Medium Chain Fatty Acid Blend Research Articles

PSIII-2 Evaluation of medium-chain fatty acids on just-weaned piglet performance and diarrhea scores: A nursery trial

Abstract Weaning is one of the most stressful events for commercial pigs. The transition from mother’s milk (animal proteins) to a solid diet based on plant proteins, the reduction in lactose intake and the decline in HCl secretion by the digestive system of the piglet result in a sudden and significant increase in stomach pH as well as an increased risk of post-weaning diarrhea. The aim of this trial was to evaluate whether the use of a blend of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) on top-off conventional nursery diets would improve zootechnical performance and intestinal problems in just-weaned piglets. Piglets [n = 624, 21-d of age, 6.5 kg body weight (BW), (♂ Fast Duroc x ♀ Fast 275)] were housed in 26 pens of an experimental nursery. Each pen (24 pigs/pen, with a starting density of 3.0 ft2/pig) was equipped with a height-adjustable water sucker, a water bowl and fitted with a single feeder-bin. Females and males were allocated to each pen, according to 3 BW categories (heavy, medium, and light). During a 46-d period of trial, the piglets (13 replicated pens per treatment) were allotted to a conventional 5 phases feeding program with 2 kg/MT of chlortetracycline (22%) and 400 g/MT of tiamuline (1.78%; CON). These basal diets contained 2,500 ppm Zn in Phases #1, 2, and only 2,000 ppm Zn in phase #3. Phases #1 to 3 were also supplemented with Ca-butyrate (1 kg/MT) and a blend of protected acidifiers (1 kg/MT). The treated group consisted to the basal diet (CON) supplemented with a blend of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) at 1.0 or 0.75 kg/MT for Phases #1, 2,3 and Phases #4, 5, respectively and supplying of a proprietary blend of caprylic, capric, and lauric acids. Daily feed consumption, weekly pig pen BW, dead and removed pigs and daily diarrhea evaluation index were completed. Data are analyzed by an ANOVA model including treatment and pen as fixed and random effects, respectively. Pairwise comparisons were completed with a Chi-square test. The overall results are presented in Table 1. At the end of wk 2 and 3, animals receiving MCFAs had a better average daily gain (ADG; P < 0.05) than CON. Therefore, at wk 2, 3 and 4, MCFAs animals BW were heavier than CON ones (P < 0.05). Average daily feed intake (ADFI) was not significantly different for the overall duration of the trial (P > 0.05). However, at weeks 2 and 3, MCFAs piglets had a greater ADFI than CON ones (P < 0.05). The daily diarrhea index of the MCFAs group was less than CON at wk 3 (P < 0.05). In this trial, the significant improvement of diarrhea index on just-weaned MCFAs treated piglets could explain the significant better growth during the first 3 wk of nursery.

192 Effects of inclusion of a probiotic and/or a postbiotic in diets containing a phytogenic feed additive on growth performance and fecal microbiome composition and function of nursery pigs

Abstract This study investigated the effects of inclusion of a Bacillus-based probiotic and a postbiotic from Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation (Dia-V Nursery, Diamond V, IA) in diets containing a phytogenic feed additive (Fresta Protect, Delacon, Austria) on growth performance and fecal microbiome of pigs. Weaned pigs [n = 1,840; 19 d old; initial body weight (BW) = 6.1 ± 0.2 kg] were allotted to 16 replicate pens/ treatment (23 pigs/pen) in 2 barns. Pens were blocked by location within barn and randomly allotted to 5 treatments: 1) Basal diet (NC), 2) NC without specialty fats (soy oil blend and medium chain fatty acid blend) + 0.1% phytogenic (PC), 3) PC + 0.05% probiotic (1.1 x 106 CFU/kg of complete feed; PC+Prob), 4) PC + 0.2% postbiotic (PC+Post), and 5) PC + 0.05% probiotic + 0.2% postbiotic (PC+Prob+Post). Pigs were fed experimental diets during phase 1 (d 0-10) and 2 (d 10-23). Pig and feed weights were recorded at the beginning and end of each phase. Fecal samples were collected from 2 pigs/pen (n = 32/treatment) on d 7 and 25 post-wean and subjected to DNA extraction and shotgun metagenomics to evaluate gut microbiome. Performance data were analyzed using the lme4 package of R with treatment as fixed effect and barn and pen location within barn as random effects. Microbiome data were center-log-ratio transformed and analyzed for alpha- and beta-diversity, differentially abundant taxa and genes, microbial network, and carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZy). No differences on performance, mortality or removals were observed during phase 1, phase 2, or overall among treatments (Table 1). Microbiome features were similar between NC and PC. The PC+Prob did not affect alpha- and beta-diversities of microbiome. The PC+Post reduced (P < 0.05) alpha-diversity on d 7 compared with PC and affected (P < 0.05) beta-diversity on both timepoints. The PC+Post had the greatest number of differentially abundant taxa (P < 0.05) compared with PC both on d 7 (27 taxa) and 25 (14 taxa). The PC+Post had greater (P < 0.05) presence of CAZy including glycoside hydrolases, glycosyltransferases and carbohydrate-binding modules on both timepoints. Inclusion of probiotic and postbiotic separately or in combination reduced (P < 0.05) the number of positive connections within the microbial network suggesting these additives promoted a more competitive microbial ecosystem against opportunistic microorganisms compared with PC. Inclusion of postbiotic speeded up the progression of microbiome toward a more mature community. This resulted in reduction of diversity but increased carbohydrate enzyme capability making microbial community leaner and more effective. In conclusion, replacement of specialty fats with a phytogenic did not affect piglet performance or microbiome under non-challenge conditions and no differences in performance were observed between PC pigs and those supplemented with a probiotic or postbiotic despite the effects observed in microbiome.

