Large White Research Articles

Early behavioral indicators of aberrant feces in newly-weaned piglets.

Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) is a frequently occurring health and welfare issue in weaned piglets. Behavioral changes indicating impaired health may be detectable before the onset of signs and could be useful to detect the development of PWD early, enabling targeted and timely interventions. Current algorithms enable automated behavioral classification on the group level, while PWD may not affect all piglets in one pen and individual level analysis may be required. Therefore, this study aimed to assess whether changes in pen activity or individual piglet behavior can be early indicators of the occurrence of PWD. During 3 replicated rounds, 72 piglets (Sus scrofa domestica, Landrace x Large White) weaned at 27days of age, were housed in 4 pens with 6 piglets each. Individual fecal color and consistency were scored (0-5; ≥ 3 considered as aberrant feces) six times during the first two weeks post-weaning using rectal swabs. Additionally, using a similar scoring scale, feces on the pen floor were assessed daily. Two methods were applied for behavioral scoring. Individual behaviors (eating, drinking, standing, walking; n = 48) were scored manually and instantaneously with a five-minute interval from videos of the first two rounds, while pen activity (eating, drinking, moving; n = 12) was analyzed automatically and continuously using a commercially available algorithm from videos of all three rounds. Piglets showing a relatively higher proportion of standing behavior one day before fecal scoring had increased odds of an aberrant fecal color score (odds ratio (OR): 4.8; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5-15.3). Furthermore, odds of aberrant colored feces increased in pens where piglets showed more moving activity two days before (OR: 6.14; 1.26 < 95%CI < 29.84), which was also found for fecal consistency (OR: 4.77; 95%CI: 1.1-21.6). Our results indicate that increased standing in individual piglets and an increased moving activity on the pen level may be important behavioral indicators of PWD before the onset of diarrhea. Further development of current algorithms that can identify behavioral abnormalities in groups, from the pen to the individual level, may therefore be a promising avenue for improved and targeted health and welfare monitoring.

N-glycosylation Modification Reveals Insights into the Oxidative Reactions of Liver in Wuzhishan Pigs

Although porcine liver contributes to their growth and development by nutrition production and energy supply, oxidative stress-induced hepatocyte damage is inevitable during metabolism. N-glycosylation is a common modification in oxidation; nevertheless, the effects of N-glycosylation on pig liver oxidative reactions remain undefined. In this study, liver proteins with N-glycosylation were detected in Wuzhishan (WZS) pigs between 4 and 8 months old and Large White (LW) pigs at 4 months old based on LC-MS/MS. The results showed that the number of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) was larger between different pig cultivars than that between WZS pigs at various growth periods. The enriched pathways of DEPs were mainly related to oxidative reactions, and 10 proteins were finally selected that primarily consisted of CYPs, GSTs and HSPs with expressions significantly correlating to liver size and weight. The oxidative genes shared N-glycosylation-modified models of N-x-S and N-G. Five out of 10 proteins were upregulated in WZS pigs compared to LW pigs at 4 months old, while five proteins increased in WZS pigs from 4 to 8 months old. In conclusion, this research provides valuable information on the N-glycosylation motifs in liver oxidation genes of WZS pigs.

Genomic Variants Associated with Haematological Parameters and T Lymphocyte Subpopulations in a Large White and Min Pig Intercross Population

