Growth Promoter For Pigs Research Articles

Assessment of a 50:50 mixture of two Bacillus subtilis strains as growth promoters for finishing pigs: productivity improvement and noxious gas reduction.

In this study, we aimed to assess the potential of a 50:50 mixture of two Bacillus subtilis strains in improving the productivity and health of finishing pigs and reducing noxious gases in their feces. These strains were found to abundantly secrete surfactin which has been shown to alleviate the effects of lipopolysaccharides in vitro. For the 10-wk experiment, 200 finishing pigs ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc) with an average body weight of 54.15 ± 1.70 kg were divided into four groups. Each group was fed with a basal diet supplemented with an equal amount of spores from the two B. subtilis strains at different levels: control group, no addition; treatment group 1, 0.5 × 109; treatment group 2, 1.0 × 109; treatment group 3, 1.5 × 109 cfu·kg-1 addition. During the 10-wk feeding period, dietary supplementation of 0.5 × 109, 1.0 × 109, and 1.5 × 109 cfu·kg-1 of the spore cells from these two strains resulted in a 0.9%, 1.9%, and 2.5% increase in body weight, respectively (linear P < 0.095). During the final 5 wk, the average daily gain (ADG) in weight was increased by the strains at amounts of 0.5 × 109, 1.0 × 109, and 1.5 × 109 cfu·kg-1 with a clear dosage effect (linear P < 0.05). However, neither the gain-to-feed ratio, the average daily feed intake, nor nutrient digestibility was affected by the supplementation. In blood, the endotoxin lipopolysaccharides, and two liver toxicity indicator enzymes; aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase were decreased (P < 0.05) in the 1.0 × 109 cfu·kg-1 spores-feeding group. Furthermore, four noxious gases were reduced by 8 to 20% in feces excreted by pigs fed with 1.5 × 109 cfu·kg-1 spores with a linear dosage effect (linear P < 0.001 to 0.05) during the final 5 wk. Our findings suggest that the mixture of B. subtilis strains may enhance the productivity of finishing pigs by reducing the risk of mild endotoxemia, rather than increasing digestibility or daily feed intake. Therefore, these Bacillus strains have the potential to act as growth promoters for pigs, leading to improved animal health and productivity. These results have significant implications for pig farmers seeking to optimize the health and growth of their animals.

Effects of Dietary Koumine on Growth Performance, Intestinal Morphology, Microbiota, and Intestinal Transcriptional Responses of Cyprinus carpio.

Gelsemium elegans Benth. (GEB) is a traditional medicinal plant in China, and acts as a growth promoter in pigs and goats. Koumine (KM) is the most abundant alkaloid in GEB and produces analgesic, anti-cancer, and immunomodulatory effects. KM can be used as an aquatic immune stimulant, but its growth-promoting effects and transcriptional mechanisms have not been investigated. Diets containing KM at 0, 0.2, 2, and 20 mg/kg were fed to Cyprinus carpio for 71 days to investigate its effects on growth performance, intestinal morphology, microflora, biochemical indicators, and transcriptional mechanisms. Cyprinus carpio fed with KM as the growth promoter, and the number of intestinal crypts and intestinal microbial populations were influenced by KM concentration. KM increased the abundance of colonies of Afipia, Phyllobacterium, Mesorhizobium, and Labrys, which were associated with compound decomposition and proliferation, and decreased the abundance of colonies of pathogenic bacteria Methylobacterium-Methylorubrum. A total of 376 differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) among the four experimental groups were enriched for transforming growth factor-β1 and small mother against decapentaplegic (TGF-β1/Smad), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and janus kinases and signal transducers and activators of transcription (Jak/Stat) signaling pathways. In particular, tgfbr1, acvr1l, rreb-1, stat5b, smad4, cbp, and c-fos were up-regulated and positively correlated with KM dose. KM had a growth-promoting effect that was related to cell proliferation driven by the TGF-β1/Smad, MAPK, and Jak/Stat signaling pathways. KM at 0.2 mg/kg optimized the growth performance of C. carpio, while higher concentrations of KM (2 and 20 mg/kg) may induce apoptosis without significantly damaging the fish intestinal structure. Therefore, KM at low concentration has great potential for development as an aquatic growth promotion additive.

