Assessment of cecal microbiota modulation from piglet dietary supplementation with copper.

BACKGROUND: Swine production expanded in the last decades. Efforts have been made to improve meat production and to understand its relationship to pig gut microbiota. Copper (Cu) is a usual supplement to growth performance in animal production. Here, two performance studies were conducted to investigate the effects of three different sources of Cu on the microbiota of piglets. A total of 256 weaned piglets were randomly allocated into 4 treatments (10 replicates per treatment of 4 piglets per pen in Trial 1 and 8 replicates of 3 piglets per pen in Trial 2). Treatments included a control group (fed 10 mg/kg of Cu from CuSO4), a group fed at 160 mg/kg of Copper (II) sulfate (CuSO4) or tri-basic copper chloride (TBCC), and a group fed with Cu methionine hydroxy analogue chelated (Cu-MHAC) at 150, 80, and 50 mg/kg in Phases 1 (24-35 d), 2 (36-49 d), and 3 (50-70 d), respectively. At 70 d, the cecum luminal contents from one pig per pen were collected and polled for 16 S rRNA sequencing (V3/V4 regions). Parameters were analyzed in a completely randomized block design, in which each experiment was considered as a block. RESULTS: A total of 1337 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were identified. Dominance and Simpson ecological metrics were statistically different between control and treated groups (P < 0.10) showing that different Cu sources altered the gut microbiota composition with the proliferation of some bacteria that improve gut health. A high abundance of Prevotella was observed in all treatments while other genera were enriched and differentially modulated, according to the Cu source and dosage. The supplementation with Cu-MHAC can modify a group of bacteria involved in feed efficiency (FE) and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) production (Clostridium XIVa, Desulfovibrio, and Megasphera). These bacteria are also important players in the activation of ghrelin and growth hormones that were previously reported to correlate with Cu-MHAC supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that some genera seem to be directly affected by the Cu source offered to the animals. TBCC and Cu-MHAC (even in low doses) can promote healthy modifications in the gut bacterial composition, being a promising source of supplementation for piglets.

Comparison of functional-oil blend and anticoccidial antibiotics effects on performance and microbiota of broiler chickens challenged by coccidiosis.

This study aimed to compare the effects of different levels of cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) and castor oil (CNSL-castor oil) with growth-promoting antibiotics associated with anticoccidials in broiler chickens challenged with coccidiosis. In this work, 2520 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Cobb) were randomly assigned to 84 pens, containing 30 birds each. The experimental design was completely randomized, with seven treatments: enramycin (8 ppm), virginiamycin (16.5 ppm), and tylosin (55 ppm); different doses of CNSL-castor oil (0.5, 0.75, and 1.00 kg/t); and a control diet (without additives). All treatments received semduramicin + nicarbazin (500 g/t; Aviax® Plus) from 0 to 28 d and monensin sodium (100 ppm; Elanco) from 29 to 35 days of age, when the feed was without antibiotics. The challenge was introduced at 14 days of age by inoculating broiler chickens with sporulated Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina, and Eimeria maxima oocysts via oral gavage. In addition to performance parameters, intestinal contents were collected at 28 and 42 days of age for microbiota analysis by sequencing the 16s rRNA in V3 and V4 regions using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Taxonomy was assigned using the SILVA database (v. 138) with QIIME2 software (v. 2020.11). After one week of challenge, the broilers that received tylosin had a higher body weight gain (BWG) than those in the control group (p < 0.05), while the other treatments presented intermediate values. At 28 d, the BWG was lower for the control, CNSL-Castor oil 0.5 kg/t, enramycin, and virginiamycin treatments than that in the tylosin treatment. The inclusion of CNSL-Castor oil at concentrations of 0.75 and 1 kg/t acted as an intermediate treatment (p < 0.05). For alpha diversity, using the Shannon index, it was possible to observe the effect of age, with substantial diversity at 42 d. The Firmicutes phylum had the highest abundance, with values between 84.33% and 95.16% at 42 d. Tylosin showed better performance indices than other treatments. CNSL-castor oil treatments with concentrations of 0.75 and 1 kg/t showed similar results to those of enramycin and virginiamycin. Furthermore, CNSL-castor oil acted as a modulator of intestinal microbiota, reducing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria.

Effect of dietary copper sources on performance, gastric ghrelin-RNA expression, and growth hormone concentrations in serum in piglets.