The breeding of disease-resistant pigs has consistently been a topic of significant interest and concern within the pig farming industry. The study of pig blood indicators has the potential to confer economic benefits upon the pig farming industry, whilst simultaneously providing valuable insights that can inform the study of human diseases. In this study, an F2 resource population of 489 individuals was generated through the intercrossing of Large White boars and Min pig sows. A total of 17 haematological parameters and T lymphocyte subpopulations were measured, including white blood cell count (WBC), lymphocyte count (LYM), lymphocyte count percentage (LYM%), monocyte count (MID), monocyte count percentage (MID%), neutrophilic granulocyte count (GRN), percentage of neutrophils (GRN%), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), platelet count (PLT), CD4+/CD8+, CD4+CD8+CD3+, CD4+CD8−CD3+, CD4−CD8+CD3+, CD4−CD8−CD3+, and CD3+. The Illumina PorcineSNP60 Genotyping BeadChip was obtained for all of the F2 animals. Subsequently, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using the TASSEL 5.0 software to identify associated variants and candidate genes for the 17 traits. Significant association signals were identified for PCT and PLT on SSC7, with 1 and 11 significant SNP loci, respectively. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on SSC12 was identified as a significant predictor of the white blood cell (WBC) trait. Significant association signals were detected for the T lymphocyte subpopulations, namely CD4+/CD8+, CD4+CD8+CD3+, CD4+CD8−CD3+, and CD4−CD8+CD3+, with the majority of these signals observed on SSC7. The genes CLIC5, TRIM15, and SLC17A4 were identified as potential candidates for influencing CD4+/CD8+ and CD4−CD8+CD3+. A missense variant, c.2707 G&gt;A, in the SLC17A4 gene has been demonstrated to be significantly associated with the CD4+/CD8+ and CD4-CD8+CD3+ traits. Three missense variants (c.425 A&gt;C, c.500 C&gt;T, and c.733 A&gt;G) have been identified in the TRIM15 gene as being linked to the CD4+/CD8+ trait. Nevertheless, only c.425 A&gt;C has been demonstrated to be significantly associated with CD4-CD8+CD3+. In the CLIC5 gene, one missense variant (c.957 T&gt;C) has been identified as being associated with the CD4+/CD8+ and CD4-CD8+CD3+ traits. Additionally, significant association signals were observed for CD4+CD8+CD3+ and CD4+CD8−CD3+ on SSC2 and 5, respectively. Subsequently, a gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was conducted on all genes within the quantitative trait loci (QTL) intervals of platelet count, CD4+/CD8+, and CD4−CD8+CD3+. The MHC class II protein complex binding pathway was identified as the most significant pathway among the three immune traits. These results provide guidance for further research in the field of breeding disease-resistant pigs.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of porcine and human anti-influenza hemagglutinin monoclonal antibodies in outbred pigs and minipigs

Assessing the pharmacokinetics of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in relevant animal models is essential for designing improved formulations and developing mAb delivery platforms. We have established the pig, a large natural host animal for influenza with many similarities to humans, as a robust model for testing the therapeutic efficacy of anti-influenza mAbs and evaluating mAb delivery platforms. Here, we compared the pharmacokinetic characteristics of two anti-influenza hemagglutinin mAbs, human 2-12C and porcine pb27, in Göttingen minipigs and Landrace × Large White outbred pigs. Minipigs offer the advantage of a more stable weight, whereas outbred pigs are more readily available but exhibit rapid growth. Outbred pigs and minipigs showed similar pharmacokinetics and a similar porcine pb27 half-life (half-life of 15.7 days for outbred pigs and 16.6 days for minipigs). In contrast, the half-life of human 2-12C was more rapid in two of the minipigs but not in the outbred pigs, correlating with the development of antidrug antibodies in the two minipigs. Our results demonstrate that both outbred pigs and minipigs are appropriate models for pharmacokinetic studies and the evaluation of mAb delivery platforms, potentially bridging the gap between small animals and human trials.

Bacillus thuringiensis strains with high insecticidal activity against insect larvae of the orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera

Abstract The concept of sustainable agricultural development is aimed at reducing the use of chemical pest control agents. Since the use of chemical pesticides poses a significant environmental threat, one of the possible solutions to overcome this problem is the study of biological approaches, in particular, the use of entomopathogenic microorganisms as biological pest control agents. Insecticidal activity of over 220 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and Lysinibacillus sphaericus from the collection of the Laboratory of Spore-Forming Microorganisms of the Microbial Depository Center of the Scientific and Production Center “Armbiotechnology” and 15 strains isolated from samples of dead insects (imago) of representatives of various genera of the Coleoptera order was studied. The pathogenic effect of the strains was assessed in relation to the insect species Tenebrio molitor, Zophobas morio, Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say and Pieris brassicae, belonging to the Coleoptera and Lepidoptera orders. Among the test objects, the representative of Lepidoptera Pieris brassicae demonstrated the highest degree of sensitivity to B. thuringiensis strains up to 100%, with some Bt strains causing 60–100% mortality of Tenebrio molitor and Zophobas morio larvae of different ages. The larvae of the beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say were also partially susceptible, presenting mortality levels of between 31 and 60%. The article is devoted to the study of Bt bacterial strains that have pronounced insecticidal activity against insect larvae of the orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera.