Chemical analysis of materials used in pig housing with respect to the safety of products of animal origin

Bedding, environmental enrichment materials and disinfectant powders in pig farming are meant to ensure a hygienic bedding environment or allow pigs to perform explorative behaviour. To our knowledge, no legal regulation exists, that established maximum contents for undesirable substances, such as toxic metals, dioxins or trace elements in these materials, although oral ingestion could be expected. In the present study, a total of 74 materials (disinfectant powders [n = 51], earth/peat [n = 12], biochar [n = 8], recycled manure solids [n = 3]) were analysed for their content of various toxic metals, trace elements, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls. The data suggest that, in some samples, trace elements like iron, copper and zinc might have been added intentionally in order to induce physiological effects (iron supply to piglets, copper and zinc as growth promoter in pigs). Moreover, some materials contained high levels of lead, cadmium or arsenic. Consequently, if farm animals repeatedly consume environmental enrichment and bedding materials or disinfectant powders in considerable amounts and these quantities are added to the daily ration, the amount of ingested undesirable substances and trace elements might exceed the maximum levels set for complete feedstuffs, and an elevated transfer into food of animal origin might occur. Future studies are required to address the possible quantitative contribution in the light of feed and food safety. Finally, the excretion of undesirable substances with manure needs to be considered due to their possible accumulation in soils.

Effect of live yeast on performance of piglets

Antibiotics are traditional growth promoters for pigs, aimed at improving animal performance. However, their widespread use in animal diets has been questioned due to the risk of toxicity and endanger human health, and may also cause problems of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. This resulted in a search for substitutes additives such as probiotics base of live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that are able to colonize the gut, keeping your balance and creating a barrier against pathogenic microorganisms, and thus improve animal performance. Given the above, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of probiotic live yeast on the performance parameters of piglets in the nursery phase. The experiment was conducted in the swine industry, Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana, Campus Dois Vizinhos. Crusaders 18 piglets were used 50 days old and weighing 12 kg, distributed in a completely randomized design containing two treatments (T1 - basal diet without inclusion of enhancers efficiency and T2 - basal diet + 0.2% addition of probiotic). The probiotic used in food as a source of T2 has the live yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The animals were subjected to 7 days of adaptation, this time receiving the basal diet. Feed intake, feed conversion, weight gain, economic viability and stool consistency were evaluated. Performance data submitted to analysis of variance, and the difference between the observed average by F test. Just feed intake showed a statistical difference (P <0.05) where the diet containing the probiotic (T2) showed a lower consumption. Thus it can be concluded that the use of live yeast are positively influenced the economic and productive performance of piglets.

The use of Lactobacillus as an alternative of antibiotic growth promoters in pigs: A review.

Antibiotics, often supplemented in feed, used as a growth promoter, may cause their residual effect in animal produce and also trigger antibiotic resistance in bacteria, which is of serious concern among swine farming entrepreneurs. As an alternative, supplementing probiotics gained interest in recent years. Lactobacillus being the most commonly used probiotic agent improves growth performance, feed conversion efficiency, nutrient utilization, intestinal microbiota, gut health and regulates immune system in pigs. The characteristics of Lactobacillus spp. and their probiotic effects in swine production are reviewed here under.

Effects of a chelated copper as growth promoter on performance and carcass traits in pigs.

