• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.645-651
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• 2007

Male weanling Sprague Dawley rats were used to evaluate the effect of dietary rice starch with different particle size on growth performance, intestinal function and proliferation. There were two dietary treatment: rice starch (RS), ultra finely pulverized rice starch with less than $15{\mu}m$ size (PRS). They were eight rats per treatment. In vitro digestibility, body weight change and organs weight were evaluated. Serum GPT, GOT and blood urea nitrogen were analyzed. Transit time, short chain fatty acid contents of cecum, and cell proliferation of duodenum and jejunum were measured. In vitro digestibility of PRS was higher than that of RS. Rats fed ultra finely pulverized rice starch for 3 weeks grew faster than rats fed rice starch. PRS group has higher weights of liver, kidney, spleen and epididymal fat pad, perhaps as a result of increased digestibility. GPT and GOT were not different between two groups. Blood urea nitrogen was higher in RS-fed rats than that of PRS-fed rats. Feeding ultra finely pulverized rice starch resulted in a proliferation of duodenum significantly. These results suggest that ultra finely pulverized rice starch increases the growth performance in weanling animals with reduced number of cells in the cell cycle of small intestine.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1303-1310
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• 2009

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of dietary zinc level on growth performance and immune function in normal (Experiment 1) and immunologically challenged (Experiment 2) weanling pigs. Treatments consisted of the following: i) a corn-soybean meal basal diet containing 36.75 mg/kg total Zn, ii) basal diet+60 mg/kg added Zn as $ZnSO_{4}$, iii) basal diet+120 mg/kg added Zn as $ZnSO_{4}$. Each diet was fed to six pens of four pigs per pen (Exp. 1) or six pens of three pigs per pen (Exp. 2). In Exp. 1, the dietary zinc level had no effect on average daily growth (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), or feed conversion ratio (FCR). Concentrations of tissue and serum zinc were not affected. Peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation (PBLP) was not affected by dietary treatments. Supplementation of 120 mg/kg Zn decreased (p<0.05) the antibody response to bovine serum albumin (BSA) on d 7 compared with pigs fed the basal diet, but not on d 14. In Exp. 2, LPS challenge had no effect on ADG, ADFI and FCR in the entire trial (from d 0 to 21). LPS challenge significantly decreased ADG and ADFI (p<0.01) from d 7 to 14, but FCR was not affected. LPS challenge increased PBLP (p<0.05) and serum concentration of interleukin-1 (IL-1) (p<0.01), whereas the antibody response to BSA and serum concentration of interleukin-2 (IL-2) were not affected. Supplementation of Zn did not affect ADFI and FCR from d 7 to 14, but there was a trend for ADG to be enhanced with Zn supplementation (p<0.10). Supplementation of Zn tended to increase PBLP (p<0.10). Dietary treatment had no effect on the antibody response to BSA or concentrations of serum IL-1 and IL-2. Results indicate that the level of Zn recommended by NRC (1998) for weanling pigs was sufficient for optimal growth performance and immune responses. Zn requirements may be higher for pigs experiencing an acute phase response than for healthy pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.403-409
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• 2018

Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of a lipid-coated zinc oxide (ZnO) supplement Shield Zn (SZ) at the sub-pharmacological concentration on intestinal morphology and gene expression in weanling pigs, with an aim to gain insights into the mechanism of actions for SZ. Methods: Forty 22-day-old weanling pigs were fed a nursery diet supplemented with 100 or 2,500 mg Zn/kg with uncoated ZnO (negative control [NC] or positive control [PC], respectively), 100, 200, or 400 mg Zn/kg with SZ for 14 days and their intestinal tissues were taken for histological and molecular biological examinations. The villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) of the intestinal mucosa were measured microscopically following preparation of the tissue specimen; expression of the genes associated with growth and immune function was determined using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: There was no difference in daily gain, gain:feed, and diarrhea score between the SZ group and either of NC and PC. The VH and VH:CD ratio were less for the SZ group vs NC in the jejunum and duodenum, respectively (p<0.05). The jejunal mucosal mRNA levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) and interleukin (IL)-10 regressed and tended to regress (p = 0.053) on the SZ concentration with a positive coefficient, respectively, whereas the IL-6 mRNA level regressed on the SZ concentration with a negative coefficient. The mRNA levels of IGF-I, zonula occludens protein-1, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, IL-6, and IL-10 did not differ between the SZ group and either of NC and PC; the occludin and transforming growth $factor-{\beta}1$ mRNA levels were lower for the SZ group than for PC. Conclusion: The present results are interpreted to suggest that dietary ZnO provided by SZ may play a role in intestinal mucosal growth and immune function by modulating the expression of IGF-I, IL-6, and IL-10 genes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1496-1502
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• 2010