Genetic determinism of sensitivity to environmental challenges using daily feed intake records in three lines of pigs.

In pig breeding, environmental challenges can affect the welfare and productivity of animals. Resilient animals have the capacity to be minimally affected by these environmental challenges. Understanding the genetic basis of sensitivity to these environmental challenges is crucial for selecting more resilient animals, thereby enhancing welfare and productivity. The aims of this study were to: (1) estimate the probability of the occurrence of an unrecorded environmental challenge at a given day using daily feed intake (DFI) data, and (2) evaluate the genetic determinism of environmental sensitivity in three pig lines bred in real selection conditions. Data comprised of 100,799, 186,247, and 304,826 DFI records from 1,618, 2,517, and 3,788 Landrace (LA), Large White (LW) and Piétrain (PI) male pigs, respectively. The pedigree included 3,730, 5,649, and 9,293 animals for LA, LW, and PI, respectively. The probabilities of the occurrence of an unrecorded environmental challenge at a given day were estimated via a mixture model. The probabilities (p) of being "high CV days" were then taken as reference and used in genetic analysis as an environmental descriptor to describe the environment. DFI records were analysed using two linear models: a linear reaction norm animal model (RNAM) and the animal model. (Co)variance components were estimated using average-information restricted maximum likelihood (AI-REML). The means of the probabilities of the occurrence of an environmental challenge for LA, LW, and PI were 0.24, 0.10, and 0.22, respectively, indicating that the probability of an environmental challenge was low for most of the days. The genetic correlations between the intercept and the slope obtained from the RNAM for LA, LW, PI were -0.52, 0.06, and -0.36, respectively. These findings suggest that selecting hypothetically for decreased DFI in non-stressful conditions would result in pigs with increased DFI in stressful conditions in the LA and PI lines, whereas it would have a minor impact on the environmental sensitivity of LW. The proportion of resilient animals for LA, LW, and PI was 75.0, 74.2, and 72.2%, respectively, implying that most of the animals were resilient. The study demonstrated that the slope of DFI is heritable and can effectively be used as an indicator of sensitivity to environmental challenges. These results are valuable in improving the resilience of livestock species to environmental challenges through genetic selection.

N6-Methyladenosine RNA Modification Regulates the Differential Muscle Development in Large White and Ningxiang Pigs.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common modification in eukaryotic RNAs. Growing research indicates that m6A methylation is crucial for a multitude of biological processes. However, research on the m6A modifications in the regulation of porcine muscle growth is lacking. In this study, we identified differentially expressed genes in the neonatal period of muscle development between Large White (LW) and NingXiang (NX) pigs and further reported m6A methylation patterns via MeRIP-seq. We found that m6A modification regulates muscle cell development, myofibrils, cell cycle, and phosphatase regulator activity during the neonatal phase of muscle development. Interestingly, differentially expressed genes in LW and NX pigs were mainly enriched in pathways involved in protein synthesis. Furthermore, we performed a conjoint analysis of MeRIP-seq and RNA-seq data and identified 27 differentially expressed and m6A-modified genes. Notably, a typical muscle-specific envelope transmembrane protein, WFS1, was differentially regulated by m6A modifications in LW and NX pigs. We further revealed that the m6A modification accelerated the degradation of WFS1 in a YTHDF2-dependent manner. Noteworthy, we identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (C21551T) within the last exon of WFS1 that resulted in variable m6A methylation, contributing to the differing WFS1 expression levels observed in LW and NX pigs. Our study conducted a comprehensive analysis of the m6A modification on NX and LW pigs during the neonatal period of muscle development, and elucidated the mechanism by which m6A regulates the differential expression of WFS1 in the two breeds.

Correlations and Variations Between the Major Biochemical Parameters of the Blood of Hybrid Swine.

