• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.491-500
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• 2021

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of low protein diets added with protease on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood profiles of weaned piglets and growing-finishing pigs. A total of 96 weaned pigs ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc) with average body weight (BW) of 6.99 ± 0.21 kg were used in a 20-week experiment. The dietary treatments were arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial design. Treatments were as follows: In phase 1 (1-2 weeks), two protein levels as high protein (HP; 19.0%), low protein (LP; 17.0%), and three protease (PT) levels (PT0, 0%; PT1, 0.3%; and PT2, 0.5%); in phase 2 (3-4 weeks), protein levels (HP, 18.05%; LP, 16.15%) and protease levels (0%, 0.3%, and 0.5%); in phase 3 (5-12 weeks), protein levels (HP, 17.1%; LP, 15.3%) and protease level (0%, 0.15%, and 0.3%); in phase 4 (13-20 weeks), protein levels (HP, 16.15%; LP, 14.45%) and protease level (0%, 0.15%, and 0.3%). At 4 weeks and 20 weeks after treatment, BW was higher (p < 0.050) in the PT2 group than PT0 group. From weeks 0 to 4, average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (G/F) were higher (p = 0.006 and p = 0.014; p = 0.014 and p = 0.044, respectively) in the PT2 group than PT0 and PT1 groups. From weeks 16 to 20, ADG and G/F were higher (p < 0.001 and p = 0.009; p = 0.004 and p = 0.033, respectively) in the PT2 group than PT0 and PT1 groups. Crude protein (CP) digestibility was higher (p = 0.013, p = 0.014, and p = 0.035, respectively) in the low protein (LP) group than high protein (HP) group at weeks 4, 12, and 20. At weeks 4 and 20, the LP diet group had lower (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively) blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels than the HP diet group. Therefore, a low CP diet added with protease could increase growth performance and CP digestibility of weaned piglets and growing-finishing pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.23-37
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• 2022

Thirty-six weaned piglets with an initial body weight (BW) of 8.43 ± 0.40 kg (28 days of age, ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc) were randomly assigned to 6 treatments for a 2-week feeding trial to determine the effects of different inorganic zinc (IZ), organic zinc (OZ) or combination of low crude protein diet (LP) and Mixed feed additive (MFA) on diarrhea score, nutrient digestibility, zinc utilization, blood profiles, organ weight, and fecal microflora in weaned piglet diet. The pigs were individually placed in 45 × 55 × 45 cm stainless steel metabolism cages in an environmentally controlled room (30 ± 1℃). The dietary treatments included a negative control (NC), positive control (PC; zinc oxide, 1,000 mg/kg), T1 (IZ : OZ, 850 : 150), T2 (IZ : OZ 700 : 300), T3 (IZ : OZ, 500 : 500), and T4 (LP + MFA [0.1% Essential oils + 0.08% Protease + 0.02% Xylanase]). The daily feed allowance was adjusted to 2.7 times the maintenance requirement for digestible energy (2.7 × 110 kcal of DE/kg BW^0.75). This allowance was divided into two equal parts, and the piglets were fed at 08 : 30 and 17 : 30 each day. Water was provided ad libitum through a drinking nipple. The diarrhea score was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in NC treatment compared with other treatments. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), and gross energy (GE) was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the T2 treatment compared with the PC and NC treatments in week 1. In week 2, the ATTD of DM, N, and GE was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in the NC treatment compared with other treatments. The T3 treatment had significantly higher (p < 0.05) ATTD and apparent ileal digestibility of zinc than the PC and T1 treatments. The Escherichia coli count in feces was significantly decreased in the T4 treatment compared with the NC and T2 treatments. The Lactobacillus count in feces was significantly increased in the T4 and T1 treatment compared with the T2 and T3 treatments. In conclusion, IZ : OZ 500 : 500 levels could improve nutrient digestibility and zinc utilization in weaned piglets, Moreover, MFA in LP diets could be used as a zinc alternative.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.1698-1710
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• 2022