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of diet complexity and fermented soy protein on growth performance and amino acid digestibility. In Exp. 1, a total of 120 crossbred weanling pigs ($5.68{\pm}0.80\;kg$ BW) were randomly allocated into 4 treatments. Each treatment had 6 replicate pens comprising 5 pigs in each replicate. Experimental diets consisted of simple (soybean meal as protein source) and complex (soybean meal, rice protein concentrate, potato protein concentrate and fish meal as protein sources) diets; each diet contained 0 or 5% fermented soy protein (FSP), respectively. Dietary treatments included: i) simple diet; ii) simple diet with 5% FSP; iii) complex diet; iv) complex diet with 5% FSP. Pigs were provided each experimental diet for 20 d (phase 1) and then fed the same common diet for 10 d (phase 2). During days 0-10, pigs fed FSP diets had greater ADG than those fed non-FSP diets (p<0.05). G/F in FSP treatments was significantly higher than that in non-FSP treatments (p<0.05) from days 0 to 10. Throughout the overall period, G/F was greater in FSP treatments compared with non-FSP treatments (p<0.05). On d 10, N digestibility was higher in pigs fed FSP diets than in those fed non-FSP diets (p<0.05). Diet complexity did not affect growth performance and nutrient digestibility (p>0.05) in this experiment. In Exp 2, 12 ileal-cannulated, weanling barrows were housed in individual metabolism crates and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments (same as Exp. 1) by using a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design. Among the essential amino acids, apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of Met and Val were increased in pigs fed FSP diets compared with those fed non-FSP diets (p<0.05). AID of Met, Phe and total essential amino acids were higher in pigs fed complex diets than in those fed simple diets (p<0.05). Among the non-essential amino acids, AID of Ala in FSP treatments was greater than that in non-FSP treatments (p<0.05). In addition, Asp, Cys, Glu, Pro, Ser and total non-essential amino acid digestibilities in pigs fed complex diets were higher compared with those fed simple diets (p<0.05). Interaction was observed in AID of Met, Asp and Pro. In conclusion, these results indicated that feeding of 5% FSP to nursery pigs improved feed efficiency and AID of amino acids, and diet complexity did not maximize the growth performance of pigs in the subsequent phase.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2003

Ten barrows, weaned at 28 days (7.2$\pm$0.1 kg BW), were used to evaluate the effects of feeding extruded full-fat soybeans on intestinal morphology and mucosal cell turnover time. All pigs were fed corn-based diets with half of the pigs receiving diets supplemented with 15.5% soybean meal and 3% soybean oil and the remaining pigs fed a diet in which the soybean meal and oil were replaced by 18.5% extruded full-fat soybeans. The pigs were individually placed in $80{\times}150cm$ metabolic cages and fed twice daily an amount approximately equal to their ad libitum intake for a period of 14 days. On day 14, pigs were weighed and then injected intraperitoneally with $^3$H]thymidine ($100{\mu}Ci/kg$ of BW, specific activity 20 Ci/mmol) 6 h after the morning meal. A pig from each treatment was killed 1, 4, 8, 16, or 24 h postinjection and intestinal tissues were collected. Daily gains for pigs fed the soybean diet and extruded full-fat soybean diet were 0.24 and 0.31 kg/day (p=0.05) with feed conversions of 1.58 and 1.39 (p=0.05), respectively. In comparison with pigs fed soybean meal, pigs fed moist extruded full-fat soybeans had a decreased crypt depth in their duodenum and cecum (p<0.1), while the villus height in the mid jejunum and ileum and the total height (villus height plus crypt depth) of the ileum and mid jejunum increased (p<0.05). The villus width in the duodenum and mid jejunum decreased (p<0.05). The number of crypt epithelial cells in the upper jejunum increased but decreased in the ileum, colon and cecum (p<0.05). The number of villus epithelial cells in the ileum and the upper and mid jejunum increased (p<0.05). The time for migration of epithelial cells in the crypt-villus column decreased (p<0.05) in all sites except the upper jejunum, ileum and cecum. The mucosal turnover rate for all intestinal sites except the upper jejunum, colon and cecum decreased (p<0.05). From these data, we conclude that inclusion of moist extruded full-fat soybeans in weanling pig diets can improve the intestinal morphology and slow the migration rate and turnover time of epithelial cells of the small intestine, especially in the mid jejunum compared with soybean meal.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.395-399
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• 1999