140 Effects of Dietary Inclusion of a Medium Chain Fatty Acid Blend and a Phytogenic Feed Additive on Growth Performance, Gut Health, and Mortality of Escherichia Coli-Challenged Pigs

Abstract An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that supplementing diets with a blend of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) and a phytogenic feed additive (Fresta Protect, Delacon, Linz, Austria), together or separately, would improve growth performance and stool quality of nursery pigs challenged with Escherichia coli (ETEC). A total of 200 pigs [5.52 ± 0.17 kg body weight (BW)] were weaned at 17 to 19 days of age, allotted to 40 pens (5 pigs/pen), and allowed to acclimate for 2 days before initiation of dietary treatments. Pens were blocked by BW and randomly assigned to 1 of 5 treatments: negative control (NC), NC + 55 mg/kg carbadox (Positive control; PC), NC + 1.0% MCFA, NC + 0.1% phytogenic, or NC + 1.0% MCFA and 0.1% phytogenic. All pigs were administered an oral gavage of 5 mL ETEC (blend of K88+ and F18+) with a final titer of 1010 CFU/pig on day 5 and 6. Body weights were recorded on days 0, 4, 11, and 18, whereas feed intake was recorded for the overall trial (day 0 - 18). Fecal scores were assessed daily on an ordered likert scale to determine the joint probability of more normal stool quality. Data were analyzed using the lme4 package of R 4.1.2, and the statistical models included the fixed effect of treatment and random effect of BW block. Growth performance data were assumed to be normally distributed, whereas mortality and stool quality were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models specifying binomial and multinomial distributions, respectively. Contrasts were used to test for effects of dietary additive (carbadox, MCFA, phytogenic, or MCFA and phytogenic) compared with NC (Table 1). Results indicated post-challenge BW, post-challenge and overall average daily gain (ADG), and overall gain:feed (G:F) were greater (P < 0.05) for PC than for NC. In the pre-challenge phase, dietary inclusion of MCFA reduced (P < 0.05) final BW and ADG compared with NC, but overall G:F was greater (P < 0.05) than NC when the MCFA blend was fed. Inclusion of the phytogenic increased (P < 0.05) ADG in the post-challenge period and G:F in the overall trial compared with NC. The combination of MCFA blend and phytogenic resulted in increased (P < 0.05) post-challenge final BW, post-challenge ADG, and overall ADG compared with NC. All treatments, except MCFA blend, tended (P < 0.10) to reduce mortality compared with NC. The PC, MCFA blend, and combination treatments resulted in a greater (P < 0.05) probability of normal stool quality than NC. In conclusion, supplementation of the phytogenic and the combination of MCFA with phytogenic improved growth performance and tended to reduce mortality of nursery pigs under ETEC challenge. Furthermore, the combination improved stool quality.

234 Effects of Feeding a Phytogenic Blend with or without Supplementation of Specialty Fats on Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs

Abstract An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that inclusion of a phytogenic feed additive (Fresta Protect, Delacon, Linz, Austria), separately or in conjunction with specialty fats (modified soy oil blend and medium chain fatty acid blend), in diets for nursery pigs would improve growth performance. Weaned pigs [n = 4,400; 5.7 ± 0.1 kg body weight (BW)] were allotted to 50 replicate pens per treatment (20 to 23 pigs per pen) in 5 barns. Pens were blocked by location within barn and randomly allotted to 4 treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Treatment main effects were specialty fats inclusion in phase 1 (0 or 1.3%) and phytogenic inclusion in phase 1 and 2 (0 or 0.1%). Pigs were fed experimental diets during phase 1 and 2 (day 0 – 10 and 10 – 21, respectively), and pig and feed weights were recorded at the beginning and end of each phase. Data were analyzed using the lme4 package of R 4.1.2, and the statistical model included the fixed effects of specialty fats, phytogenic, and their interaction, as well as the random effects of barn and location within barn. In phase 1, an interaction was detected (P < 0.05) for final BW, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain:feed (G:F; Table 1). In general, phase 1 performance was improved by phytogenic inclusion when no specialty fats were present in the diet, but pigs did not benefit from inclusion of the phytogenic when fed in combination with specialty fats. Body weight at the end of phase 2 was reduced (P < 0.05) for pigs fed specialty fats, but inclusion of the phytogenic increased (P < 0.05) phase 2 final BW and ADG regardless of specialty fat inclusion. Supplementation of the phytogenic increased (P < 0.05) phase 2 G:F as well, and the improvement in G:F was more pronounced when fed in conjunction with specialty fats, though this observation may be partially confounded by compensatory gain for the specialty fats and phytogenic combination treatment. The phytogenic also increased (P < 0.05) overall ADG and G:F, whereas the main effect of specialty fats reduced (P < 0.05) overall ADG and G:F. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of a phytogenic feed additive improved growth performance of nursery pigs, whereas specialty fats decreased growth performance, and the best performance was achieved when the phytogenic was fed in the absence of specialty fats.