Two performance studies were conducted to investigate the effects of 3 different sources of Cu on production parameters of piglets. A total of 256 piglets weaned at 24 ± 2 d were randomly allocated into 4 treatments with 10 or 8 replicates per treatment of 4 or 3 piglets per pen in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. The experimental period was divided into 3 feeding phases: Phase 1 (24 to 35 d), Phase 2 (36 to 49 d), and Phase 3 (50 to 70 d). Treatments included a Control group (fed 10 mg/kg of Cu from CuSO4), a group fed 160 mg/kg of either CuSO4 (CuSO4-160) or tri-basic copper chloride (TBCC), and a group fed Cu methionine hydroxy analogue chelated (Cu-MHAC) at 150, 80, and 50 mg/kg in Phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The methionine value of Cu-MHAC was accounted during diet formulation to achieve the same levels of methionine across treatments. Phases 1 and 2 diets contained 2,200 and 1,500 ppm of ZnO, respectively; and antibiotics were used as growth promoters. Performance parameters were analyzed as completely randomized block design, in which each experiment was considered as a block. In trial 2, blood serum and mucosal samples, from the fundic region of the stomach, were collected from 1 piglet per replicate at day 70 and tested for serum growth hormone levels (GH) and ghrelin mRNA expression, respectively. The contrast between Cu-MHAC vs. CuSO4-160 + TBCC showed that piglets fed Cu-MHAC exhibited better feed conversion ratio (FCR) in all feeding phases compared with feeding inorganic Cu (P < 0.05). Overall, feeding Cu-MHAC improved body weight (BW), BW gain, feed intake (FI), and FCR vs. Control diet fed piglets; yet, it improved BW and FCR vs. TBCC fed piglets, and improved BW, BW gain, and FI vs. CuSO4-160 fed piglets (P < 0.05). Feeding TBCC promoted similar performance than feeding CuSO4-160, regardless of age (P > 0.05). Both ghrelin expression and growth hormone serum levels were significantly increased by feeding Cu-MHAC vs. Control diet fed animals (P < 0.01). Feeding CuSO4-160 upregulated ghrelin expression vs. Control (P < 0.01) while GH serum levels and ghrelin expression did no change by feeding TBCC compared with Control diet fed animals (P > 0.05). It was concluded that feeding Cu-MHAC at the levels tested herein can improve growth performance of piglets beyond feeding 160 ppm of either CuSO4 or TBCC, which may be partially explained by the increased expression of ghrelin and GH serum levels.

Phosphorus on performance, hematological, biochemical, and bone parameters of growing pigs / Influência de fósforo disponível sobre parâmetros de desempenho, hematológicos, bioquímicos e ósseos de suínos em crescimento

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to assess the levels of available phosphorus (AP) in the diet of growing pigs selected for lean deposition on the hematological, biochemical, and bone performance parameters. A total of 64 commercial hybrid pigs (32 castrated males and 32 females; mean initial weight: 23.31±2.4kg; age: 55-90 days) were used. Animals were distributed into a randomized block design with four treatments, eight replicates, and two animals (one male and one female) per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of a basal diet and another three diets, which were obtained by supplementing the basal diet with dicalcium phosphate replacing the inert phosphate, resulting in four diets with 0.100, 0.180, 0.260, and 0.340% of available phosphorus. The levels of available phosphorus quadratically influenced the daily weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion, which increased up to the estimated levels 0.331; 0.330, and 0.302% of available phosphorus. Levels of phosphorus showed no influence on the hematological parameters, which remained within the reference values. Levels of available phosphorus increased linearly the ash and phosphorus contents in the metacarpal bone and decreased linearly the alkaline phosphatase activity. Levels of available phosphorus (0.331 and 0.302%, corresponding to a daily intake of 5.73 and 5.18g d-1) provided respectively the best results for weight gain and feed conversion in pigs with high genetic potential, without change in hematological parameters.

RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar níveis de fósforo disponível em rações para suínos em crescimento, selecionados para deposição de carne, sobre os parâmetros de desempenho, hematológico, bioquímico e ósseo. Foram usados 64 suínos híbridos comerciais (32 machos castrados e 32 fêmeas; peso médio inicial: 23,31±2,4 kg; idade: 55-90 dias). Os animais foram distribuídos em blocos casualizados com quatro tratamentos, oito repetições e dois animais (um macho e uma fêmea) por unidade experimental. Os tratamentos consistiram em uma ração basal e em outras três rações, obtidas pela suplementação da ração basal com fosfato bicálcico em substituição ao inerte, resultando em quatro rações com 0,100, 0,180, 0,260, 0,340% de fósforo disponível. Os níveis de fósforo disponível influenciaram de forma quadrática o ganho de peso diário, o consumo de ração e a conversão alimentar, que aumentaram até o nível estimado de 0,331, 0,330 e 0,302% de fósforo disponível, respectivamente. Não houve influência dos níveis de fósforo sobre os parâmetros hematológicos que permaneceram dentro dos valores de referência. Os níveis de fósforo disponível influenciaram de forma linear crescente os teores de cinzas e fósforo no metacarpo dos animais e, de forma decrescente, a atividade da fosfatase alcalina. Os níveis de fósforo disponível, de 0,331 e 0,302%, correspondentes ao consumo diário de 5,73 e 5,18g d-1, proporcionaram, respectivamente, os melhores resultados de ganho de peso e conversão alimentar em suínos de alto potencial genético, sem alterações nos parâmetros hematológicos.