Three studies were conducted to investigate whether a chelated Cu can replace CuSO4 as a growth promoter in pigs. In Exp. 1, a total of 240 piglets (Large White×Landrace, 7.36±0.10 kg) were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatments with 8 replicates and 10 piglets per pen. Treatments included a NRC control (CuSO4, 6 mg/kg), two Cu supplementations from either CuSO4 or Cu(HMTBa)2 at 170 mg/kg. Pigs fed Cu(HMTBa)2 were 6.0% heavier than pigs fed either the NRC control or 170 mg/kg CuSO4 (p = 0.03) at the end of the experiment. During the 42 days of experimental period, pigs fed Cu(HMTBa)2 gained 9.0% more (p = 0.01), tended to eat more feed (p = 0.09), and had better feed efficiency (p = 0.06) than those fed CuSO4. Compared with the 6 mg/kg CuSO4 NRC control, liver Cu was increased 2.7 times with 170 mg/kg CuSO4 supplementation, and was further increased with Cu(HMTBa)2 (4.5 times, p<0.05). In Exp. 2, a total of 616 crossbred piglets (PIC, 5.01±0.25 kg) were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 treatments with 7 replicates and 22 piglets per pen. Treatments included a NRC control (from CuSO4), and three pharmaceutical levels of Cu (150 mg/kg) supplemented either from CuSO4, tri-basic copper chloride (Cu2[OH]3Cl), or Cu(HMTBa)2. Pigs fed CuSO4 or Cu(HMTBa)2 had better feed efficiency (p = 0.01) and tended to gain more (p = 0.08) compared with those fed the NRC control. Pigs fed Cu2(OH)3Cl were intermediate. Pigs fed Cu(HMTBa)2 had the highest liver Cu, which was significantly higher than those fed (Cu2[OH]3Cl) or the negative control (p = 0.01). In Exp. 3, a total of 1,048 pigs (PIC, 32.36±0.29 kg) were allotted to 6 treatments with 8 replicates per treatment and 20 to 22 pigs per pen. The treatments included a NRC control with 4 mg/kg Cu from CuSO4, a positive control with 160 mg/kg Cu from CuSO4, and incremental levels of Cu(HMTBa)2 at 20, 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg. During the overall experimental period of 100 days, no benefit from 160 mg/kg CuSO4 was observed. Pigs fed Cu(HMTBa)2 had increased ADG (linear and quadratic, p≤0.05) and feed efficiency (linear and quadratic, p≤0.05) up to 80 mg/kg and no further improvement was observed at 160 mg/kg for the whole experimental period. Pigs fed 80 mg/kg Cu(HMTBa)2 weighed 1.8 kg more (p = 0.07) and were 2.3 kg heavier in carcass (p<0.01) compared with pigs fed 160 mg/kg CuSO4. In addition, loin depth was increased with increased Cu(HMTBa)2 supplementation with pigs fed 80 mg/kg Cu(HMTBa)2 had the greatest loin depth (p<0.05). In summary, Cu(HMTBa)2 can be used to replace high CuSO4 as a growth promoter in nursery and grower-finisher pigs.

Effect of anabolic agents on calpastatin promoters in porcine skeletal muscle and their responsiveness to cyclic adenosine monophosphate-and calcium-related stimuli1