A blend of medium-chain fatty acids, butyrate, organic acids, and a phenolic compound accelerates microbial maturation in newly weaned piglets.

Inclusion of additive blends is a common dietary strategy to manage post-weaning diarrhea and performance in piglets. However, there is limited mechanistic data on how these additives improve outcomes during this period. To evaluate the effects of Presan FX (MCOA) on the intestinal microbiota and metabolome, diets with or without 0.2% MCOA were compared. Pigs fed MCOA showed improved whole-body metabolism 7 days post-weaning, with decreased (P < 0.05) creatine, creatinine and β-hydroxybutyrate. Alterations in bile-associated metabolites and cholic acid were also observed at the same time-point (P < 0.05), suggesting MCOA increased bile acid production and secretion. Increased cholic acid was accompanied by increased tryptophan metabolites including indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) in systemic circulation (P = 0.004). An accompanying tendency toward increased Lactobacillus sp. in the small intestine was observed (P = 0.05). Many lactobacilli have bile acid tolerance mechanisms and contribute to production of IPA, suggesting increased bile acid production resulted in increased abundance of lactobacilli capable of tryptophan fermentation. Tryptophan metabolism is associated with the mature pig microbiota and many tryptophan metabolites such as IPA are considered beneficial to gut barrier function. In conclusion, MCOA may help maintain tissue metabolism and aid in microbiota re-assembly through bile acid production and secretion.

O23. A blend of medium-chain fatty acids and organic acids accelerates microbial maturation in newly weaned piglets

O23. A blend of medium-chain fatty acids and organic acids accelerates microbial maturation in newly weaned piglets

Evaluation of Liquid and Dry Chemical Treatments To Reduce Salmonella Typhimurium Contamination on Animal Food Manufacturing Surfaces

Salmonella can be isolated from animal food, ingredients, and animal food manufacturing surfaces. There are limited data regarding the sanitation of animal food manufacturing surfaces. This experiment evaluated the effects of nine chemical treatments on reduction of Salmonella Typhimurium contamination on various manufacturing surfaces. This experiment was a 9 × 5 factorial with nine chemical treatments and five surfaces. The nine chemical treatments included one with no inoculation or sanitation treatment (negative control). In the other eight treatments, inoculation with Salmonella Typhimurium was followed by either no sanitation treatment (positive control) or treatment with ground corn; liquid commercial formaldehyde; liquid food-grade sanitizer; liquid medium chain fatty acid blend of caprylic, caproic, and capric acids (MCFA); dry commercial calcium propionate; dry commercial acidulant; and dry commercial benzoic acid. The five surfaces included stainless steel, plastic, polypropylene tote bag, rubber belt, and rubber tire. Plastic had higher levels of Salmonella in the positive control than did the polypropylene tote bag; other surfaces had intermediate levels (P < 0.05). Surfaces treated with formaldehyde had no detectable Salmonella after treatment, and surfaces treated with MCFA had at least a 4-log reduction compared to the control (P < 0.05). The dry acidulant was the most effective dry sanitizer tested, but it had no impact on Salmonella concentration on rubber tires (P < 0.05). Whereas liquid sanitizers were the most effective in this experiment, they have limitations for use in dry bulk systems. In summary, formaldehyde, food-grade sanitizer, and MCFA were the most effective chemical treatments to reduce Salmonella surface contamination. Surface type can also influence Salmonella mitigation strategies; specifically, stainless steel and plastic can be more challenging to sanitize within animal food facilities.

PSVII-7 The Effects on Supplementation of Medium Chain Fatty Acids on Piglet Health and Immune Markers

Abstract A total of 77 mixed parity sows were used from d 28 of gestation until weaning to determine the effects of supplementation of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) on colostrum composition and serum immunocrit ratios. On d 28 of gestation, sows were weighed, blocked by parity and weight and allotted to either control diets (UNSUP) or control diets plus 0.3% inclusion of MCFA blend in gestation and lactation. After birth of the first piglet, a 40 mL colostrum sample was collected. On d 2 of age, a 1 mL blood sample was collected from the piglet mammary vein and serum was stored. Colostrum samples were analyzed for fat, protein, lactose, and total solids. Piglet serum were analyzed for immunocrit ratios. Piglet fecal samples were collected at 10, 35 and 63 d of age and quantitative rtPCR for Lactobacillus were completed. Data were analyzed as a randomized incomplete block with maternal diet as main effect and litter as experimental unit. The MCFA sows had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) concentration of colostral protein (17.7 vs 16.5%) and solids not fat (23.4 vs 22.2%), a tendency for greater concentration of total solids (29.9 vs 28.6%, P=0.07) and tendency for reduced (P = 0.07) concentration of lactose. Overall preweaning survivability was 91.6 and 92.5% in UNSUP and SUP litters, respectively. Serum immunocrit values (0.16 vs 0.14) were greater (P = 0.01) in piglets from UNSUP sows compared with supplemented. Lactobacillus represented 55 and 49% at day 10, 24 and 57% at day 35 and 9 and 3% at day 63 of age in UNSUP and SUP pigs, respectively and were not different. In conclusion, MCFA supplementation in gestation and lactation diets improved overall colostrum quality.

