Effects of Cocoa Husk Feeding on the Composition of Swine Intestinal Microbiota.

A two-diet/two-period change over experiment was performed to investigate the effects of cocoa husks, as a source of dietary fiber and polyphenols, on pig intestinal microbial composition. Six pigs were fed a conventional cereal-based diet or a diet obtained by substitution of 7.5% of the conventional diet with cocoa husks for 3 weeks. Experimental diets were isoproteic and isoenergetic. At the end of each 3 week testing period, samples of fresh feces were collected and analyzed for microbial composition by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Cocoa husks did not affect feed intake, weight gain, and feed efficiency. Analysis of fecal microbial populations, grouped by phyla, showed a decrease of Firmicutes and an increase of Bacteroidetes in cocoa husk-fed pigs. Particularly, cocoa husks reduced fecal populations of the Lactobacillus-Enterococcus group and Clostridium histolyticum and increased the Bacteroides-Prevotella group and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, suggesting a potential for cocoa husks in the improvement of intestinal microbial balance.

Effect of Technological Treatments on Human-Like Leptin Level in Bovine Milk for Human Consumption.

In this experiment, raw milk and commercially available full-cream UHT milk, semi-skimmed UHT milk, skimmed UHT milk, full-cream pasteurized milk, semi-skimmed pasteurized milk and infant formulas for babies between 6 and 12 months of age were analyzed by RIA, with a method using an antibody directed against human leptin and human leptin as reference standard. Raw milk and full-cream UHT milk did not differ for human-like leptin. Leptin content of full-cream pasteurized milk was not different to that of full-cream UHT milk, but it was 14% lower (p < 0.05) than that observed in raw milk. Human-like leptin level of semi-skimmed UHT milk was not different to that of semi-skimmed pasteurized milk, but it was 30% lower (p < 0.0001) than those of full-cream UHT and full-cream pasteurized milks. In skimmed UHT milk, leptin was 40% lower (p < 0.0001) than in full-cream UHT milk. Leptin was correlated (p < 0.001) with lipid content. Leptin level of infant formulas was not different to that of skimmed milks. Results suggest that the heat treatment (pasteurization or UHT) is not a modifier of human-like leptin content of edible commercial bovine milks, whereas the skimming process significantly reduces milk leptin level.

Major constituents, leptin, and non-protein nitrogen compounds in mares' colostrum and milk.

Five Haflinger mares were hand-milked at 0 h (pre-suckle) and 6 h (postsuckle), 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after parturition. Total solids, protein, fat, lactose, calculated gross energy content, leptin and non-protein nitrogen components (urea, alpha-amino nitrogen, creatinine and allantoin) were determined. The levels of the major constituents differed significantly in pre-suckle colostrum from subsequent samples. Leptin levels were the highest in whole (9 ng x mL(-1) of immunoreactive human equivalent HE +/- 0.48 ng x mL(-1), SEM) and skimmed (7.8 ng HE x mL(-1) +/- 0.52 ng x mL(-1), SEM) pre-suckle colostrum, declined sharply at 6 hours postpartum, and more slowly subsequently. Mean urea concentration was constant at around 5.0 mM, while a-amino N increased over the observation period and creatinine and allantoin decreased. These findings provide a further indication that mares' milk can be regarded as a functional food.

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid positively affects immunologic variables in lactating sows and piglets.

We studied the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on metabolic and immunologic variables in lactating sows and piglets. Gestating sows (n = 16) were assigned to 1 of 2 weight- and parity-matched groups supplemented with 0% (C) or 0.5% (T) of a CLA preparation containing 50% CLA isomers. Supplementation started in late pregnancy and continued throughout lactation. At weaning, 80 piglets, half from each group of sows, were assigned to 0% CLA (C) or 0.5% CLA (T). Thus, there were four groups of 20 piglets: C-C, C-T, T-T, and T-C. Body weight and the number of piglets per litter at birth and weaning, and the chemical composition of colostrum did not differ among the groups. CLA affected the fatty acid composition of colostrum fat; palmitoleic and gamma-linolenic acid were significantly lower compared with controls, whereas eicosenoic and eicosatrienoic acids were significantly higher. Feeding CLA increased (P < 0.05) colostrum IgG in sows. Sows fed CLA had higher (P < 0.05) serum leptin, IgG, and lysozyme. Nursing piglets from CLA-fed sows had significantly higher (P < 0.01) serum lysozyme and IgG. Consumption of CLA did not affect postweaning growth. Postweaning piglets fed CLA (T-T, C-T) had a higher IgG titer at 25 d (P < 0.05) and 35 d (P < 0.01) after weaning. Serum lysozyme was also higher at 25 d (P < 0.05) in CLA-fed piglets (T-T, C-T). At 35 d, serum alpha-1 acylglicoprotein was lower (P < 0.05) in piglets fed CLA. Dietary CLA had a positive effect on immunologic variables in lactating sows and piglets.