Impacts of weaning age on dietary needs of whey permeate for pigs at 7 to 11 kg body weight.

BACKGROUND: Whey permeate is an effective lactose source for nursery pigs and the most benefits are obtained when pigs are at 7 to 11 kg BW. Altering weaning ages could cause different length of early-weaner phases until 7 kg BW and thus it would influence the dietary need of whey permeate during 7 to 11 kg BW of pigs. This study aimed to evaluate if weaning ages would affect the dietary needs of whey permeate for optimum growth performance of pigs at 7 to 11 kg BW. METHODS: A total of 1,632 pigs were weaned at d 21 (d 21.2 ± 1.3) or d 25 (d 24.6 ± 1.1) after birth. All pigs had a common early-weaner feeds until they reached 7 kg BW. When pigs reached 7 kg BW within a weaning age group, they were allotted in a randomized complete block design (2 × 4 factorial). Two factors were weaning age groups (21 and 25 d of age) and varying whey permeate levels (7.50%, 11.25%, 15.00%, and 18.75%). Data were analyzed using the GLM and NLIN procedures of SAS for slope-ratio and broken-line analyses to determine the growth response to whey permeate and optimal daily whey permeate intake for the growth of the pigs weaned at different ages. RESULTS: Pigs weaned at 21 d of age had a common diet for 11 d to reach 7 kg BW whereas pigs weaned at 25 d of age needed 2 d. The G:F of pigs weaned at 25 d of age responded to increased daily whey permeate intake greater (P < 0.05) than pigs weaned at 21 d of age. Breakpoints were obtained (P < 0.05) at 88 and 60 g/d daily whey permeate intake or 17.0% and 14.4% of whey permeate for G:F of pigs weaned at 21 and 25 d of age, respectively. CONCLUSION: Pigs weaned at an older age with a short early-weaner phase had a greater growth response to whey permeate intake compared with pigs weaned at a younger age with a long early-weaner phase. Altering weaning ages affected dietary needs of whey permeate for optimum growth performance of pigs from 7 to 11 kg BW.

Dose-response and functional role of whey permeate as a source of lactose and milk oligosaccharides on intestinal health and growth of nursery pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate dose-response and supplemental effects of whey permeate on growth performance and intestinal health of nursery pigs. In experiment (exp.) 1, 1,080 pigs weaned at 6.24 kg body weight (BW) were allotted to five treatments (eight pens/treatment) with increasing levels of whey permeate in three phases (from 10% to 30%, 3% to 23%, and 0% to 9% for phase 1, 2, and 3, respectively) fed until 11 kg BW and then fed a common phase 4 diet (0% whey permeate) until 25 kg BW in a 48-d feeding trial. Feed intake and BW were measured at the end of each phase. In exp. 2, 1,200 nursery pigs at 7.50 kg BW were allotted to six treatments (10 pens/treatment) with increasing levels of whey permeate from 0% to 18.75% fed until 11 kg BW. Feed intake and BW were measured during 11 d. Six pigs per treatment (1 per pens) were euthanized to collect the jejunum to evaluate tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-8 (IL-8), transforming growth factor-beta 1, mucin 2, histomorphology, digestive enzyme activity, crypt cell proliferation rate, and jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota. Data were analyzed using contrasts in the MIXED procedure and a broken-line analysis using the NLIN procedure of SAS. In exp. 1, increasing whey permeate had a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) on feed efficiency (G:F; maximum: 1.35 at 18.3%) in phase 1. Increasing whey permeate linearly increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG; 292 to 327 g/d) and G:F (0.96 to 1.04) of pigs in phase 2. In exp. 2, increasing whey permeate linearly increased (P < 0.05) ADG (349 to 414 g/d) and G:F (0.78 to 0.85) and linearly increased (P < 0.05) crypt cell proliferation rate (27.8% to 37.0%). The breakpoint from a broken-line analysis was obtained at 13.6% whey permeate for maximal G:F. Increasing whey permeate tended to change IL-8 (quadratic, P = 0.052; maximum: 223 pg/mg at 10.9%), to decrease Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes (P = 0.073, 1.59 to 1.13), to increase (P = 0.089) Bifidobacteriaceae (0.73% to 1.11%), and to decrease Enterobacteriaceae (P = 0.091, 1.04% to 0.52%) and Streptococcaceae (P = 0.094, 1.50% to 0.71%) in the jejunal mucosa. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of whey permeate increased the growth of nursery pigs from 7 to 11 kg BW. Pigs grew most efficiently with 13.6% whey permeate. Improvement in growth performance is partly attributed to stimulating intestinal immune response and enterocyte proliferation with positive changes in jejunal mucosa-associated microbiota in nursery pigs.

Effects of mineral methionine hydroxy analog chelate in sow diets on epigenetic modification and growth of progeny.

