Newborn Piglets Research Articles

The aortic arch of piglets

The morphology of the branches of the aortic arch is an important topic in car- diology. Vessels extending from the aortic arch may differ in number, place of departure in different species of animals, as well as have variations of branching within the same species. However, regardless of the existing variations, all of them are the main arterial highways for organs and tissues of the head, neck and thoracic extremities. Considering the above, we set a goal to study the branches of the aortic arch in piglets and give them a morphometric characteristic. The corpses of newborn piglets of the Landrace breed served as the material for the study. The research method was fine anatomical dissection and morphometry. For fine anatomical dissection, injection of the vascular bed with colored latex was performed. During the study, it was found that two arteries depart from the aortic arch in newborn pig- lets: the left subclavian and the brachiocephalic. When comparing the diameters of these arteries, it can be noted that the distribution of blood flow occurs asymmetrically. The bra- chiocephalic artery has a larger diameter. The brachiocephalic artery follows in the cranial direction and gives off the trunk of the common carotid arteries, after which it continues as the right subclavian artery. The diameter of the trunk of the common carotid arteries ex- ceeds that of the brachiocephalic artery. The diameter of the right subclavian artery did not significantly differ from that of the left subclavian artery. Branches of subclavian arteries include two groups: dorsal and ventral. Mainly the dorsal direction has the costal-cervical trunk, deep cervical and vertebral arteries, and the ventral direction has the brachial trunk, internal thoracic and superficial cervical arteries. The largest artery from the group of dor- sal branches is the costal-cervical trunk. Among the group of ventral branches, two arteries reach the maximum diameter: the internal thoracic and the brachial trunk.

Avaliação de programas para aplicação de ferro dextrano na prevenção da anemia ferropriva de leitões

ABSTRACT To evaluate the effect of different iron dextran application programs on the performance, fecal score, and skin color of suckling piglets, as well as sow performance, 288 piglets from 24 sows were allocated to four treatments in six replications with 12 piglets per experimental unit, in a block design. The treatments were as follows: T200_000, T200_100, T200_200, and T100_100, whose respective values (in mg) corresponded to the applications of the first dose of iron dextran on the second day of life and of the second dose on the 10th day. Piglets on T200_000 and T200_200 showed the highest feed intake. In the period from 10 to 22 days, piglets receiving T100_100 exhibited the highest fecal score. On the 10th day of age, the lowest lightness (L*) value on the ear was obtained with T200_100, and the highest with T100_100. Treatments T200_000, T200_100, and T200_200 generated the highest red color (a*) intensity on the ear, whereas T100_100 provided the lowest hue and parameter b* values on the leg and snout. On the 22nd day of age, the highest b* and hue values of the ear and snout were found in the group fed T100_100. In conclusion, all evaluated programs were efficient in preventing iron deficiency anemia in newborn piglets. To reduce expenses, we recommend administering a single dose of 200 mg of iron dextran to piglets on the second day of life.

ВЛИЯНИЕ ВИДОСПЕЦИФИЧНОГО ПРЕПАРАТА ПРОСТИМУЛ НА УРОВЕНЬ ЭКСПРЕССИИ ГЕНА IL-1 НОВОРОЖДЕННЫХ ПОРОСЯТ, БОЛЬНЫХ КОЛИБАКТЕРИОЗОМ

The article presents the data on the expression level of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) in piglets 3-5 days of age diseased with colibacteriosis, against the background of the use of the species-specific drug Prostimul, containing recombinant type 1 cytokine, vitamins A, E and C, in comparison with antibacterial drug Quinocol Plus. The analysis of the obtained data has shown that the drug Prostimul suppresses the expression of IL-1β by 70 times, and Quinocol Plus – by 6.5 times. This fact indicates the prospect of using the drug to reduce the development of an inflammatory reaction in case of colibacteriosis in newborn piglets. When analyzing hematological blood indicators, a decrease in the number of stab neutrophils was revealed against the background of the use of Prostimul and Quinocol Plus. The analysis of leukocyte indices of blood intoxication has indicated that against the background of the use of the drug Prostimul this indicator decreases by 4.9 times, and Quinocol Plus – by 5.6 times, respectively.