In modern animal husbandry, increasing attention is given to mathematical modeling and statistical methods, especially for evaluating commercial hybrids. Our aim was to evaluate the phenotypic and genetic variability of biochemical parameters of blood serum of the 56 hybrid boars (Large White × Landrace × Duroc) raised in feeding stations (Russia) through mathematical modeling. The particular variances and covariances of traits were calculated using the limited maximum likelihood model and the REMLF90 programs. A narrow range of variability was found for major biochemical parameters in relationship with the "FFG-factor" ("fattening period × final live weight × gain"), including the majority of the metabolites (p ≤ 0.05). The highest values of the genetic correlations were observed for the "total protein" parameter with albumins (0.78), globulins (0.94), creatinine (0.99), and enzymes: AST (0.98), ALT (0.80), etc. Phenotypic and genetic relationships showed fairly high correlation coefficients (0.5-0.8). It is important to emphasize that most of the studied amino acids (alanine, arginine, aspartic acid and asparagine, glutamic acid and glutamine, glycine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, valine) were significantly associated with the "FFG-factor" (p ≤ 0.05). The proposed approach provides reliable data on metabolite variability and correlations.

Transplantation of fecal microbiota from different breed improved intestinal barrier condition and modulated ileal microflora of recipient pigs.

In this study, we investigated the effects of transplanting Ningxiang pig fecal bacteria on ileum microflora and intestinal barrier of Duroc × Landrace × Large White (DLY) pigs. Thirty-two DLY pigs at 90-d-old were equally assigned to either control groups (fed the basal diet) or test group (fed the basal diet + 10ml fecal microbiota suspension from Ningxiang pig). Results showed that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) did not influence the growth performance, but increased the number of ileum goblet cells and the expression level of mucin-2. Additionally, the mucosal levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines interlukin-4 and interlukin-10 were upregulated, but the level of pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon-γ was downregulated by FMT. Moreover, FMT increased the expression level of porcine β defensin-114 in ileum mucus. 16S rRNA gene sequencing of ileal digesta showed that FMT modulated the diversity and composition of ileal microbiota of DLY pigs by increasing the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria, while decreasing the abundance of the pathogenic bacterium Streptococcus. Taken together, the study showed that FMT of Ningxiang pigs could improve intestinal barrier condition of DLY pigs by improving intestinal microflora and promoting intestinal health.

Feeding of bakery products as replacement of cereal grains alter fecal microbiome and improve feed efficiency in fattening pigs

The re-integration of former foodstuffs, such as bakery products (BP), into pig feed reduces the feed-food competition and increases the sustainability of pig production. Nevertheless, there are concerns about the altered fatty acid profile in BP compared to standard diets and their effects on meat quality and the intestinal microbiome. The present study investigated the effects of replacing 30% cereal grains with BP in the diet on performance, microbiome composition and metabolites in feces of fattening pigs, economic aspects and meat quality characteristics. A total of 132 pigs (Large White × Piétrain; 11 weeks of age) were fed two diets containing 0 or 30% BP until reaching slaughter weight in three replicate batches. Fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing after 6 weeks, whereas body fat samples were collected after 9 weeks on the diet. The results showed that BP can replace cereals in pig diets by up to 30% without impairing animal performance, while improving feed efficiency and reducing feed costs by 9% compared to the control. Additionally, pigs fed the BP diet had a 50%-higher n-3 fatty acid content in the neck and abdominal fat compared to the control. The improved feed efficiency in BP-fed pigs may be related to positive effects on the fecal microbiome, such as a higher alpha diversity and a reduction of fungi and yeasts. Our study provides valuable insights into the benefits of including BP in diets of fattening pigs, which should be investigated in future studies on other BP types.

Entomopathogenic nematodes as a lethal bioagent to deter &lt;i&gt;Pieris brassicae&lt;/i&gt; L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) infesting different cole crops: A review

Cole crops are the most important and attractive vegetables, belonging to the family Cruciferae are extremely grown all over the world. In India, their annual production has been reported to be about 191.77 million metric tons so chips into the economy by a huge amount. Pieris brassicae, one of the dreaded insect pests incur damage to different vegetables to a tune of 40%. To curb this pest damage various synthetic insecticides are applied, albeit showing promising results yet posing drastic negative imprints on non-target organisms, environment and pest resistance. These drawbacks demand a perfect alternative which seals all the glitches created by the chemical insecticides. For this Infective Juveniles (IJs) of Entomopathogenic Nematodes (EPNs) act as perfect biological agents. So, work done in these lines has been reviewed to facilitate students and researchers for advanced research related to entomopathogenic nematodes and P. brassicae.