Objective: Raw potato starch (RPS) is resistant to digestion, escapes absorption, and is metabolized by intestinal microflora in the large intestine and acts as their energy source. In this study, we compared the effect of different concentrations of RPS on the intestinal bacterial community of weaned piglets. Methods: Male weaned piglets (25-days-old, 7.03±0.49 kg) were either fed a corn/soybean-based control diet (CON, n = 6) or two treatment diets supplemented with 5% RPS (RPS5, n = 4) or 10% RPS (RPS10, n = 4) for 20 days and their fecal samples were collected. The day 0 and 20 samples were analyzed using a 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology, followed by total genomic DNA extraction, library construction, and high-throughput sequencing. After statistical analysis, five phyla and 45 genera accounting for over 0.5% of the reads in any of the three groups were further analyzed. Furthermore, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the day 20 fecal samples were analyzed using gas chromatography. Results: Significant changes were not observed in the bacterial composition at the phylum level even after 20 d post feeding (dpf); however, the abundance of Intestinimonas and Barnesiella decreased in both RPS treatment groups compared to the CON group. Consumption of 5% RPS increased the abundance of Roseburia (p<0.05) and decreased the abundance of Clostridium (p<0.01) and Mediterraneibacter (p< 0.05). In contrast, consumption of 10% RPS increased the abundance of Olsenella (p<0.05) and decreased the abundance of Campylobacter (p<0.05), Kineothrix (p<0.05), Paraprevotella (p<0.05), and Vallitalea (p<0.05). Additionally, acetate (p<0.01), butyrate (p<0.05), valerate (p = 0.01), and total SCFAs (p = 0.01) were upregulated in the RPS5 treatment group Conclusion: Feeding 5% RPS altered bacterial community composition and promoted gut health in weaned piglets. Thus, resistant starch as a feed additive may prevent diarrhea in piglets during weaning.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.1053-1064
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• 2023

Melatonin, which is produced from tryptophan, exerts various biological functions, including the regulation of circadian rhythm, sedative agents, and antioxidant ability. Therefore, we conducted two experiments with early-weaned rats and pigs to investigate the antioxidant and sedative effects of melatonin. In the rat experiment, a total of 42 rats (21 days old) were used, and the antioxidant capacity was determined. Next, we used 120 early-weaned piglets (21 days old) to conduct a 5-week experiment to evaluate the reductive effect of melatonin on energy-wasting movement, including roaming and fight states. Dietary melatonin supplementation significantly improved growth in both rats and pigs compared to the control groups. Additionally, rats fed a melatonin-supplemented diet showed advanced antioxidant capacity with a decrease in hepatic malondialdehyde concentration compared to rats fed a basal diet. Moreover, dietary melatonin ingestion increased resting and feeding behaviors and reduced roaming and fight behaviors during Days 8-21 compared to the control diet group. Collectively, early weaned animals given dietary melatonin supplementation showed improved growth through upregulation of hepatic antioxidant capacity and minimization of energy-wasting behavior, including roaming and fight states, after pigs' social hierarchy establishment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.733-742
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• 2014

The glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) that is expressed in intestine epithelial cells of mammals, is important for intestinal barrier function and regulation of tight junction (TJ) proteins. However, there is little known about the intracellular mechanisms of GLP-2 in the regulation of TJ proteins in piglets' intestinal epithelial cells. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that GLP-2 regulates the expressions of TJ proteins in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in piglets' intestinal epithelial cells. The jejunal tissues were cultured in a Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium/high glucose medium containing supplemental 0 to 100 nmol/L GLP-2. At 72 h after the treatment with the appropriate concentrations of GLP-2, the mRNA and protein expressions of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin and claudin-1 were increased (p<0.05). U0126, an MAPK kinase inhibitor, prevented the mRNA and protein expressions of ZO-1, occludin, claudin-1 increase induced by GLP-2 (p<0.05). In conclusion, these results indicated that GLP-2 could improve the expression of TJ proteins in weaned pigs' jejunal epithelium, and the underlying mechanism may due to the MAPK signaling pathway.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Pathology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 1997

