69 Monoglycerides of Butyric, Caprylic, and Capric Fatty Acids Promote Intestinal Integrity and Host Defenses in Health-Challenged Weanling Pigs

Abstract

Abstract Frequent incidence of post-weaning enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) diarrhea in the swine industry contributes to high mortality rates and associated economic losses. In this study, the effects of butyric, caprylic, and capric monoglycerides (MG) were investigated as a way to promote intestinal integrity and host defenses in weanling pigs infected with ETEC. A total of 160 pigs of equal sex were allotted to treatment groups based on body weight and sex. Throughout the 17-d study, three treatment groups were maintained: sham-inoculated pigs fed a control diet (NC, n = 40), ETEC-inoculated pigs fed the same control diet (PC, n = 60), and ETEC-inoculated pigs fed the control diet supplemented with the test article included at 3% of the diet (Test, n = 60). Following a 7-d adaptation period, pigs were orally inoculated on each of 3 consecutive days with either 3 mL of a sham-control (saline) or live ETEC culture (3 × 109 CFU/mL). The first day of inoculation was designated as 0 d post-inoculation (DPI), and all study outcomes reference this time-point. Fecal, tissue, and blood samples were collected from 48 individual pigs (NC, n = 12; PC and Test, n = 18) on 5 and 10 DPI for analysis of dry mater (DM), bacterial enumeration, inflammatory markers, and a practical assessment of intestinal permeability. All data were analyzed by ANOVA using the MIXED procedure of SAS. During the peak infection period (5 DPI) the NC group had greater (P < 0.05) fecal DM and lower (P < 0.05) rectal temperatures, total bacteria, total E. coli, and total F18 ETEC. By 9 DPI, the NC and Test groups had numerically decreased lactulose:mannitol ratios in blood plasma compared with the PC group, which indicated possible benefits to intestinal barrier function. Overall, MG supplementation did not appear to influence differences in fecal outcomes that were altered by ETEC infection, but some benefits in intestinal integrity were observed.