RESUMEN
African swine fever (ASF) poses a major threat to swine health and welfare worldwide. After several European countries have reported cases of ASF, Greece confirmed officially the first positive case on 5 February 2020. The owner of a backyard farm in Nikoklia, a village in Serres regional unit, Central Macedonia, reported a loss of appetite, weakness, dyspnea, and the sudden death of 6 domestic pigs. Necropsy was performed in one gilt and findings were compatible with acute to subacute septicemic disease. Predominantly, hyperemic enlargement of spleen and lymph node enlargement and/or hemorrhage were observed. Description of vague clinical signs by the farmer suggested a limited resemblance to ASF-acute infection. However, the disease could not be ruled out once septicemic condition including splenomegaly, was diagnosed macroscopically at necropsy. In addition, considering the farm's location near to ASF protection zones, a further diagnostic investigation followed. Confirmation of the disease was obtained using a series of diagnostic tests on several tissue samples. Further clinical, molecular, and epidemiologic evaluation of the farm was performed. According to the contingency plan, authorities euthanized all 31 pigs on the farm, whilst blood testing revealed ASF virus infection. Further emergency measures were implemented to contain the spread of the disease.
RESUMEN
Reducing the energy content of broiler diets could lead to the formulation of diets with reduced production cost. Dimethylgycine (DMG) has been used as a dietary supplement to enhance dietary fat utilization in poultry. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of DMG supplementation in reduced energy diets on performance and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens. Four hundred and eighty day-old broilers were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments: a standard energy diet (PC treatment), a reduced energy diet by 66 kcal/kg (NC treatment) and the reduced energy diet supplemented with 500 mg/kg of DMG (DMG treatment). Fat digestibility was significantly higher in DMG group, compared to PC and NC groups. Intestines and gizzard lesion scores were found to be lower in the DMG group compared to PC. DMG supplementation resulted in lower jejunum pH and ileum viscosity in broilers. Overall, the present study showed that DMG supplementation in reduced energy broiler diets restored growth performance to the levels obtained with a standard diet. This result was probably mediated by the positive effects on the gastrointestinal function of the broilers after DMG supplementation, as evidenced by the improved nutrient digestibility, the reduced gross lesion scores and the lower values in intestinal pH and viscosity.
RESUMEN
The aim of the study was to test two encapsulated regimens containing organic acids and/or zinc oxide (ZnO) on weaned piglet performance and jejunal mucosa morphology and immunity. For that, weaned piglets were allocated to treatments including control, supplemented with encapsulated organic acids (ACID group), and supplemented with organic acids and ZnO, both encapsulated (ACIDplus group). Antibiotics were used at similar concentrations in all groups during the first two weeks, but withdrawn from the ACIDplus group during the last three weeks of the experiment. ZnO was given with feed in the Control and ACID groups only during the first two weeks. The experimental period lasted 5 weeks. Piglets from the ACID group exhibited higher average daily gain compared to other groups during the last 3 weeks of the experiment (P<0.05). The ACIDplus group performed similarly with controls. The mucosal height of jejunum was higher in both ACID (P<0.01) and ACIDplus groups compared to controls (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis of jejunal mucosa, showed higher numbers of neutrophils in ACID and ACIDplus groups compared to controls (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). Treatments had the opposite effect on mucosal regulatory T-cells (Foxp3-positive cells) in jejunum, being higher (P<0.001) in control group compared to ACID and ACIDplus groups. The number of CD3-positive cells was higher (P<0.05) in the ACIDplus and control groups compared to the ACID group. In conclusion, the encapsulated products used had beneficial effects on growth performance coexisting with improvements on jejunal histomorphology and modulation of mucosal immunity.