteriological examination of the faeces, but in recent years the use of Salmonella-ELISA's have become available to screen pigs for serological evidence of infection. This study was conducted to monitor the transmission of five different Salmonella enterica serovars (S. Typhimurium, S. Brandenburg, S. Panama, S. Livingstone, and S. Goldcoast) in fattening pigs and to test the feasibility of Salmonella-ELISA, using seeder pigs as a mode of transmission. Serovar dependence in transmission was observed. The Salmonella-ELISA proved to be useful to detect S. Typhimurium and S. Brandenburg in herds but was of limited value to demonstrate S. Livingstone, S. Goldcoast, and S. Panama.