Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii CNCM I-1079 supplementation in finishing male pigs helps to cope with heat stress through feeding behaviour and gut microbiota modulation.

Pigs subjected to heat stress (HS) decrease their feed intake and growth. The objectives of the experiment were to determine the effects of live yeast (LY) supplementation (Saccharomyces cerevisiae var boulardii CNCM I-1079) on feeding behaviour, energy metabolism and faecal microbiota composition of finishing boars (n 10) housed in a respiration chamber at thermoneutrality (7 d at 22°C) or during HS (seven plus six days at 28°C). Dietary LY supplementation increased DM intake (P = 0·01) whatever the ambient temperature, whereas HS decreased feed intake whatever the dietary supplementation (P = 0·01). Dietary LY supplementation increased the number of meals (P = 0·02). Energy retention was higher with dietary LY supplementation (P < 0·01) but decreased during HS (P < 0·01). The skin temperature of the supplemented pigs was lower at thermoneutrality and increased during HS to a lesser extent than that of non-supplemented pigs (P < 0·01). Faecal microbiota composition was determined using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Treponema, Christensenellaceae R-7, Ruminococcaceae UCG-002, Rikenellaceae RC9, Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Romboutsia genera and some bacteria belonging to Alloprevotella, Oxalobacter and Anaeroplasma genera were more abundant under HS. LY supplementation attenuated HS effects on Romboutsia abundance, while decreasing the abundance of some bacteria from Ruminoccocus, Coprococcus, Peptococcus and Oxalobacter genera and increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria from Lactococcus and Subdoligranulum genera. Our results suggest that higher level of the keystone species Ruminococcus bromii at thermoneutrality may be one of the causes for higher energy retention observed under subsequent HS.

Partitioning of heat production in growing pigs as a tool to improve the determination of efficiency of energy utilization.

In growing pigs, the feed cost accounts for more than 60% of total production costs. The determination of efficiency of energy utilization through calorimetry measurements is of importance to sustain suitable feeding practice. The objective of this paper is to describe a methodology to correct daily heat production (HP) obtained from measurements in respiration chamber for the difference in energy expenditure related to physical activity between animals. The calculation is based on a preliminary published approach for partitioning HP between HP due to physical activity (AHP), thermic effect of feeding (TEF) and basal metabolic rate (fasting HP; FHP). Measurements with male growing pigs [mean body weight (BW): 115 kg] which were surgically castrated (SC), castrated through immunization against GnRH (IC), or kept as entire male (EM) were used as an example. Animals were fed the same diet ad-libitum and were housed individually in two 12-m(3) open-circuit respiration chambers during 6 days when fed ad-libitum and one supplementary day when fasted. Physical activity was recorded through interruption of an infrared beam to detect standing and lying positions and with force transducers that recorded the mechanical force the animal exerted on the floor of the cage. Corrected AHP (AHPc), TEF (TEFc), and HP (HPc) were calculated to standardize the level of AHP between animals, assuming that the ratio between AHPc and ME intake should be constant. Inefficiency of energy utilization (sum of AHPc and TEFc) was lower than the inefficiency estimated from the slope of the classical relationship between HPc and ME intake but was associated with higher requirements for maintenance. Results indicate that EM pigs had higher FHP but lower TEFc than IC and SC pigs. These results agree with the higher contents in viscera of EM pigs that stimulate their basal metabolic rate and with the reduced utilization of dietary protein to provide energy for maintenance energy requirements and fat deposition (FD).

Fasting heat production and energy cost of standing activity in veal calves.

Metabolic body size of veal calves is still calculated by using the 0.75 exponent and no data were available to determine energy cost of physical activity during the whole fattening period. Data from two trials focusing on protein and/or energy requirements were used to determine the coefficient of metabolic body size and the energy cost of standing activity in male Prim'Holstein calves. Total heat production was measured by indirect calorimetry in ninety-five calves weighing 60-265 kg and was divided using a modelling approach between components related to the BMR, physical activity and feed intake. The calculation of the energy cost of standing activity was based on quantifying the physical activity by using force sensors on which the metabolism cage was placed and on the interruption of an IR beam allowing the determination of standing or lying position of the calf. The best exponent relating zero activity fasting heat production (FHP 0) to metabolic body size was 0.85, which differed significantly from the traditionally used 0.75. Per additional kJ metabolizable energy (ME) intake, FHP 0 increased by 0.28 kJ; at a conventional daily 650 kJ/kg body weight (BW)0.85 ME intake, daily FHP 0 averaged 310 kJ/kg BW 0.85. Calves stood up sixteen times per day; total duration of standing increased from 5.1 to 6.4 h per day as animals became older. The hourly energy cost of standing activity was proportional to BW 0.65 and was estimated as 12.4 kJ/kg BW 0.65. These estimates allow for a better estimation of the maintenance energy requirements in veal calves.

Previous feeding level influences plateau heat production following a 24 h fast in growing pigs.

Factorial approaches to estimate energy requirements of growing pigs require estimation of maintenance energy requirements. Heat production (HP) during fasting (FHP) may provide an estimate of maintenance energy requirements. Six barrows were used to determine effects of feeding level on components of HP, including extrapolated plateau HP following a 24 h fast (FHPp). Based on a cross-over design, each pig was exposed to three feeding levels (1.55, 2.05 and 2.54 MJ metabolisable energy/kg body weight (BW)(0.60) per d) between 30 and 90 kg BW. Following a 14 d adaptation period, HP was estimated using indirect calorimetry on pigs housed individually. Dynamics of HP were recorded in pigs for 5 d during the fed state and during a subsequent 24 h fast. Metabolisable energy intake was partitioned between thermal effect of feeding (HPf), activity HP (HPa), FHPp and energy retention. Feeding level influenced (P<0.05) total HP during the fed state, HPf and activity-free FHPp (609, 644 and 729 (SE 31) kJ/kg BW(0.60) per d for low, medium and high ME intakes, respectively). The value of FHPp when expressed per kg BW(0.60) did not differ (P=0.34) between the three subsequent experimental periods. Feeding level did not (P=0.75) influence HPa. Regression of total HP during the fed state to zero metabolisable energy intake yielded a value of 489 (SE 69) kJ/kg BW(0.60) per d, which is a lower estimate of maintenance energy requirement than FHPp. Duration of adaptation of pigs to changes in feeding level and calculation methods should be considered when measuring or estimating FHPp, maintenance energy requirements and diet net energy content.