Abstract
Fermented corn-soybean meal (fermented feed, FF) is commonly used in swine production, but the effects of FF on gut health remain unclear. In this study, serum immunity, mRNA abundances of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and Toll-like receptors (TLR1-9), bacterial abundance in the duodenum and colon, and colonic metabolic phenotypes were determined in crossbred barrows (Duroc × Landrace × Large White) fed FF or normal feed (unfermented feed, UF) (n = 6). When compared to the UF group, the results showed that serum levels of IgG and IgM were significantly increased in FF group pigs (P < 0.05). FF significantly decreased the abundances of Bacteroides and Verrucomicrobia in the duodenum and decreased the abundances of Bacteroides, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia in the colon while it significantly increased the abundances of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that serum immunity and the expression of genes related to gut immunity were associated with bacterial strains at the family level. Moreover, differentially abundant colonic microbiota were associated with colonic metabolites. LC-MS data analyses identified a total of 1,351 metabolites that markedly differed between the UF and FF groups. C5-Branched dibasic acid metabolism was significantly upregulated whereas the purine metabolism was significantly downregulated (P < 0.05) in the colonic digesta of pigs in the FF meal group compared to the UF meal group. Collectively, these results indicated that FF meal could influence serum immunity and the expression of genes related to gut immunity, correlating with the gut microbiota and bacterial metabolites in grower-finisher pigs. This study may provide an alternative strategy for improving the intestinal health of grower-finisher pigs.
Highlights
Antibiotics have long been used in swine production to maintain health and productivity
The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of corn-soybean FF on serum immunity factors and the expression of genes related to gut immunity
UF, pigs fed with unfermented corn-soybean meal; FF, pigs fed with fermented corn-soybean meal
Summary
Antibiotics have long been used in swine production to maintain health and productivity. The overuse of antibiotics in swine production has become an important concern (van der Fels-Klerx et al, 2011) and has led to the development of alternatives to antibiotics in feeds (Dibner and Richards, 2005), such as probiotics, prebiotics, and organic acids, for use in swine husbandry (Thacker, 2013; Markowiak and Slizewska, 2018). The use of fermented corn-soybean meal has been shown to improve the immune function of pigs (Zhu et al, 2017), as the consumption of FF has a positive impact on the gut microbiota and can improve the fecal microbial count and intestinal morphology in grower-finisher pigs (Dowarah et al, 2017). Information on the effects of FF on the health of pigs is limited
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