The calpain proteinases and their specific inhibitor calpastatin have been proposed to influence both the rates of myofibrillar protein turnover in vivo and meat tenderization postmortem. Elevated calpastatin concentrations in particular are associated with certain forms of hypertrophic growth and meat toughness. In the 5'region of the porcine calpastatin gene, there are 3 calpastatin promoters upstream of exons 1xa, 1xb, and 1u, respectively, each of which contain transcription factor-binding motifs, suggesting sensitivity to a variety of growth-promoting stimuli. This study examined the effect of the beta-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol and porcine ST (pST) treatment on calpastatin promoter usage in porcine LM in vivo using real-time PCR and also the responsiveness of transfected calpastatin promoter sequences to cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and calcium (Ca2+)-related stimuli in reporter gene systems in cell studies. The effect of clenbuterol and pST on potential signaling pathways in vivo was also assessed by monitoring protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin), NFATc3, calpain 3, IkappaB alpha, and NFkappaB by quantitative immunoblotting. Total calpastatin mRNA was increased by 52% (P < 0.05) after treatment with clenbuterol for 1 d and reduced by 35% (P < 0.01) after pST treatment for 7 d. Whereas clenbuterol had no significant differential effects on individual mRNA transcripts (types 1 to 3) derived from the 3 upstream promoters, pST significantly reduced all of these by 51, 39, and 40% (P < 0.001, 0.05, and 0.05), respectively. Promoter activity was increased in rat L6G8 cells transfected with a construct derived from exon 1u after treatment with dibutyryl cAMP (68%, P < 0.05) or forskolin (43%, P < 0.05), whereas 1xa activity was reduced by both of these agents (47 and 33%, respectively, P < 0.05). Treatment of cells with the calcium ionophore calcimycin reduced the activity of the 1u promoter by 40% (P < 0.01), with no effect on the other promoter constructs. Cyclosporin A had no effect on any promoter construct. The only signaling pathway component to be significantly altered by the in vivo treatments was calcineurin, which was decreased by 24% (P < 0.05) in clenbuterol-treated animals. In conclusion, 2 types of growth promoter in pigs had contrasting effects on calpastatin expression in LM. Transfected calpastatin promoters were differentially sensitive to cAMP- and Ca2+-related stimuli, in agreement with the proposed mode of action of the 2 growth promoters.

The Prevalence of the OqxAB Multidrug Efflux Pump amongst Olaquindox-ResistantEscherichia coliin Pigs

The quinoxaline olaquindox has been used extensively as a growth promoter for pigs. Recently, we isolated a plasmid (pOLA52) conferring resistance to olaquindox from swine manure. On this plasmid, the oqxA and oqxB genes encode an RND-family multidrug efflux pump, OqxAB. It facilitates resistance to olaquindox as well as resistance to other antimicrobials like chloramphenicol. In this study, 10 of the 556 (1.8%) previously isolated Escherichia coli strains were shown to have an MIC >or= 64 microg/ml olaquindox. In nine of the ten strains, the oqxA gene was detected. Sequencing of an internal fragment of oqxA from the oqxA-positive strains showed no variation, indicating highly conserved oqxA genes. All of the oqxA-positive strains contain plasmids with replicons similar to that of pOLA52. It was verified by Southern hybridization that the oqxAB operon was situated on plasmids in most, if not all, resistant strains. Furthermore, horizontal transfer of olaquindox resistance from three olaquindox-resistant isolates was achieved using an olaquindox-sensitive E. coli as recipient.

The susceptibility to growth-promoting antibiotics of Enterococcus faecium isolates from pigs and chickens in Europe

To establish the susceptibility of Enterococcus faecium isolates from pigs and chickens to antimicrobial growth promoters that either were or had been in use in the European Union. Samples were taken at abattoirs in two successive years (mid-1998-mid-1999, year 1; mid-1999-mid-2000, year 2) from chickens (France, The Netherlands, Sweden, UK) and pigs (Denmark, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden). E. faecium was isolated from faecal samples at national laboratories and sent to a central laboratory where MICs of avilamycin, avoparcin, bacitracin, flavophospholipol, spiramycin, tylosin and virginiamycin were determined. Microbiological breakpoints were allocated on the basis of MIC distributions, and comparison was made between host species, country of origin and year of sample. In total, 2567 isolates were obtained from chickens and 1742 from pigs. In all countries, resistance to avoparcin (banned in 1997) was uncommon, but resistance to bacitracin and flavophospholipol was common (and was probably largely intrinsic). The prevalence of resistance was similar in chicken and pig isolates, with the exception of avilamycin, to which resistance was commoner among chicken isolates. The removal of four compounds as growth promoters (bacitracin, spiramycin, tylosin, virginiamycin) between years 1 and 2 appeared to result in a significant decrease in resistance to three of them-spiramycin, tylosin and virginiamycin, with no change in resistance to bacitracin, but an increase in resistance to avilamycin (not discontinued). Associated resistance was shown between some of the compounds. Resistance prevalence declined rapidly following removal of growth promoters in pigs and chickens, suggesting that in the absence of selective pressure, a susceptible population began to replace phenotypically resistant strains. Associated resistance between different compounds, where seen, could have resulted from either shared resistance mechanisms or from carriage of resistance genes on the same plasmid. Multiresistance to streptogramins, macrolides and glycopeptides was rare.