PSI-12 The Effects on Maternal Supplementation of Medium Chain Fatty Acids on Offpsring Performance

Abstract A total of 39 mixed parity sows were used from d 28 of gestation until weaning to determine the effect of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) in sow and weaned pig diets on sow and offspring growth performance. On d 28 of gestation, sows were blocked by parity and body weight, and allotted to either a control diet (UNSUP) or control plus 0.3% inclusion of MCFA blend in gestation and lactation (SUP). At weaning, piglets were allocated in a 2x2 factorial based on maternal diet (UNSUP or SUP) and post-weaning diet (UNSUPnurs or SUPnurs) in a 3-phase nursery pig feeding program lasting 42 d. Individual piglets were weighed at birth, d 7, weaning and every 2 weeks in the nursery period. There was no difference among maternal diet for birth weight (P = 0.56); however, SUP piglets tended to be lighter at d 7 (P = 0.10) and weaning (P = 0.07) than UNSUP piglets (P = 0.10). There was no interaction between maternal diet and post-weaning diet on offspring performance. Throughout the nursery period, there was no difference in body weight, daily gain, feed intake, or gain:feed by maternal treatment or post-weaning diet. In conclusion, supplementation of MCFA throughout gestation, lactation, and in the nursery period had minimal impact on offspring growth.

Addition of medium chain fatty acid blend impacts Salmonella enteritidis infection in layer hens

Mitigation of food pathogens, such as Salmonella, continues to be a focus in poultry production, whether on shell eggs or meat products. No single mitigation approach is fully capable of eliminating the risk of Salmonella contamination, but rather multicomponent, comprehensive strategies are now used to mitigate the risk. Targeted in-feed additives are a component of a food safety program and may help to reduce Salmonella infection. This study evaluated the efficacy of a medium chain fatty acid ( MCFA ) feed-additive product to reduce Salmonella Enteritidis ( S. E. ) infection in commercial layer hens. One-hundred and forty-four 1-day-old Hy-line pullets were raised on new litter until 10 wk of age when they were moved into individual cages. There were 3 treatments, 1) Control, 2) MCFA given d 0-termination, and 3) MCFA given wk 10-termination. MCFA blend was a mixture of C6, C8, and C10 acids. At 17 wk-of-age each bird was orally challenged with 3 × 10 6 CFU/bird of a nalidixic acid resistant S.E. strain. Seven- and 14-d postchallenge, ceca and ovaries were aseptically collected and cultured for S.E. Significant differences ( P < 0.05) in mean cecal S.E. log 10 MPN/g were observed between 7 d postinfection compared with 14 d postinfection. Fourteen days post infection, MCFA d 0 birds had significantly ( P < 0.05) lower prevalence than the untreated group and the MCFA (wk 10) group did not differ significantly from either of the other 2 groups. No significant differences ( P < 0.05) in prevalence and mean ovary S.E. log10 MPN/g were observed. Inclusion of MCFA d 0-termination resulted in reduction of S.E. infection in ceca's, but this benefit was not seen in ovary S.E. prevalence.

PSVI-4 Efficacy of Medium Chain Fatty Acids and Fatty Acid-based Feed Additives as a Mitigation Strategy Against Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus

Abstract Recent research has demonstrated that swine viruses can be transmitted via feed. Chemical feed additives have been suggested for the mitigation of these viruses in complete feed. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a commercially available formaldehyde-based feed additive, medium chain fatty acid blend (MCFA), and commercially available fatty acid-based products for mitigation of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in a feed matrix. Treatments consisted of: 1) non-treated positive control, 2) 0.33% commercial formaldehyde-based product (Sal Curb; Kemin Industries, Inc.; Des Moines, IA), 3) 0.5% MCFA blend (1:1:1 ratio of C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0, Sigma Aldrich, St. Louis, MO), 4) 0.25%, 5) 0.5%, or 6) 1% of commercial dry mono and diglyceride-based product (Furst Strike; Furst-McNess Company, Freeport, IL), 7) 0.25%, 8) 0.5%, or 9) 1% of commercial dry mono and diglyceride-based product (Furst Protect; Furst-McNess Company, Freeport, IL), 10) 0.25%, 11) 0.5%, or 12) 1% dry mono and diglyceride-based experimental product (Furst-McNess Company, Freeport, IL) with 3 replications/treatment. Treatments were applied to complete swine feed before inoculation with 106 TCID50/g of feed with PEDV or PRRSV. Post inoculation feed was held at ambient temperature for 24 h before being analyzed via qRT-PCR. The analyzed values represent the cycle threshold. Formaldehyde and MCFA decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the detectable RNA of PEDV and PRRSV compared to all other treatments. Furst Strike, Furst Protect, and the experimental product did not significantly impact detectability of PEDV or PRRSV RNA. In conclusion, MCFA and formaldehyde treatments are effective at reducing detection of RNA from PEDV and PRRSV in feed.