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus infection (PRRSV) was confirmed by serology histopathology immunohistochemistry and bacteriologic examination in young pigs. Four suckling and six weaned piglets submitted from three different farms showed coughing sneezing labored rapid abdominal respiration lethargy and anorexia. Grossly apical and cardiac lung lobes appeared mottled with pale to dark tan discoloration. Submandibular and bronchial lymph nodes were tan and enlarged. All piglets were seropositive for PRRSV antibodies by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody(IFA) test. Microscopically lung lesions were characterized by hyperplasia and hypertrophy of type 2 pneumocytes infiltration of mononuclear cells in alveolar intersitium accumulation of necrotic debris in alveolar spaces accompanied by proliferation of alveolar multinucleated syncytial cells. Using immunohistochemical technique PRRSV antigens were demonstrated in alveolar macrophages and type 2 pneumocytes in histologic lung tissue sections. Also PRRSV antigens were detected in brain lymph nodes spleen and heart. Additionally piglets showed nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis mandibular necrotic lymphadenopathy splenic atrophy and myocardial necrosis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1791-1799
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• 2018

Weaning stress can affect the growth performance and intestinal health of piglets. Dietary alternatives to antibiotics, such as dietary probiotics, especially those containing multiple microbial species, are a preventive strategy for effectively controlling post-weaning diarrhea. In this study, we investigated forty-eight crossbred piglets in three treatment groups for 21 days: the control and experimental groups were supplemented with Enterococcus faecium DSM 7134, Bacillus subtilis AS1.836 plus Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 28338 (EBS) or Lactobacillus paracasei L9 CGMCC No. 9800 (EBL). On day 21, weaned piglets supplemented with two kinds of probiotic complexes showed increased growth performance and significantly reduced post-weaning diarrhea (p < 0.05). The EBS treatment increased acetic acid and propionic acid in the feces (p < 0.05), and the EBL treatment increased fecal acetic acid, propionic acid, butyrate and valerate (p < 0.05). Moreover, the fecal microbiota of the piglets changed markedly in EBL treatment. The addition of EBS and EBL may have similar effects on the prevention of diarrhea by improving the intestinal morphology and regulating the microbiota during the weaning period.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.147-153
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• 2019

A goal for swine farming is the improvement in the number of live-born and weaned piglets per sow. Hence, the effect of parities should consider the correlation between the component traits of reproductive performance, weaning, and duration. Sows were housed in farrowing pens (W 2.2 ${\times}$ D 1.8 ${\times}$ H 1.2 m) on a partially slatted plastic floor. Twenty sows used in this study were between the first and sixth parity in gilts (P1), parity 2-5 (P3), and parity 6-9 (P6). Data collection by parity was classified into three categories: (1) reproduction performance (gestation length, total number of piglets born, number of piglets live born, number of piglets stillborn, total piglet birth weight; (2) weaning traits (weaning period, number of piglets weaning, total piglets weaning weight); (3) duration traits (farrowing duration, placenta expulsion duration, time from last piglet to first placenta, average birth interval, and tail wagging behavior). Gestation length was higher in P6 than P1 and P3 of different parity sows. The maximum value in P1 and P3 was 117 days, but the median value in P6 was 117 days (p < 0.05). The total number of piglets born (p = 0.113), number of piglets live born (p = 0.118), number of still piglets born (p = 0.151), and total piglet birth weight (p = 0.117) were not affected by parity. The number of live piglets was higher than the other parities by an average of $15.6{\pm}2.1$ in P1. The duration of farrowing was the lowest at 22.2 min in P6, but the maximum value was 42.2 min more than other parities (p = 0.355). Weaning traits of sows also did not differ significantly (p > 0.05), but the weaning period from P1 was lower than that of the other parities (p = 0.170). The number of piglets weaned was 10 heads on average in P1, P3, and P6 (p < 0.05). However, the mean values of the total piglet weaning weight (p = 0.377) of P6 (62.0 10.4 kg) were higher than those of P1 (54.9 10.2 kg) and P3 (58.4 13.6 kg). The placenta expulsion duration was higher in P6 than that in P1 and P3 (p = 0.447). The time from the last piglet to first placenta was be lower in P3 than that of the other parities (p = 0.206). The average birth interval was higher in P3 than that of the other parities (p = 0.156). Tail wagging (count) behavior was higher in P6 than in the other parities (p = 0.065). The data showed that the reproduction performance, total piglets born, and weight were higher in the gilts group, and higher in the weaning trait than that in the P6 group. This study examined the relationship between reproductive performance, birth interval and tail motion according to sow parity. Regarding duration, farrowing duration was lower in P6 than that in the other parities, but placenta expulsion and tail wagging were higher in P6 than in the other parities. Therefore, it is possible that the results from these sows could be used as basic data for effective farm management.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1079-1088
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• 2003