Lanthanum uptake from soil and nutrient solution and its effects on plant growth

AbstractIn view of restrictions in the application of antibiotics in animal production, Lanthanum (La) is intended to be introduced as a new growth promoter for pigs. Because most of the supplied La is subsequently excreted, it will be found in organic fertilizers which are applied to agricultural land. Thus, we examined the effect of lanthanum on the growth and La contents of plants in nutrient solution and in soils as well as its extractability from different soils. In nutrient solutions with concentrations of available La of up to 20 μmol L–1, shoot growth of bush bean was markedly reduced by up to 60% of the control at 20 μM La. By contrast, growth was not affected in maize. Lanthanum was mainly accumulated in the roots, but maize shoot contained considerable amounts of La as well. In contrast to nutrient solution, shoot growth of bush bean and spinach in soils supplemented with La up to 360 μmol kg–1 (50 mg kg–1) was not decreased. In contrast to spinach, bush bean shoots showed an increased La content at the highest La level. Extractability of La with 0.1 mol L–1 acetic acid from 12 different soils previously spiked with La was related mainly to soil pH, CEC, and Corg. We therefore conclude that except of strongly acidic conditions, the application of La‐containing organic fertilizers does not represent a risk for plant growth for the next over 100 years, provided that the recommended doses of feed supplementation is not increased.

Rare earth elements‐a new generation of growth promoters for pigs?

The present study which includes two feeding experiments was performed to investigate a possible performance enhancing effect of rare earth elements (REE) in piglets. This performance enhancing effect has been described in the Chinese literature for a long time, however, it was never tested under “western conditions”;. In the first feeding experiment 72 piglets at a mean BW of 7.3 kg were allotted to a control and to 4 REE groups at different levels of lanthanum chloride or an REE mixture containing mainly chlorides of lanthanum, cerium and praseodymium. The experimental period lasted 5 weeks. Positive effects of REE were found on body weight gain as well as on feed conversion ratio of the piglets. Compared to the control group, the daily weight gain was improved by 2 to 5% and feed conversion was better by up to 7%. These effects were, however, not significant. In the second feeding experiment, piglets (mean BW 17.3 kg) were fed for 8 weeks with a similar REE mixture. Significant positive effects of REE were found on both body weight gain and on feed conversion ratio by 19% and 10%, respectively. This is the first time that a performance enhancing effect of REE in pigs under western feeding conditions has been shown. Since the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed has been restricted in the European Union recently, rare earth elements might be of interest as new, safe and inexpensive alternative performance enhancers.

Mutagenicities of carbadox and olaquindox — Growth promoters for pigs

Carbadox and olaquindox were examined for mutagenicities in the repair tests with Bacillus subtilis (rec assay) and Salmonella typhimurium (uvr assay) and in the reverse mutation test (TA100 and TA98 of S. typhimurium). Both compounds were positive in the rec and uvr assays, and were highly mutagenic for strains TA100 and TA98. Carbadox was about 6 times more mutagenic than olaquindox in the absence of S9 mix. When incubated in S9 mix or bacterial cytosol (BC) mix for various times at 37°C, carbadox was found to lose its mutagenic activities easier than olaquindox. The mutagenicity of carbadox was almost inactivated at 10 min after incubation with S9 mix, but olaquindox still retained its activities even at 20 min. While carbadox required 20 min to be inactivated in BC mix, olaquindox was not completely inactivated even if incubated for 60 min.