Butterfly eggs prime anti-herbivore defense in an annual but not perennial Arabidopsis species

Main conclusionUnlike Arabidopsis thaliana, defenses of Arabidopsis lyrata against Pieris brassicae larval feeding are not primable by P. brassicae eggs. Thus, egg primability of plant anti-herbivore defenses is not phylogenetically conserved in the genus Arabidopsis.While plant anti-herbivore defenses of the annual species Arabidopsis thaliana were shown to be primable by Pieris brassicae eggs, the primability of the phylogenetically closely related perennial Arabidopsis lyrata has not yet been investigated. Previous studies revealed that closely related wild Brassicaceae plant species, the annual Brassica nigra and the perennial B. oleracea, exhibit an egg-primable defense trait, even though they have different life spans. Here, we tested whether P. brassicae eggs prime anti-herbivore defenses of the perennial A. lyrata. We exposed A. lyrata to P. brassicae eggs and larval feeding and assessed their primability by (i) determining the biomass of P. brassicae larvae after feeding on plants with and without prior P. brassicae egg deposition and (ii) investigating the plant transcriptomic response after egg deposition and/or larval feeding. For comparison, these studies were also conducted with A. thaliana. Consistent with previous findings, A. thaliana’s response to prior P. brassicae egg deposition negatively affected conspecific larvae feeding upon A. thaliana. However, this was not observed in A. lyrata. Arabidopsis thaliana responded to P. brassicae eggs with strong transcriptional reprogramming, whereas A. lyrata responses to eggs were negligible. In response to larval feeding, A. lyrata exhibited a greater transcriptome change compared to A. thaliana. Among the strongly feeding-induced A. lyrata genes were those that are egg-primed in feeding-induced A. thaliana, i.e., CAX3, PR1, PR5, and PDF1.4. These results suggest that A. lyrata has evolved a robust feeding response that is independent from prior egg exposure.

Signatures of selection analyses reveal genomic differences among three heavy pig breeds that constitute the genetic backbone of a dry-cured ham production system

The Italian pig farming industry is unique in its focus on raising heavy pigs primarily for the production of high-quality dry-cured hams. These products require pigs to be slaughtered at a live weight of around 170 kg at 9 months of age. The primary breeds used in this system are Italian Duroc, Italian Landrace, and Italian Large White which are crossed to produce lines that meet standard requirements. Over the past four decades, selection and breeding programmes for these breeds have been subjected to distinct selective pressures to highlight the characteristics of each breed. In this study, we investigated the genome of these breeds by analysing high-density single nucleotide polymorphism data from over 9 000 pigs to scan for signatures of selection using four different methods, two within breeds and two across breeds. This allowed to identify the genomic regions that differentiate these breeds as well as any relevant genes and biological terms. On a global scale, we found that the Italian Duroc breed exhibited a higher genetic differentiation from the Italian Landrace and Italian Large White breeds, with a pairwise FST value of 0.20 compared with the 0.13 between Italian Landrace and Italian Large White. This may reflect either their different origins or the different breeding goals, which are more similar for the Italian Landrace and Italian Large White breeds. Despite these genetic differences at a global level, few signatures of selection regions reached complete fixation, possibly due to challenges in detecting selection linked to quantitative polygenic traits. The differences among the three breeds are confirmed by the low level of overlap in the regions detected. Genetic enrichment analyses of the three breeds revealed pathways and genes related to various productive traits associated with growth and fat deposition. This may indicate a common selection direction aimed at enhancing specific production traits, though different biological mechanisms are likely targeted by the same directional selection in these three breeds. Therefore, these genes may play a critical role in determining the distinctive characteristics of Italian Duroc, Italian Landrace, and Italian Large White, and potentially influence the traits in crossbred pigs derived from them. Overall, the insights gained from this study will contribute to understanding how directional selection has shaped the genome of these heavy pig breeds and to better address selection strategies aimed at enhancing the meat processing industry linked with dry-cured ham production chains.