The study was conducted to determine the effects of mineral methionine hydroxy analog chelate (MMHAC) partially replacing inorganic trace minerals in sow diets on epigenetic and transcriptional changes in the muscle and jejunum of progeny. The MMHAC is zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) chelated with methionine hydroxy analog (Zn-, Mn-, and Cu-methionine hydroxy analog chelate [MHAC]). On day 35 of gestation, 60 pregnant sows were allotted to two dietary treatments in a randomized completed block design using parity as a block: 1) ITM: inorganic trace minerals with zinc sulfate (ZnSO4), manganese oxide (MnO), and copper sulfate (CuSO4) and 2) CTM: 50% of ITM was replaced with MMHAC (MINTREX trace minerals, Novus International Inc., St Charles, MO). Gestation and lactation diets were formulated to meet or exceed NRC requirements. On days 1 and 18 of lactation, milk samples from 16 sows per treatment were collected to measure immunoglobulins (immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin A, and immunoglobulin M) and micromineral concentrations. Two pigs per litter were selected to collect blood to measure the concentration of immunoglobulins in the serum, and then euthanized to collect jejunal mucosa, jejunum tissues, and longissimus muscle to measure global deoxyribonucleic acid methylation, histone acetylation, cytokines, and jejunal histomorphology at birth and day 18 of lactation. Data were analyzed using Proc MIXED of SAS. Supplementation of MMHAC tended to decrease (P = 0.059) body weight (BW) loss of sows during lactation and tended to increase (P = 0.098) piglet BW on day 18 of lactation. Supplementation of MMHAC increased (P < 0.05) global histone acetylation and tended to decrease myogenic regulatory factor 4 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA; P = 0.068) and delta 4-desaturase sphingolipid1 (DEGS1) mRNA (P = 0.086) in longissimus muscle of piglets at birth. Supplementation of MMHAC decreased (P < 0.05) nuclear factor kappa B mRNA in the jejunum and DEGS1 mRNA in longissimus muscle and tended to decrease mucin-2 (MUC2) mRNA (P = 0.057) and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-ß1) mRNA (P = 0.057) in the jejunum of piglets on day 18 of lactation. There were, however, no changes in the amounts of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-8, TGF-ß, MUC2, and myogenic factor 6 in the tissues by MMHAC. In conclusion, maternal supplementation of MMHAC could contribute to histone acetylation and programming in the fetus, which potentially regulates intestinal health and skeletal muscle development of piglets at birth and weaning, possibly leading to enhanced growth of their piglets.

Supplemental effects of dietary lysophospholipids in lactation diets on sow performance, milk composition, gut health, and gut-associated microbiome of offspring.

Dietary lysophospholipids (LPL) would influence milk composition of sows, thus positively affect intestinal health of offspring. The objective of this study was to determine effects of dietary LPL fed to lactating sows on performance, milk characteristics, gut health, and gut-associated microbiome of offspring. Sixty pregnant sows were allotted to 2 treatments in a randomized complete block design with parity and BW as blocks on day 110 of gestation. Treatments were CON (no added LPL) and LPL (0.05% LPL; Lipidol-Ultra, Pathway Intermediates, Shrewsbury, UK). Sows were fed 2 kg/d from day 110 of gestation until farrowing and ad libitum after farrowing. Diets were formulated to meet NRC requirement for lactating sows. Colostrum and milk samples from 12 sows per treatment were collected to measure nutrients and immunoglobulins on days 1 and 18 of lactation, respectively. Twelve piglets per treatment (1 piglet per litter) were euthanized on day 18 to collect tissues to measure tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-8 (IL-8), malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, IgA, histomorphology, crypt cell proliferation rate, and microbiota in the jejunum and colon. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS, and the mortality was analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. There was no difference in sow BW, parity, and litter size between treatments on day 0 of lactation. Sows fed LPL had increased (P < 0.05) litter BW gain (53.9 vs. 59.4 kg) and decreased piglet mortality (13.9% vs. 10.6%) on day 18 of lactation. Sows fed LPL had increased (P < 0.05) omega-6:omega-3 (22.1 vs. 23.7) and unsaturated:saturated (1.4 vs. 1.6) fatty acids ratios with increased oleic acid (29.1% vs. 31.4%) and tended to have increased (P = 0.092) IgG (1.14 vs. 1.94 g/L) and linoleic acid (17.7% vs. 18.7%) in the milk on day 18 of lactation. Piglets from sows fed LPL had increased (P < 0.05) IL-8 (184 vs. 245 pg/mg) and crypt cell proliferation rate (39.4% vs. 40.9%) and tended to have increased (P = 0.095) Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio (1.0 vs. 3.5) in the jejunum. In conclusion, sows fed with LPL had milk with increased IgG, oleic acids, and linoleic acids without changes in BW and backfat during lactation. These changes could contribute to improved survivability and intestinal health of piglets by increasing IL-8 concentration, enhancing balance among gut-associated microbiome, and increasing enterocyte proliferation in the jejunum.