A. Awati

Specific Response of a Novel and Abundant Lactobacillus amylovorus-Like Phylotype to Dietary Prebiotics in the Guts of Weaning Piglets

ABSTRACT Using 16S rRNA gene-based approaches, we analyzed the responses of ileal and colonic bacterial communities of weaning piglets to dietary addition of four fermentable carbohydrates (inulin, lactulose, wheat starch, and sugar beet pulp). An enriched diet and a control diet lacking these fermentable carbohydrates were fed to piglets for 4 days (n = 48), and 10 days (n = 48), and the lumen-associated microbiota were compared using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of amplified 16S rRNA genes. Bacterial diversities in the ileal and colonic samples were measured by assessing the number of DGGE bands and the Shannon index of diversity. A higher number of DGGE bands in the colon (24.2 ± 5.5) than in the ileum (9.7 ± 4.2) was observed in all samples. In addition, significantly higher diversity, as measured by DGGE fingerprint analysis, was detected in the colonic microbial community of weaning piglets fed the fermentable-carbohydrate-enriched diet for 10 days than in the control. Selected samples from the ileal and colonic lumens were also investigated using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and cloning and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. This revealed a prevalence of Lactobacillus reuteri in the ileum and Lactobacillus amylovorus-like populations in the ileum and the colon in the piglets fed with fermentable carbohydrates. Newly developed oligonucleotide probes targeting these phylotypes allowed their rapid detection and quantification in the ileum and colon by FISH. The results indicate that addition of fermentable carbohydrates supports the growth of specific lactobacilli in the ilea and colons of weaning piglets.

Dietary carbohydrates with different rates of fermentation affect fermentation end-product profiles in different sites of gastro-intestinal tract of weaning piglet

An in vivo experiment was conducted to examine changes in fermentation end-products in the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) of weaning piglets by the inclusion of fermentable carbohydrates in the diet. The experiment was repeated in three replicates of 36 piglets. Piglets were raised free of antibiotics and creep feeding prior to weaning at 4 weeks of age. Each replicate was conducted over a period of 10 days. The piglets were offered one of two dietary treatments: control diet (CON), and fermentable carbohydrate enriched diet (CHO); and were subjected to one of the two fasting treatments (i) fasting for 2 days in the beginning of the experimental period and (ii) non-fasting. Piglets were slaughtered on the 1st, 4th and 10th day of each period. Digesta samples were collected from: first half of small intestine, second half of small intestine, caecum, and colon. The dry matter, volatile fatty acid (VFA) profile, and ammonia concentrations were analysed. Food intake, growth and food conversion ratio were also recorded. There were no differences in production performances such as growth and food conversion ratio (FCR) between the treatment groups. Concentrations of VFA were significantly higher, while ammonia concentration was significantly lower in the CHO group compared to the CON group in different fermentation sites within the GIT (P<0·001), and on different slaughtering days (P<0·05). Fasting had no effect on fermentation end-products. This study concludes that the addition of fermentable carbohydrates of varying fermentabilities stimulated carbohydrate fermentation, with reduction in protein fermentation along the different parts of GIT studied, in weaning piglets