Digital documentation of treatment data and their relation to breed and performance parameters of sows

Abstract. The emerging risk of resistance to antimicrobials has brought about the need to document animal production in the European Union. The required documentation of treatment data on-farm may withhold viable information, which can be analysed if made accessible in a digital format. The aim of the study was to use a digital system for the documentation of treatments and to investigate relationships between treatments, performance parameters and breeds. Data were collected between August 2020 and September 2022 on a combined pig farm in northern Germany. A digital tool was used to obtain data on treatments, while sows' performance information and breed data were drawn from the sow planner of the farm. Treatment indices were generated for the sows (TIS, treatment index sow) and the sows' litters (treatment index litter, TIL). During the time of data collection, 17 % (n = 113) of the farrowing events (n = 661) took place with farrowing-related treatments (FRTs), and 43.5 % (n = 94) of the sows had to receive FRT at least once. Linear mixed models were used to investigate the dependent variables TIS, TIL and FRT and the performance parameters piglets born alive, stillborn piglets and weaned piglets. The explanatory variables parity, season, year, the interaction of season and year, and the breed of the sow (crossbred Large White × Landrace and purebred Large White), as well as the random effect of the sow nested in the breed of the sow, were included in the models for all dependent variables. Additionally, the breed of the boar (Duroc, Pietrain), TIS, TIL and FRT were investigated in the models of the performance parameters. The following effects were all significant (p&lt;0.05). Parity had an effect on TIS, piglets born alive and stillborn piglets. Sows with parity of 1 had the highest least-squares mean (LSM) = 0.42 (standard error (SE) = 0.04) for TIS, which decreased over parities of 2–3, 4–5 and 6–7 (LSM = 0.16, SE = 0.04) and increased for parity of ≥8 (LSM = 0.34, SE = 0.05). While sows with parity of 1 produced the lowest numbers and sows with parities of 4–5 the highest numbers of piglets born alive, the number of stillborn piglets increased with parity number, with the lowest numbers for parity of 1 and the highest numbers for parity of ≥8. Overall, the performance of the farm improved in the second year of data collection with less FRT, more weaned piglets and fewer stillborn piglets. Crossbred sows produced more piglets born alive and weaned piglets but also more stillborn piglets. The use of Pietrain boars led to more piglets being born alive. FRT and high treatment indices of the sow related with an increase in stillborn piglets and high treatment indices of the sow resulted in fewer piglets born alive. In conclusion, digitalized treatment data allow for analyses of the herd's health status, and relations between production performance and treatments can be investigated.

An Investigation of Parturient Ocular Appearance in Sows.

Protocols that enable prompt identification of sows in need of assistance during farrowing are important for optimal production outcomes. Change in the colour and appearance of the sclera of the eye can indicate increased stress. This warrants investigation into its use for the identification of sows in need of assistance at the time of parturition. To this end, a three-level ocular scoring system for the pig was devised and subsequently used in a preliminary investigation into the relationship between farrowing kinetics and visual changes in the sclera at farrowing. Data were collected and analysed from twenty randomly selected Large White × Landrace crossbred sows during farrowing. It was determined that sows with a severe ocular score were more likely to experience a prolonged farrowing duration (p = 0.013) and incur increased parturient straining of either total straining time (p = 0.011) or straining per piglet (p = 0.025). There was a significant association between ocular score and litter size (p = 0.043). Ocular score was not associated with sow parity (p = 0.728) and inter-piglet interval (p = 0.075). The proposed three-level scoring system successfully identified sows experiencing an abnormal parturition as defined by a prolonged farrowing duration and increased straining time. Findings from this study suggest the potential application of this simple ocular scoring tool for identifying sows experiencing an abnormal farrowing via in-person application or integration into remote monitoring systems in the future.

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Contributes to Intestinal Injury in Intrauterine Growth Restriction Newborn Piglets.

