Addition of chromic oxide to creep feed as a fecal marker for selection of creep feed-eating suckling pigs.

Objective: To determine whether the addition of chromic oxide (Cr(2)O(3)) to creep feed could be used as a visual marker in feces for selection of creep feed-eating suckling pigs.

Animals: 20 suckling pigs.

Procedures: Via syringe, 5 pigs (2 to 3 days old on day 0; 1 pig/treatment) from each of 4 litters received oral administrations of 10, 20, 30, or 40 g of creep feed containing 10 g of Cr(2)O(3)*kg(1) on each of 2 consecutive days (days 20 and 21) or 30 g of creep feed containing 10 g of Cr(2)O(3)*kg(1) on day 20 and 30 g of Cr(2)O(3)-free creep feed on day 21.

Detection of extracellular factor-positive Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strains in tonsillar swabs of live sows by PCR.

In this study, the sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of a PCR for the detection of EF-positive Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strains in tonsillar swabs of live sows were assessed. We sampled 471 sows originating from four farrow-to-finish farms by tonsillar swabbing and collected their tonsils after slaughter. On these specimens, a PCR, a bacterial examination (BE) or both were performed for the detection of EF-positive S.

Peroral absorption of octreotide in pigs formulated in delivery systems on the basis of superporous hydrogel polymers.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the enhancement of peroral octreotide absorption using delivery systems based on superporous hydrogel (SPH) and SPH composite (SPHC) polymers.

Methods: Six female pigs (BW of 23.5 kg) were used in this study.

Effect of fermented feed on shedding of Enterobacteriaceae by fattening pigs.

Epidemiological studies showed that the use of fermented feed could significantly reduce Salmonella prevalence in pigs compared to the use of normal feed. Experimental challenge experiments with Salmonella have however never been conducted to reveal the efficacy of fermented feed in reducing Salmonella shedding and/or reducing the number of Salmonella-positive pigs. A longitudinal study was conducted to measure the effect of fermented feed, in particular of its components lactic acid and Lactobacillus plantarum, on gastrointestinal bacterial ecology (Salmonella, Enterobacteriaceae, lactobacilli, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), pH).