Reduction of amylose-amylopectin ratio in low-protein diets: impacts on growth performance and intestinal health in weaned pigs.

Improving the synchrony between amino acids (AAs) and glucose appearance in the blood can support the growth performance of weaned pigs fed a low crude protein (CP) diet. This can be achieved using a diet with a low amylose-to-amylopectin ratio (AM/AP). The aim of this experiment was to evaluate whether reducing the AM/AP by using a corn variety characterized by a high amylopectin content, in the weaning diet can sustain growth performance and improve the intestinal health of pigs fed a low-CP diet.

Productive and metabolomic consequences of arginine supplementation in sows during different gestation periods in two different seasons.

Background: The prolificacy of sows (litter size at birth) has markedly increased, leading to higher post-natal mortality. Heat stress can exacerbate this issue. Arginine plays an important role in several physiological pathways; its effect on gestating sows can depend on the period of supplementation.

The swine waste resistome: Spreading and transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in Escherichia coli strains and the associated microbial communities.

The overuse of antimicrobials in livestock farming has led to the development of resistant bacteria and the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) among animals. When manure containing these antibiotics is applied to agricultural fields, it creates a selective pressure that promotes the acquisition of ARGs by bacteria, primarily through horizontal gene transfer. Most research on ARGs focuses on their role in clinical antibiotic resistance and their transfer from environmental sources to bacteria associated with humans, such as Escherichia coli.

Impact of dietary Laminaria digitata with alginate lyase or carbohydrase mixture on nutrient digestibility and gut health of weaned piglets.

Laminaria digitata is a brown seaweed rich in prebiotic polysaccharides, mainly laminarin, but its alginate-rich cell wall could compromise nutrient access. Carbohydrase supplementation, such as individual alginate lyase and carbohydrases mixture (Rovabio® Excel AP), could enhance nutrient digestibility and prebiotic potential. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of these enzymes on nutrient digestibility and gut health of weaned piglets fed with 10% L.