The Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Gut Bacteria and Bone Strength of Broilers Offered Alternative, Sustainable Diets Varying in Nutrient Specification and Phytase Dose.

This study assessed the use of locally sourced sustainable feed ingredients, rapeseed meal (RSM) and maize dried distiller grains with solubles (DDGS) in diets over traditional ingredients on the growth performance, bone strength and nutrient digestibility of broilers. This work also investigated the effects of supplementing exogenous phytase in two doses (500 vs. 1500 FTU/kg).

Dynamic Distribution of Gut Microbiota in Pigs at Different Growth Stages: Composition and Contribution.

Fully understanding the dynamic distribution of the gut microbiota in pigs is essential, as gut microorganisms play a fundamental role in physiological processes, immunity, and the metabolism of nutrients by the host. Here, we first summarize the characteristics and the dynamic shifts in the gut microbial community of pigs at different ages based on the results of 63 peer-review publications. Then a meta-analysis based on the sequences from 16 studies with accession numbers in the GenBank database is conducted to verify the characteristics of the gut microbiota in healthy pigs.

Host-Microbiota Interactions in Ileum and Caecum of Pigs Divergent in Feed Efficiency Contribute to Nutrient Utilization.

The composition of the intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the digestion and utilization of nutrients and for gut health. Low-fiber diets stimulate digestion and absorption processes, predominantly in the upper region of the gastrointestinal tract, thereby increasing the conversion of feed into body weight. As a consequence, the chemical composition of digesta after duodenal and jejunal absorption processes and passage has a limited complexity affecting colonization and molecular profiles of enterocytes in the hind gut.

Improvement of Feed Efficiency in Pigs through Microbial Modulation via Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Sows and Dietary Supplementation of Inulin in Offspring.

As previous studies have demonstrated a link between the porcine intestinal microbiome and feed efficiency (FE), microbiota manipulation may offer a means of improving FE in pigs. A fecal microbiota transplantation procedure (FMTp), using fecal extracts from highly feed-efficient pigs, was performed in pregnant sows ( = 11), with a control group ( = 11) receiving no FMTp. At weaning, offspring were allocated, within sow treatment, to (i) control ( = 67; no dietary supplement) or (ii) inulin ( = 65; 6-week dietary inulin supplementation) treatments.

Porcine Feed Efficiency-Associated Intestinal Microbiota and Physiological Traits: Finding Consistent Cross-Locational Biomarkers for Residual Feed Intake.

Optimal feed efficiency (FE) in pigs is important for economic and environmental reasons. Previous research identified FE-associated bacterial taxa within the intestinal microbiota of growing pigs. This study investigated whether FE-associated bacteria and selected FE-associated physiological traits were consistent across geographic locations (Republic of Ireland [ROI] [two batches of pigs, ROI1 and ROI2], Northern Ireland [NI], and Austria [AT]), where differences in genetic, dietary, and management factors were minimized.

RNA-Seq of Liver From Pigs Divergent in Feed Efficiency Highlights Shifts in Macronutrient Metabolism, Hepatic Growth and Immune Response.

Liver is a metabolically complex organ that influences nutrient partitioning and potentially modulates the efficiency of converting energy acquired from macronutrients ingestion into a muscle and/or adipose tissue (referred to as feed efficiency, FE). The objective of this study was to sequence the hepatic tissue transcriptome of closely related but differently feed efficient pigs ( = 16) and identify relevant biological processes that underpin the differences in liver phenotype between FE groups. Liver weight did not significantly differ between the FE groups, however, blood parameters showed that total protein, glucose, cholesterol and percentage of lymphocytes were significantly greater in high-FE pigs.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Gestating Sows and Neonatal Offspring Alters Lifetime Intestinal Microbiota and Growth in Offspring.

Previous studies suggest a link between intestinal microbiota and porcine feed efficiency (FE). Therefore, we investigated whether fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in sows and/or neonatal offspring, using inocula derived from highly feed-efficient pigs, could improve offspring FE. Pregnant sows were assigned to control or FMT treatments and the subsequent offspring to control treatment, FMT once (at birth), or FMT four times (between birth and weaning).

Exploring a Possible Link between the Intestinal Microbiota and Feed Efficiency in Pigs.

Feed efficiency (FE) is critical in pig production for both economic and environmental reasons. As the intestinal microbiota plays an important role in energy harvest, it is likely to influence FE. Therefore, our aim was to characterize the intestinal microbiota of pigs ranked as low, medium, and high residual feed intake ([RFI] a metric for FE), where genetic, nutritional, and management effects were minimized, to explore a possible link between the intestinal microbiota and FE.

Finishing pigs that are divergent in feed efficiency show small differences in intestinal functionality and structure.

Controversial information is available regarding the feed efficiency-related variation in intestinal size, structure and functionality in pigs. The present objective was therefore to investigate the differences in visceral organ size, intestinal morphology, mucosal enzyme activity, intestinal integrity and related gene expression in low and high RFI pigs which were reared at three different geographical locations (Austria, AT; Northern Ireland, NI; Republic of Ireland, ROI) using similar protocols. Pigs (n = 369) were ranked for their RFI between days 42 and 91 postweaning and low and high RFI pigs (n = 16 from AT, n = 24 from NI, and n = 60 from ROI) were selected.