Alterações clínicas, histopatológicas e hematológicas decorrentes de púrpura trombocitopenica isoimune em leitões

ABSTRACT: Isoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an immune-mediated disease that causes severe hemorrhagic lesions and high mortality in piglets. The disease can occur early in newborn piglets (EITP) or late in 2- to 3-week old piglets (LITP). In this study, we analysed the clinical, pathological, and hematological aspects of 391 ITP cases (312 with EITP and 79 with LITP). In LIPT cases, morbidity and mortality rates were higher, with rates of 60% (morbidity) and 53% (mortality). The main clinicopathological findings in ITP cases were different patterns of hemorrhages organs and tissues. In EITP, clinical signs were characterized by extensive subcutaneous hemorrhages and death occurred within a few days; however, in LITP, often sudden death occurred. In macroscopic analysis, hemorrhagic diathesis was observed in all affected animals. In EITP, the most severe hemorrhagic lesions were integumentary, mainly in the dermis and epidermis. In LITP, visceral lesions were predominant, mainly in the epicardium and intestines. Microscopic bone marrow analysis revealed mild cellular hyperplasia in EITP and bone marrow aplasia in LITP. hematological analyses revealed leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia in all ITP-affected animals. However, fostering by a different sow was only efficient in controlling EITP and had little effect in LITP-symptomatic piglets, due to more severe lesions. Further studies on the etiopathogenesis of LITP are required to improve our understanding of this disease form.

EFFECT OF THE DRUG FERONAMIN ON THE LEVEL OF PRO- AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINE GENES EXPRESSION IN THERAPY OF COLIBACTERIOSIS IN PIGLETS

The article presents the data on the level of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines expression in the newborn piglets with colibacteriosis against the background of the application of the complex medicine product Feronamin based on species-specific recombinant interferons. The study of the relative expression level of cytokine genes showed that the antibacterial drug Quinocol Plus reduced the expression level of IL-1α by 13.8 times, IL-1β – by 11.9 times, IL-8 – by 5.8 times, IL-10 – by 2.1 times, IFN-γ – by 11.3 times, did not affect IL-6, stimulated the expression of IFN-α genes by 3.8 times, TGF-β – by 7 times, while the combined use of the drugs Feronamin and Quinocol Plus suppressed the relative expression level of IL-1α by 23.0 times, IL-1β – by 31.1 times, IL-6 – by 10 times, IL-8 – by 3.5 times, IL-10 – by 3.3 times, IFN-γ – by 4.8 times, stimulated the expression of IFN-α genes by 1.9 times, TGF-β – by 3 times. Based on the study, the medicine product Feronamin can be recommended as an immunomodulator in the antibacterial treatment of colibacteriosis in newborn piglets to reduce stimulation of the immune response.

Maternal supplementation with glycerol monolaurate improves the intestinal health of suckling piglets by inhibiting the NF-κB/MAPK pathways and improving oxidative stability.