PSVI-7 Evaluation of Feed Mitigant Efficacy for Control of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus When Inoculated Either Alone or Together

Abstract Research has demonstrated that swine feed can be a fomite for viral transmission and certain feed additives can effectively reduce viral contamination. However, additional information is needed to evaluate the efficacy of additives when feed is inoculated with more than one virus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of two feed additives for mitigation of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) when inoculated individually or together. Feed additives included: 1) no treatment, 2) 0.33% commercial formaldehyde-based product (Sal Curb, Kemin Industries, Des Moines, IA), and 3) 0.50% medium chain fatty acids blend (MCFA; 1:1:1 ratio of C6:C8:C10, Sigma Aldrich, St. Louis, MO). Samples were inoculated with PEDV and PRRSV alone or together at an inoculation concentration of 106 TCID50/g for all viruses. Once inoculated, feed was stored at ambient temperature for 24-h before analyzed via qRT-PCR. For samples inoculated with PEDV or PRRSV alone, a qRT-PCR assay was used which was designed to detect PEDV or PRRSV nucleic acid. For co-inoculated samples, an assay was designed to independently detect both PEDV and PRRSV within a single reaction. For PEDV alone, there was marginally significant evidence that feed additives resulted in differences in cycle threshold (Ct) value (P = 0.052), but no evidence was observed for pairwise differences. For PRRSV alone, formaldehyde increased Ct compared to the untreated control and MCFA treatment (P &amp;lt; 0.05). For co-infection of PRRSV and PEDV, MCFA and formaldehyde increased Ct (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in comparison to non-treated feed. In summary, formaldehyde increased Ct values in feed when contaminated with PRRSV while both mitigants increased Ct value in feed when co-inoculated with PRRSV and PEDV.

72 Young Scholar Presentation: Use of medium chain fatty acids as mitigation or prevention strategies against pathogens in swine feed

Abstract Four experiments were conducted to evaluate: 1) medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) application to swine feed pre- or post-viral contamination with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), 2) MCFA levels and combinations measured by qRT-PCR, and 3) selected MCFA in bioassay. In Exp. 1, treatments were a 2x2 + 1 factorial with the main effects of chemical treatment (0.3% commercial formaldehyde (CF), Sal CURB [Kemin Industries, Des Moines, IA] or 1% MCFA blend (Blend) of 1:1:1 C6:C8:C10 [PMI, Arden Hills, MN]) and timing of application pre- or post-inoculation with PEDV; plus a positive control (PC; feed inoculated with PEDV and no chemical treatment). All combinations of treatment and timing decreased detectable PEDV compared to PC (P&amp;lt; 0.05). Pre-inoculation had decreased PEDV detection compared to post-inoculation (P=0.009). Commercial formaldehyde decreased PEDV detection compared to MCFA (P&amp;lt; 0.001). In Exp. 2 and 3, pre-inoculation treatments consisted of: 1) PC, 2) 0.3% CF, and varying levels (0.125-0.66%) and combinations of MCFA (C5:0, C6:0, C8:0, or C10:0). In Exp. 2, treating feed with 0.33% C8:0 decreased (P&amp;lt; 0.05) PEDV detection compared to all levels of MCFA and PC. In Exp. 3, treating feed with CF, 0.5-1% Blend, all levels of C6:0+C8:0, 0.25% C6:0+C10:0, 0.33% C6:0+C10:0, 0.25% C8:0+C10:0, or 0.33% C8:0 + 0.33% C10:0 resulted in decreased PEDV detection compared to PC (P&amp;lt; 0.05). In Exp. 4, feed was treated pre-inoculation with either 1) no treatment (PC), 2) 0.3% CF, 3) 0.5% Blend, or 4) 0.3% C8:0 and analyzed via qRT-PCR and bioassay. Adding 0.5% Blend or 0.3% C8:0 resulted in decreased PEDV detection compared to PC. All chemical treatments resulted in no evidence of infectivity in the bioassay while the positive control did produce evidence of infectivity. In conclusion, lower levels of MCFA than previously evaluated may provide in-feed protection against PEDV.