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) in piglets is associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality after birth due to gut dysfunction, and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study selected six pairs of IUGR newborn male piglets and normal birth weight newborn piglets (Large White × Landrace) to investigate differences in intestinal structure and digestive functions, intestinal ERS and apoptosis, intestinal barrier function, and inflammatory response. The results showed that IUGR significantly reduced the jejunal villi height (p < 0.05) and the ratio of villus-height-to-crypt-depth (p = 0.05) in neonatal piglets. Additionally, the microvilli in the jejunum of IUGR neonatal piglets were shorter than those in normal-weight piglets, and swelling of the mitochondria and expansion of the endoplasmic reticulum were observed. IUGR also significantly reduced serum glucose and lactase levels (p < 0.05) while significantly increasing mRNA levels of jejunal IRE1α, EIF2α, CHOP, Bax, Caspase9, Mucin2, Claudin-1, Occludin, ZO-1, Bcl-2, IL-6, and IFN-γ (p < 0.05), as well as GRP78 protein levels in neonatal piglets (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that IUGR impairs intestinal structure and barrier function in newborn piglets by enhancing intestinal inflammatory responses, activating intestinal ERS and the signaling pathways related to the unfolded protein response, thereby inducing ERS-related apoptosis.

375 The effects of protease supplementation on weaned piglet performance and intestinal function fed greater amounts of lower digestible protein sources

Abstract The present study investigated the impact of dietary protease supplementation on the growth performance and intestinal function of weaned piglets when fed a diet comprising high levels of low digestible protein sources, in comparison with a standard commercially representative piglet diet. A total of 180 weaned piglets, 21 d old, of Duroc × Large White × Landrace crossbreeds, with an initial body weight (BW) of 6.27 ± 0.45 kg, were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments: 1) a standard commercial positive control (PC) diet comprising 22.2% soy protein, 5% whey protein, and 3% fish meal, 2) a negative control (NC) diet comprising 30.1% soy protein without whey protein and fish meal, and 3) a NC diet supplemented with 0.02% protease (NC + PROT). The diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric and were pelleted at conditions of 0.4 MPa and 75°C. The experimental design employed a completely randomized design with 6 replicate pens per treatment, each pen containing 10 piglets. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA, with differences between means assessed using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (P &amp;lt; 0.05). In terms of piglet performance, feeding the NC diet, containing high levels of low digestible protein sources, resulted in a significant decrease (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in final BW, average daily gain (ADG), and average daily feed intake (ADFI) by 3.1%, 8.2%, and 5.2%, respectively, compared with piglets fed the PC diet. Conversely, the NC diet significantly increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the feed-to-gain ratio and incidence of diarrhea by 3.4% and 88.3%, respectively, relative to PC. However, the supplementation of protease in the NC + PROT diet restored final BW, feed-to-gain ratio, and incidence of diarrhea to the same level as PC, while ADG and ADFI were increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) by 4.6% and 4.3%, respectively. Regarding intestinal function, relative to PC, piglets fed the NC diet exhibited significantly less (P &amp;lt; 0.05) duodenal villus height, crude protein digestibility, and gene expressions of duodenal peptide transporter PepT1 and jejunal amino acid transporter b0,+AT, while blood urea nitrogen and diamine oxidase concentrations were greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05). However, the addition of protease in the NC diet reinstated measures of intestinal function, as NC + PROT-fed piglets showed similar duodenal villus height, crude protein digestibility, gene expressions of duodenal peptide transporter PepT1 and jejunal amino acid transporter b0,+AT, as well as blood urea nitrogen and diamine oxidase concentrations to PC. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of protease in weaned piglets fed higher levels of lower digestible protein sources mitigated losses in growth performance and intestinal functionality by enhancing intestinal development, protein digestibility, nutrient transport efficiency, and overall health status of piglets.

Comparison of Molecular Potential for Iron Transfer across the Placenta in Domestic Pigs with Varied Litter Sizes and Wild Boars.