This study was conducted to test the efficacy of the automatic liquid feeder(designated as NLRI) developed by National Livestock Research Institute, Korea for 7-day old early-weaning piglets. The other automatic liquid feeder imported from USA(designated as IALF) was used for a comparative purpose. A total of sixty piglets of 7 days of age were allotted to three treatments. The control group of 20 piglets was raised by their own sows until 21 days of age, while others were shifted to automatic liquid feeders of either NLRI or IALF on 7 days of age and reared during 14 days post-weaning. After then, all the piglets were fed nutritionally identical mash diets until 70 days of age. Compared with control group, body weight of piglets reared on automatic liquid feeders were lighter(P〈0.05) at 21 days of age [5.55kg (control) vs 4.97 (NLRI) and 4.98kg (IALF)], while heavier(P〈0.05) at 70 days of age(24.82kg vs 30.17 and 29.42kg). The results indicated that pigs reared on liquid feeding showed higher(P〈0.05) average daily gain than control pigs during the whole experimental period [346.7g (control) vs 425.8 (NLRI) and 416.1g (IALF)], while no difference was found in feed/gain (1.67 vs 1.78 and 1.84). There was no difference in growth performance and incidence of diarrhea between two automatic liquid feeders, NLRI and IALF. Compared with control group, intestinal villi tended to be shorter in liquid feeding group during the first week, but were recovered within two weeks. The results suggest that the automatic liquid feeder newly developed by National Livestock Research Institute, Korea can be successfully used for rearing young piglets weaned at very early age.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.497-505
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• 2000

Thirty piglets weaned at 24.5 d of age ($6.9{\pm}0.5kg$) randomly alloted to 3 treatments were used to investigate the effect of dietary tallow on average performance, digestibility of nutrients, metabolic utilization of energy and body composition at 25 kg. Weaned piglets respond to increasing levels of dietary tallow from 0 to 4% and 8% by digestive and metabolic adaptation. Apparent fecal digestibility of fat (AFDf) was highly correlated with the level of dietary tallow (X as % of fat extracted after HCl hydrolysis) by the following curvilinear equation of regression: $AFDf=33.8+6.9X-0.3X^2$. Feed intake expressed as DE was only significantly increased at the higher inclusion level of tallow. But neither average daily gain, nor feed conversion was affected by the addition of fat. On the other hand, body composition at 25 kg was equally affected, by both levels of supplementary fat; dry matter and energy content in the body were significantly higher (p<0.01) in piglets receiving tallow. As a consequence, the energy cost of the live weight gain was also increased from 23 to 24.7 MJ DE/kg (p<0.02) and the efficiency of energy deposition was decreased from 3.2 to 2.8 MJ DE/MJ deposited energy (p<0.01) in the presence of dietary tallow. An increase in the level of fat stimulated the activity of pancreatic lipase up to a constant value of $22{\pm}1.4IU/mg$ protein but conversely depressed the activity of amylase from 300 to 100 IU/mg of protein. The activity of liver acetyl CoA carboxylase and malic enzyme in the perirenal fat were low lind not affected by dietary fat; the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was high. Opposite to that, the activity of acetyl CoA carboxylase and malic enzyme in the perirenal and backfat were higher than in the liver and both were significantly reduced by the inclusion of fat in the diet. A direct deposition of dietary fat has been demonstrated by increasing the energy and lipid content of the empty body weight gain between 7 and 25 kg of live weight, and decreasing the efficiency of digestible energy utilization.