Effects of medium-chain fatty acids as alternatives to ZnO or antibiotics in nursery pig diets.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) on nursery pig performance in place of ZnO and carbadox. In this trial, 360 weanling pigs (DNA 200 × 400; 5.4 ± 0.07 kg BW) were fed for 35 d, with 6 pigs/pen and 10 replicate pens/treatment. Upon weaning, pigs were weighed and allotted to pens based on BW in a completely randomized design to one of six treatment diets: 1) Negative control (no added ZnO or carbadox); 2) Control + 3,000 ppm ZnO in phase 1 and 2,000 ppm ZnO in phase 2; 3) Control + 50 g/ton carbadox; 4) Control + C6:C8:C10 MCFA blend; 5) Control + Proprietary Oil Blend (Feed Energy Corp.); and 6) Control + monolaurate blend (FORMI GML from ADDCON). Treatment diets were fed through two dietary phases and a common diet fed through phase three. Pigs and feeders were individually weighed on a weekly basis to determine average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI). From days 0 to 19, pigs being fed the ZnO or Carbadox diets had the greatest ADG. These pigs had significantly higher (P < 0.05) ADG than pigs fed the control or Feed Energy Proprietary Oil Blend, whereas pigs fed the C6:C8:C10 blend or FORMI GML diets had similar (P > 0.05) ADG compared with those fed carbadox. These effects were primarily driven by feed intake, which was greatest (P < 0.05) in pigs fed ZnO and carbadox. Treatment diet had a marginally significant effect (P = 0.078) on G:F. Increased day 19 BW (P < 0.05) was observed for pigs fed ZnO and carbadox compared with the negative control, whereas other treatments were intermediate. Additionally, blood data and fecal scores were collected throughout the trial. On day 21, pigs fed ZnO or carbadox had higher (P < 0.0001) glucose values than those fed the Feed Energy Proprietary Oil Blend, with other diets being intermediate, showing potential health benefits of carbadox. Although ZnO resulted in higher glucose values, it may also contribute to hepatic issues. Although replacing ZnO and carbadox with MCFA did not result in significant changes in gut microflora, it did affect fecal consistency by softening the feces during the treatment period. Overall, these results show that ZnO and carbadox are valuable additives to help maximize growth performance in early stages of the nursery. Some MCFA products, like FORMI GML, may result in similar performance, whereas others restrict it. Thus, additional research is needed to study the effectiveness of MCFA to replace ZnO or feed-based antibiotics.

Effects of medium chain fatty acids as a mitigation or prevention strategy against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in swine feed.

Feed has been shown to be a vector for viral transmission. Four experiments were conducted to: 1) determine if medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) are effective mitigants when applied to feed both pre- and post-porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) inoculation measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), 2) evaluate varying levels and combinations of MCFA measured by qRT-PCR, and 3) evaluate selected treatments in bioassay to determine infectivity. In exp. 1, treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial with main effects of treatment (0.3% commercial formaldehyde [CF] product, Sal CURB [Kemin Industries, Inc.; Des Moines, IA], or 1% MCFA blend (Blend) of 1:1:1 C6:C8:C10 [PMI, Arden Hills, MN]) and timing of application (pre- or post-inoculation with PEDV) plus a positive control (PC; feed inoculated with PEDV and no treatment). All combinations of treatment and timing decreased detectable PEDV compared with the PC (P < 0.05). Pre-inoculation treatment elicited decreased magnitude of PEDV detection (cycle threshold value) compared with post-inoculation (P = 0.009). Magnitude of PEDV detection was decreased for CF compared with Blend (P < 0.0001). In exp. 2, pre-inoculation treatments consisted of: 1) PC, 2) 0.3% CF, 3 to 5) 0.125% to 0.33% C6:0, 6 to 8) 0.125% to 0.33% C8:0, 9 to 11) 0.125% to 0.33% C10:0, and 12 to 15) 0.125% to 0.66% C5:0. Treating feed with 0.33% C8:0 resulted in decreased (P < 0.05) PEDV detection compared with all other treatments. Increasing concentration of each individual MCFA decreased PEDV detectability (P < 0.042). In exp. 3, pre-inoculation treatments consisted of: 1) PC, 2) 0.3% CF, 3 to 7) 0.25% to 1% Blend, 8 to 10) 0.125% to 0.33% C6:0 + C8:0, 11 to 13) 0.125% to 0.33% C6:0 + C10:0, and 14 to 16) 0.125% to 0.33% C8:0 + C10:0. Treating feed with CF, 0.5% Blend, 0.75% Blend, 1% Blend, all levels of C6:0+C8:0, 0.25% C6:0 + 0.25% C10:0, 0.33% C6:0 + 0.33% C10:0, 0.25% C8:0 + 0.25% C10:0, or 0.33% C8:0 + 0.33% C10:0 elicited decreased detection of PEDV compared with PC (P < 0.05). Increasing concentration of each MCFA combination decreased PEDV detectability (linear, P < 0.012). In exp. 4, feed was treated pre-inoculation with: 1) no treatment (PC), 2) 0.3% CF, 3) 0.5% Blend, or 4) 0.3% C8:0 and analyzed via qRT-PCR and bioassay. Adding 0.5% Blend or 0.3% C8:0 resulted in decreased PEDV compared with PC and only PC resulted in a positive bioassay. Therefore, MCFA can decrease detection of PEDV in feed. Further, inclusion of lower levels of MCFA than previously evaluated are effective against PEDV.