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of conditioning a complex (20% whey, 10% lactose, 4% plasma protein, 4% wheat gluten and 2% blood meal) diet on growth performance of weanling pigs. In Exp. 1,180 pigs (average initial BW of 6.4 kg) were fed the experimental diet (1.7% lysine) during a 7-d growth assay. Treatments were a meal control (M), standard (ST), and expander (EX) conditioned mash or pellets. Rate and efficiency of gain were decreased by 39% and 21% (p<0.005) respectively, for pigs fed EX diets compared to those fed the ST diet. In Exp. 2,196 pigs (average initial BW of 6.5 kg) were used to determine the effects of EX operating conditions on nutritional value of a pelleted complex diet. When steam conditioning temperature (prior to expanding) was $54^{\circ}C$, increasing cone pressure of the EX from 0 to 7 to 14 kg/cm2 resulted in linear decreases in rate of gain of weaned pigs (p<0.006), suggesting heat damage of the diet. Increasing conditioning temperature (i.e., adding steam) of the diets from 46 to 54 to $63^{\circ}C$ (cone pressure at $12kg/cm^2$) resulted in improved rate of gain (p<0.04) of the pigs. However, none of the pigs fed expanded diets compared favorably to the pigs fed the conditioned $(54^{\circ}C)$ pellets processed with no cone pressure. In Exp. 3,168 pigs (average initial BW of 6.6 kg) were used to determine the effects of expanding the various components of the diet. Treatments were M and ST pellets as controls, EX-corn, EX-corn soybean-meal, EX corn-soybean meal-oil, and EX-complete diet. Efficiency of gain was increased by 13% with EX portions of the diet compared to the mash control, but there was a marked decrease in performance when the complete diet was expanded (p<0.001). Expanded corn-soybean meal-oil supported the greatest ADG with a 19% increase compared to the average of the EX corn and EX corn-soybean meal treatments (p<0.005). In conclusion, our results suggest no benefit from expanding complete phase-I diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1003-1008
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• 2012

One hundred and twenty weanling pigs in experiment 1 (Exp. 1) ($6.91{\pm}0.99kg$; 21 d of age) and Exp. 2 ($10.20{\pm}1.09kg$; 28 d of age) were used in two 42-d and 35-d experiments to evaluate the effect of medium-chain-triglyceride (MCT) on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients and blood profile. In both of Exp. 1 and Exp. 2, the same dietary treatments were utilized as follows : i) negative control (NC), ii) positive control (PC), NC+antibiotics (40 mg/kg Tiamulin, 110 mg/kg Tylosin, and 10 mg/kg Enramycin, iii) MCT3, NC+0.32% (phase 1, 2 and 3) MCT, and iv) MCT5, NC+0.55% (phase 1), 0.32% (phase 2 and 3) MCT. In Exp. 1, the pigs fed MCT5 diets had higher (p<0.05) ADG compared to NC treatment during the first 2 wk. From d 15 to 28, the ATTD of energy was improved (p<0.05) by MCT3 compared to the PC treatment. No effect has been observed on the blood profiles [red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), immunoglobulin-G (IgG), lymphocyte concentration] measured in this study. In Exp. 2, the ADG were increased (p<0.05) by the MCT5 treatment than the PC treatment from d 0 to 14. Pigs fed PC treatment diet had lower ADFI (p<0.05) and better FCR (p<0.05) than NC treatment, whereas no differences were shown between MCT treatments and NC or PC treatment from d 15 to 35 and overall phase. The ATTD of DM and nitrogen were improved (p<0.05) by the effect of MCT5 related to the NC and PC treatment at the end of 2nd and 5th wk. The pigs fed MCT3 had higher (p<0.05) energy digestibility than PC treatment. No effects were seen in the blood profiles we measured (WBC, RBC, lymphocyte and immunoglobulin-G). In conclusion, the addition of MCT in the weanling pigs diet can improve the ADG and digestibility during the earlier period (first 2 wks), but had little effect on the blood characteristics.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.1598-1604
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• 2001

Eight $12.4{\pm}0.6kg$ initial body weight crossbred barrows were used to determine the effect of soybean galactooligosaccharides on nutrient and energy digestibility, and digesta transit time. Four dietary treatments were utilized in this trial. Treatment one was a corn-soybean meal based diet (SBM) containing raffinose and stachyose at the levels of 0.16% and 0.75%, respectively. Treatment two (control) was a corn-HP300 (soybean concentrate protein) diet. In treatments three and four, 1.1% and 2.2% commercial stachyose was added to the control diet to provide total dietary stachyose at the levels of 1% and 2%, respectively. The soybean galactooligosaccharides (raffinose + stachyose) level in treatment one was slightly lower compared to that in treatment three. Three collection periods were run with two pigs for each treatment/period. There was a 4 d adjustment period followed by a 3 d collection period. The results showed that the nitrogen retention (86.79%) of pigs fed treatment two diet was higher than that of pigs fed treatment one by 5.2% (p<0.05). The nitrogen retention of treatment three was intermediate 83.09%. The apparent fecal digestibility of all amino acids in treatment two was numerically highest, followed by treatments three and four. However, there were no significant difference among groups (p>0.05). The dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and crude fiber (CF) digestibility numerically decreased as the soybean galactooligosaccharides level increased, but were not significantly different (p>0.05). Chromium content in feces (from the inclusion of 0.3% chromic oxide in the diets) differed among treatments (p<0.05) at 15 h, 18 h, and 21 h after eating. This showed that the digesta transit time was differed significantly among treatments. Treatment four was the shortest, followed by treatment three, SBM and control. The results demonstrated that in the absence of antinutritional factors and soybean antigen protein, inclusion of 1% and 2% stachyose in corn-HP300 diet has no significant effect on the digestibility of DM, OM, CP, CF and amino acids. When the soybean galactooligosaccharide level in diet one and diet three were adjusted to be almost the same, antinutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitor and soybean antigen protein could decrease the nutrient digestibility and nitrogen retention rate of diet. High levels of soybean galactooligosaccharides shortened the digesta transit time in the intestinal tract. This trial suggested that the total level of soybean galactooligosaccharides (stachyose+raffinose) in the weanling piglet diet is better not to exceed 1% when common soybean meal is used as main protein source.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.981-988
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• 2004

An Experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Natufermen$^{(R)}$;(Aspergillus oryzae) supplementation on the performance, ammonia gas production, microbial population in manure and serum IgG in pigs. Forty eight cross bred(YLD) weanling pigs(35d old) were assigned to 4 treatments; Control(C), $C^+$ Natufermen 0.1%, $C^+$ Natufermen 0.2% $C^+$natufermen 0.3% for 6 week feeding trial. Each treatment had 4 replications of 3 pigs each. Natufermen$^{(R)}$ supplemented treatments tended to increase ADG and ADFI, but there were no significant differences among treatments. Supplementation of Natufermen$^{(R)}$ at the level of 0.2% improved ADFI/ADG(P<0.05). Ammonia gas production from manure was not significantly affected by treatments. All Natufermen$^{(R)}$ treatments increased in DM, crude ash and phosphorus digestibility(P<0.05). Serum IgG decreased as supplemention level of Natufermen$^{(R)}$ increased(P<0.05). Supplemtation of Natufermen$^{(R)}$ at 0.1% and 0.2% increased fecal Lactobacilli population at 3 wks after feeding treated diets(P<0.05). It is concluded that supplementation of Aspergillers oryzae product Natufermen$^{(R)}$ improved feed conversion ratio and digestibility of DM, crud ash and phosphours. Fecal ammonia gas production was not significantly affected but serum IgG level was decreased and CFU of fecal Lactobacilli was increased at 3 wks after feeding Natufermen$^{(R)}$ supplemented diets.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.503-510
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• 2009

This study investigated the effects of tannic acid (TA) in the diets for weanling pigs prepared with/without supplemental Fe on performance, hematology, fecal microflora and diarrhea incidence. Limestone and calcium phosphate used in Experiment 1 and 2 were of semi-synthetic and feed-grade quality, respectively; while the trace-mineral premix used in both the experiments was prepared without any added Fe source. In Experiment 1, 108 weaned pigs (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire ${\times}$ Duroc, initially 6.46 ${\pm}$ 1.04 kg BW) were allotted to 3 treatments including control (diet added with $FeSO_4$ and antibiotic), T1 (diet devoid of $FeSO_4$ and antibiotic) and T2 (T1 diet added with 125 mg/kg TA). Each treatment had 4 replicates with 9 pigs in each pen. Feeding of T1 diet had a negative effect on the performance and plasma Fe status of pigs, while addition of TA to T1 diet resulted in performance of pigs comparable to pigs fed the control diet, reduced diarrhea incidence but had a negative influence on the hematological and plasma Fe indices. Additionally, pigs fed T2 diet had fewer (p<0.05) total anaerobic bacteria, Clostridium spp. and coliforms than pigs fed T1 diet, and greater number of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. in feces when compared with pigs fed control and T1 diets. In Experiment 2, 144 weaned pigs (Landrace ${\times}$ Yorkshire ${\times}$ Duroc, initially 6.00 ${\pm}$ 1.07 kg BW) were allotted to 4 dietary treatments including control (diet added with $FeSO_4$ and antibiotic) and diets devoid of supplemental Fe added with antibiotic (An), TA and both (AnTA). Each treatment had 4 replicates with 9 pigs in each pen. Addition of An, TA or both to diets devoid of supplemental Fe did not have any effect on performance, blood hematology and plasma Fe but resulted in reduced (p<0.05) diarrhea incidence and lower (p<0.05) fecal coliform population than pigs fed the control diet. These results suggest that TA has a negative influence on blood hematology and plasma Fe status when diets are inadequate in Fe; however, TA reduced diarrhea incidence and might have antimicrobial activity.