Neonatal iron deficiency anemia is prevalent among domestic pigs but does not occur in the offspring of wild boar. The main causes of this disorder in piglets of modern pig breeds are paucity of hepatic iron stores, high birth weight, and rapid growth. Replenishment of fetal iron stores is a direct result of iron transfer efficiency across the placenta. In this study, we attempted to investigate the molecular potential of iron transfer across the placenta as a possible cause of differences between wild boar and Polish Large White (PLW) offspring. Furthermore, by analyzing placentas from PLW gilts that had litters of different sizes, we aimed to elucidate the impact of the number of fetuses on placental ability to transport iron. Using RNA sequencing, we examined the expression of iron-related genes in the placentas from wild boar and PLW gilts. We did not reveal significant differences in the expression of major iron transporters among all analyzed placentas. However, in wild boar placentas, we found higher expression of copper-dependent ferroxidases such as ceruloplasmin, zyklopen, and hephaestin, which facilitate iron export to the fetal circulation. We also determined a close co-localization of ceruloplasmin and zyklopen with ferroportin, the only iron exporter.

Study on the difference of gut microbiota in DLY and Diqing Tibetan pigs induce by high fiber diet.

In order to investigate the regularity of fecal microorganisms changes in Landrace × Large White × Duroc (DLY) and Diqing Tibetan pigs (TP) induced by dietary fiber, and further explore the buffering effect of different intestinal flora structures on dietary stress. DLY (n = 15) and TP (n = 15) were divided into two treatments. Then, diet with 20% neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was supplemented for 9 days. Our results showed that the feed conversion efficiency of TP was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of DLY. The fecal microorganisms shared by the two groups gradually increased with the feeding cycle. In addition, the dispersion of Shannon, Simpson, ACE and Chao of TP decreased. Also, we found that the fecal microorganisms of TP (R2 = 0.2089, p < 0.01) and DLY (R2 = 0.3982, p < 0.01) showed significant differences in different feeding cycles. With the prolongation of feeding cycle, the similarity of fecal microbial composition between DLY and TP increased. Our study strongly suggests that the complex environment and diet structure have shaped the unique gut microbiota of TP, which plays a vital role in the buffering effect of high-fiber diets.

Organic rearing of non-castrated male pigs: welfare indicators, carcass traits, pork quality and boar taint in Duroc and Pietrain crossbreds

The main principles of organic farming as presented by the European organisation for organic food and farming are health, ecology, fairness and care, but the intrinsic quality of products is also important for consumers. Pig genotype was tested as a lever to improve animal welfare and pork quality (meat tenderness, processing ability) of organic, non-castrated males while controlling the risk for boar taint. Non-castrated Large White × Duroc (D, n = 47) or Large White × Pietrain NN (P, n = 34) males were involved in two batches, each including one group of pigs per genotype. Each group was reared in a pen from the same building on deep straw bedding (1.3 m2/pig), with a feeding zone (0.2 m2/pig) and an outdoor area (1.0 m2/pig), from 28 kg BW until slaughter at ca. 125 kg BW. All pigs received ad libitum the same growing and finishing diets, and hay. Overall, health and welfare indicators showed few problems, but the proportions of pigs with skin scratches, and tail lesions at the end of the finishing period, were lower in D than in P pigs (P < 0.05). Growth rate and final BW did not differ between genotypes. The D pigs had lower carcass lean meat content (P < 0.001) and relative proportions of ham and loin (P ≤ 0.01), and higher proportions of belly and backfat (P ≤ 0.001) than P pigs. Compared to P, loin (Longissimus muscle) of D pigs was less light and exudative and had higher chroma (P < 0.05), but pH 24 h and glycolytic potential did not differ. Loin meat of D pigs had higher intramuscular fat content (P < 0.001) and tended to have a lower shear force (P = 0.09), but cooking loss did not differ. In the ham muscles, D pigs had higher chroma than P pigs in the Gluteus medius, whereas pH 24 h did not differ in the Gluteus medius and Semimembranosus. D pigs had higher backfat concentrations of androstenone (P < 0.001), and skatole and indole (P < 0.05) than P pigs, suggesting a higher risk of rejection by consumers due to boar taint. However, only one D carcass was detected as tainted by human nose test. Altogether, organic farming of non-castrated Duroc crossbred males appears to be favourable for animal welfare, technological and several sensory pork properties provided that the risk of undesirable odours is limited through management practices.