Research Note: Evaluating the roles of surface sanitation and feed sequencing on mitigating Salmonella Enteritidis contamination on animal food manufacturing equipment

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of flushing surfaces with untreated feed vs. the use of 2 different dry chemical sanitizers on residual surface and feed Salmonella Enteritidis contamination. First, a Salmonella-negative batch of poultry feed was mixed in 9 laboratory-scale paddle mixers. A feed sample was collected, and targeted locations on surfaces within the mixer were swabbed to confirm Salmonella-negative. Next, a Salmonella-positive batch of poultry feed was mixed, sampled, and mixer surfaces swabbed. Mean Salmonella Enteritidis contamination across all 9 mixers were 3.63 cfu/g for sampled feed and 1.27 cfu/cm2 for surface contamination. Next, the mixers manufactured one of the following treatments (3 mixers/treatment): 1) none (control); 2) a commercially available essential oil blend; or 3) rice hulls treated with a 10% concentration of a propriety blend of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). After each treatment, each mixer manufactured another 2 batches of Salmonella-free feed (sequence 1 and sequence 2). Feed samples were collected, and surfaces were swabbed between each batch of feed. Manufacturing sequence (P < 0.0001) but not treatment (P > 0.05) impacted feed or surface contamination of Salmonella Enteritidis. There was Salmonella-positive residue in the batch of feed manufactured immediately after the positive control batch. However, no Salmonella residue was detected in batches of feed treated with either the commercial essential oil blend or MCFA. Low levels of Salmonella residue were observed from either feed (0.7 cfu/g for commercial essential oil blend) or surfaces (0.1 cfu/cm2 for MCFA) manufactured in sequence 1, but no residue was observed in sequence 2. These data suggest that sequencing of feed during manufacturing reduces Salmonella-positive contamination within animal food and on manufacturing surfaces, particularly after the second batch or with the use of chemical treatments.

Protected Organic Acids Improved Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Decreased Gas Emission in Broilers.

Simple SummaryRecently, the development of antimicrobial resistance of bacteria has become a global health problem. Such a situation has compelled nutritionists and researchers to explore other potential alternatives. Among a variety of candidates for the replacement of antibiotic growth promoters, organic acids (OAs), both individual and as a blend of several acids are the most promising ones as feed additives in animal production. Organic acids maintain cellular integrity of the gut lining and improve the digestive process by maintaining normal gut flora. Addition of OAs to the diet can improve the absorption rate of proteins, amino acids, and minerals. This may contribute not only in improving performance but also reducing nitrogen and phosphorus excretion. Besides, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) constitute another type of acid and have been shown to be potential alternatives for in-feed antibiotics in farm animals as they have strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive cocci and Escherichia coli. The combination of OAs and MCFAs has been reported to improve the nutrient digestibility, growth performance, proliferation of Lactobacillus, and immunity of the animal. The present study investigated the effect of a blend of dietary protected OAs and MCFAs on broiler chickens. The results of this study showed that the blend of OA and MCFA supplementation positively influenced growth performance, DM digestibility, excreta Lactobacillus counts, as well as NH3 gas emission in broiler chickens.We investigated the effects of a blend of organic acids (OAs) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) supplementation in 800 1-d-old male Ross 308 broiler chickens (42 ± 0.90 g) in a 7-week study. Broiler chicks were randomly allocated into one of the five dietary treatments (16 birds per pen with 10 pens per treatment). Dietary treatments consisted of corn-soybean meal based basal diet and the basal diet supplemented with blend of OAs and MCFAs at 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 g, and 1 g per kg of feed. In the current study, during the whole experimental period, the inclusion of the blend of OAs and MCFAs in the basal diet linearly improved (p < 0.05) body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and dry matter digestibility. The increasing inclusion of the blend of OA and MCFA levels in the diets linearly decreased (p = 0.002) feed intake during d 1 to 7. Broilers fed diets containing different levels of the blend of OAs and MCFAs showed a linear increase (p = 0.006) in Lactobacillus concentrations and decrease (p = 0.014) in ammonia (NH3) at the end of the experiment. However, the blend of OAs and MCFAs did not affect carcass quality, E. coli, and Salmonella counts, as well as hydrogen sulfide and total mercaptans gas emission (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the blend of OA and MCFA supplementation positively influenced growth performance, DM digestibility, excreta Lactobacillus counts, as well as NH3 gas emission in broiler chickens.

Evaluation of different blends of medium-chain fatty acids, lactic acid, and monolaurin on nursery pig growth performance.

A total of 710 pigs (Line 400 × 200, DNA, Columbus, net energy (NE)) were used in two experiments (Exp. 1: initially, 6.3 ± 0.05 kg; Exp. 2: initially, 6.8 ± 0.05 kg) to evaluate the effects of two medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) based products on nursery pig growth performance. Following their arrival at the nursery facility, pigs were randomized to pens (five pigs per pen) and allowed a 4-d acclimation period. Thereafter, pens of pigs were blocked by initial weight and randomized to dietary treatment. In Exp. 1, the dietary treatments were a dose titration of: 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, or 2.0% MCFA-based additive, as well as a diet including 1.0% MCFA from a 1:1:1 blend of C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0. In Exp.2, dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet containing no MCFA (control), the control diet with a 1.0% inclusion of four different blends of MCFA, lactic acid, and monolaurin or a diet with 1.0% added MCFA (a 1:1:1 blend of C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0). The four blends consisted of 50% C6:0, 20% lactic acid, and increasing levels of monolaurin (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) at the expense of C12:0 (30%, 20%, 10%, and 0%). Treatment diets were formulated and manufactured in two dietary phases. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with pen as the experimental unit. In Exp. 1, overall (days 0-34), increasing CaptiSURE increased (linear, P ≤ 0.014) average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI). Feed efficiency improved (quadratic, P = 0.002) with increasing CaptiSURE up to 1.0% of the diet with no benefit thereafter. There was no evidence for differences between pigs fed 1.0% CaptiSURE and pigs fed the 1.0% MCFA blend of C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0. In Exp. 2, overall (days 0-35), pigs fed the 1.0% 1:1:1 MCFA blend had increased (P < 0.034) ADFI and ADG resulting in 0.9 kg greater final weight (P = 0.014) compared with the control group. There was no evidence that the mean performance of pigs fed the four blends of MCFA, lactic acid, and monolaurin were different from the pigs fed the control diet. In summary, the addition of a 1.0% 1:1:1 blend of C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0 in nursery pig diets improved ADG, ADFI, and gain to feed ratio (G:F) compared with pigs fed the control diet. In addition, providing nursery pigs with the MCFA product CaptiSURE, up to 2% of the diet, resulted in linear improvements in ADG and ADFI. Altering the C12:0 to monolaurin ratio and adding lactic acid did not improve growth performance compared with pigs fed the control diet.

