contamination by opportunistic pathogens (e.g. coliforms) and, consequently, the risk of digestive disorders. Adding feed structures can strengthen the sphincter. In 2015, a team led by researcher Maria Grazia Cappai at the Universi- ty of Sassari, Italy, showed that increasing the fraction in feed of particles greater than 1mm enlarged the thickness of the ileo-caecal valve, resulting in lower presence of opportunistic bacteria in ileum. In addition, indigestible fibre can limit the adhesion of E. coli to the intestinal mucosa and consequently decrease the inci- dence of piglet diarrhoea. More regular meal patterns facili- tate the transit, limiting the accumulation of non-digestible materials in the hindgut and consequently the amount of nutrients available to gut bacteria. Those properties were verified in a trial conducted at the Mix- science research facility. In that trial, the results of three groups of piglets were compared. The piglets received a pre-starter feed containing one of the following: • 0.61% lignin • 1.53% lignin • 2.45% lignin.
In the group receiving the highest level of lignin, no piglet needed to be treated against diarrhoea. The growth differ- ence between pigs treated or not for diarrhoea was higher in the group receiving the lowest level of lignin (0.61%) than in the group receiving 1.53% lignin. Piglets fed with the highest level of lignin increased feed intake by 16%, whereas growth rate grew by 27% compared to those receiving the lowest lignin level. Piglets with higher lignin content were also sig- nificantly cleaner than other piglets (when measured in manure marks on the body).
2. Limiting intestinal inflammation Limiting intestinal inflammation is also an important way to control intestinal health. A faecal biomarker to quantify intes- tinal inflammation can be used to study effects of weaning feeds. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), a biomarker of neutrophil ac- tivity, is a component of lysosome. When those immune cells accumulate and degranulate in the intestinal mucosa, MPO is released into the gut lumen. The enzyme has been used in human medicine for decades to confirm diagnostics of in- flammatory digestive diseases, and it is stable on microbial degradation in the colon. A presentation at the Zero Zinc Summit in June 2019 in Co- penhagen, Denmark, concluded that faecal MPO was not in- fluenced by sex or weaning weight of piglets. That research was based on 292 individual samples. However, faecal MPO was influenced by the piglet’s age at sampling and the faecal mark according to the Bristol stool scale. The MPO increased with poor faecal condition. In combination with zootechnical performance, that analysis enables suitable recipes for feed to be designed without antibiotics or zinc oxide.
3. Applying an overall concept In digestive health, feed plays a central role. It cannot, howev- er, be the only way of fixing problems on-farm. Nutrition should therefore be integrated into an overall concept includ- ing building, genetics, farm management, the producer’s in- formation level, water, pathogen pressure and a veterinary prophylaxis plan. At Mixscience, such a strategy is known as the Sustainable Animal Health Management approach. This approach is illustrated by a study carried out in 2019 in the company’s research facilities which compared sanitary and zootechnical performance of piglets housed in an old building (older than 30 years) with poor ventilation and con- crete slatted floors against those in a fairly new building with a steel floor. Among piglets housed in the older building, 44% were treated for watery diarrhoea, compared to 2% in the other building (see Figure 2). The diarrhoea was associat- ed with a decrease in feed intake of 8% and weight gain reduction of 20% over the first 21 days after weaning.
References available on request. Figure 1 - Drawing of an ileo-caecal valve. Upper
segment of colic valve
Opening of ileum
Ascending colon
Lower
segment of colic valve
Caecum
Probe in vermiform process
Source: Wikipedia.
Figure 2 - Percentage of piglets treated against diarrhoea per building.
50 44 40 30 20 10 2 0 Building A Building ▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 35, No. 10, 2019 29 Building B
Ileum
Frenulum
% Piglet treated against diarrhoea
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