search.noResults

search.searching

saml.title
dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
PATHOGENS & PREVENTION ▶▶▶


Controlling piglets’ microbial environment


Every time new pigs enter a barn, biosecurity measures impact the level of infection pressure. Integrating a biofilm approach has been shown to be an effective tool to complement these measures, by helping to install a positive microbial environment after the disinfection step.


BY JULIA PLATEAU-GONTHIER, PRODUCT MANAGER ANIMAL ENVIRONMENT, LALLEMAND ANIMAL NUTRITION


M


icrobes are everywhere. In farm buildings, all surfaces – floors, walls, ceilings and equipment – are colonised by micro-organisms, mainly in the form of biofilms (see box). They can be harmless,


positive or negative for the animals if they contain pathogens. Before a new batch of animals enters the building, cleaning and disinfection are necessary. However, surfaces do not remain sterile. Micro-organisms carried over from the animal environment and from the new animals themselves quickly start recolonising the surfaces, forming biofilms. These micro- organisms can be undesired bacteria or potential pathogens.


A positive bacteria biofilm What if beneficial bacteria were applied to building surfaces and equipment right after cleaning and disinfection? If they could grow into a positive bacteria biofilm inside the building, that would leave less room for negative biofilms to develop.


This is the basis of the “positive biofilm” concept, a new ap- proach to biosecurity management. It has three main steps: 1. Cleaning; 2. Disinfection; and 3. Application of selected bacteria that will form a positive biofilm.


Farm trials and in vitro studies have shown the potential of this new concept as part of the hygiene management toolbox. To develop a positive biofilm solution, Lallemand Animal Nu- trition selected bacteria strains for their ability to form a bio- film and rapidly occupy the environment. The positive biofilm formed by the selected bacteria rapidly takes up the empty space on farm surfaces: in vitro testing showed 90% of sur- face coverage within 12 hours, leaving less room for unde- sired bacteria. The selected bacteria were formulated into a specific adhesive blend that can be sprayed on both vertical and horizontal surfaces. An external in vitro study was conducted by the INRA Micalis Institute in Paris, France. It allowed scientists to visualise the interaction between the positive biofilm and different micro- organisms (Staphylococcus aureus HG003, Listeria monocy- togenes LO28, Escherichia coli SS2 and E. coli 977 in this case). Plates were inoculated either with the positive biofilm formu- la or the tested micro-organism alone (control). After 24 hours, the tested micro-organisms were added on top of the positive biofilm. Figure 1 shows one example of the posi- tive and negative biofilms visualisation. To quantify those results, the researchers analysed the


S. aureus: 


S. aureus S. aureus S. aureus


ab  Source: INRA Micalis, internal report, 2019.


30 ▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 36, No. 10, 2020


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52