Efficacy of Feed Additives Against Swine Viruses in Feed

Research has demonstrated that swine viruses can be transmitted via feed. There­fore, strategies are needed to prevent or mitigate swine viruses in feed. The use of chemical feed additives is a strategy that has been shown to have potential utility for this purpose. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a commercially available formaldehyde-based feed additive, medium chain fatty acid blend (MCFA), and commercially available fatty acid-based products for mitigation of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) as viral mitigants in a feed matrix. Experimental treatments consisted of: 1) non-treated, individually inoculated virus controls (positive control); 2) 0.33% commercial formaldehyde-based product (Sal Curb; Kemin Industries, Inc.; Des Moines, IA); 3) 0.50% MCFA blend (1:1:1 ratio of C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0, Sigma Aldrich, St. Louis, MO); 4) 0.25%; 5) 0.50%; or 6) 1.00% of commercial dry mono and diglyceride-based product (Furst Strike; Furst-McNess Company, Freeport, IL); 7) 0.25%; 8) 0.50%; or 9) 1.00% of commercial dry mono and diglyceride-based product (Furst Protect; Furst-McNess Company, Freeport, IL); 10) 0.25%; 11) 0.50%; or 12) 1.00% dry mono and diglyceride-based experimental product (Furst-McNess Company, Freeport, IL). In total there were 12 treatments with 3 replications per treat­ment. A complete swine feed was treated with each chemical treatment before inocula­tion with 106 TCID50/g of feed with PEDV or PRRSV. Post-inoculation feed was held at ambient temperature for 24 h before being analyzed via quantitative real time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). The analyzed values represent the cycle threshold (Ct). A lower Ct value indicates a higher level of detectable viral nucleic acid. Formaldehyde and MCFA decreased (P < 0.05) the detectable RNA concentration of PEDV and PRRSV compared to all other treatments. Furst Strike, Furst Protect, and the experi­mental product did not significantly reduce detectable concentrations of RNA for PEDV or PRRSV. In conclusion, MCFA and formaldehyde chemical treatments are effective at reducing nucleic acid levels of PEDV and PRRSV in feed.

Assessing the effects of medium-chain fatty acids and fat sources on PEDV infectivity.

:The overall objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) to other common fat sources to minimize the risk of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) cross-contamination in a pig bioassay. Treatments were feed with mitigants inoculated with PEDV after application and were: 1) positive control with no chemical treatment; 2) 0.325% commercially available formaldehyde-based product; 3) 1% blend of 1:1:1 caproic (C6), caprylic (C8), and capric acids (C10) and applied with an aerosolizing nozzle; 4) treatment 3 applied directly into the mixer without an aerosolizing nozzle; 5) 0.66% caproic acid; 6) 0.66% caprylic acid; 7) 0.66% capric acid; 8) 0.66% lauric acid; 9) 1% blend of 1:1 capric and lauric acids; 10) 0.3% commercially available dry C12 product; 11) 1% canola oil; 12) 1% choice white grease; 13) 2% coconut oil; 14) 1% coconut oil; 15) 2% palm kernel oil; 16) 1% palm kernel oil; 17) 1% soy oil and four analysis days (0, 1, 3, and 7 post inoculation) as well as 1 treatment of PEDV-negative feed without chemical treatment. There was a treatment × day interaction (P < 0.002) for detectable PEDV RNA. The magnitude of the increase in Ct value from d 0 to 7 was dependent upon the individual treatments. Feed treated with individual MCFA, 1% MCFA blend, or commercial-based formaldehyde had fewer (P < 0.05) detectable viral particles than all other treatments. Commercial-based formaldehyde, 1% MCFA, 0.66% caproic, 0.66% caprylic, and 0.66% capric acids had no evidence of infectivity 10-d old pig bioassay, while there was no evidence the C12 commercial product or longer chain fat sources inhibited PEDV infectivity. Interestingly, pigs given the coconut oil source with the highest composition of caprylic and capric only showed signs of infectivity on the last day of bioassay. These data suggest some MCFA have potential for reducing post feed manufacture PEDV contamination.