Glycerol monolaurate (GML) is a food safe emulsifier and a kind of MCFA monoglyceride that has been proven to confer positive benefits in improving animal health, production and feed digestibility as a feed additive. This study aims to evaluate whether supplementation of a sow diet with GML could affect the intestinal barrier function and antioxidant status of newborn piglets and to explore its regulatory mechanism. A total of 80 multiparous sows were divided into two groups, which were fed a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 0.1% GML. The results indicated that maternal supplementation with GML significantly increased fat, lactose and protein in sow colostrum, as well as fat and protein in sow 14-day milk (P < 0.05). The results showed that GML significantly reduced the concentrations of IL-12 in the duodenum, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-12 in the jejunum, and IL-1β in the ileum of piglets (P < 0.05). Higher concentrations of T-AOC, T-SOD, GSH and GSH-Px and lower MDA in the intestine were observed in the GML group than in the control group. Correspondingly, the villi height, crypt depth and the ratio of villi height to crypt depth (V/C) in the jejunum and the V/C in the ileum in the GML group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the GML group displayed significantly increased protein abundance of zonula occludens (ZO)-1, occludin, and claudin-1 in the small intestine (P < 0.05), mRNA expression of mucins (MUCs) in the small intestine (MUC-1, MUC-3 and MUC-4), and mRNA expression of porcine beta defensins (pBDs) in the duodenum (pBD1 and pBD2), jejunum (pBD1, pBD2 and pBD129) (P < 0.05), and ileum (pBD2, pBD3 and pBD114) (P < 0.05). Further research showed that GML significantly reduced the phosphorylation of the NF-κB/MAPK pathways in the small intestine (P < 0.05). In addition, the results of 16S rDNA sequencing showed that maternal supplementation with GML altered the colonic microbiotic structure of piglets, and reduced the relative abundance of Escherichia shigella. In summary, a sow diet supplemented with GML enhanced the offspring's intestinal oxidative stability and barrier function and attenuated the offspring's intestinal inflammatory response, possibly by suppressing the activation of the NF-κB/MAPK pathways.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF IMMUNOMORPHOLOGICAL BLOOD INDICATORS OF HYPOTROPHIC PIGLETS

The article presents the data on immunological and morphological blood indicators of the newborn piglets. In the experiment, 20 sows of the 3rd-4th farrowing and the offspring obtained from them were selected. During the farrowing period, the piglets underwent clinical examination and weighing. The animals that did not reach 900 g were counted as hypotrophic piglets, the animals over 900 g – normotrophic, respectively. The first group (n=10) - hypotrophic piglets, and the second (n=10) - normotrophic piglets. Morphological blood examination in the hypotrophic piglets showed a decrease in the concentration of hematocrit and hemoglobin. The mean cell hemoglobin (MCH) assumed the values at the upper limit of the physiological norm, while the mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) in the normotrophics was by 17% higher than in the hypotrophics (p&lt;0.05). The red cell distribution width (RDW) in the normotrophics was by 2.3 times higher than in the hypotrophics (p&lt;0.05). When studying the immunological status of piglets, it was noted that the serum lysozyme activity in the hypotrophics was by 16% lower than in the normotrophics. The PAL in the normotrophics was 79.6±1.58, which was by 4.8% higher than in the hypotrophics (p&lt;0.05). The PhN in the hypotrophics was by 11% less than in the normotrophics (p&lt;0.05). The phagocytic index in the normotrophics was by 10% higher than in the hypotrophics (4.68±0.16) (p &lt; 0.05). The PR of the normotrophics was by 1.5 times higher than that of the hypotrophics and was 3.03±0.2 (p&lt;0.05).

Relationship between dexamethasone treatment around parturition of primiparous sows and farrowing performance and newborn piglet traits

This study evaluated the relationship between the steroidal anti-inflammatory action of dexamethasone treatment in primiparous sows and farrowing and piglet performance in the first 5 d of life. For this purpose, 234 gilts were selected on the day of farrowing and distributed among three treatments: CON - control, without dexamethasone treatment; DexaPF - treatment with dexamethasone (20 mg im) per female at the moment of copious colostrum secretion (pre-farrowing); and DexaFO - treatment with dexamethasone (20 mg im), per female when the first piglet was born (farrowing onset). All females and their litters were evaluated regarding farrowing duration, obstetric interventions, colostrum yield and intake, newborn piglet traits, and piglet performance until 5 d of age. A subsample of 79 females (∼26 per treatment) had their blood glucose concentration evaluated hourly shortly after the first piglet was born until the end of farrowing. Additionally, blood samples from 11 litters per treatment were collected for immunocrit evaluation. As a result, faster farrowing was observed in the DexaPF treatment (188.14 min; P = 0.002) compared with CON (229.99 min) and DexaFO (221.79 min). Additionally, lower obstetric intervention rates were observed in sows treated with dexamethasone (DexaPF = 7.69%; DexaFO = 5.13%) compared with CON (19.23%; P = 0.02). The sow's blood glucose concentration during farrowing was higher in DexaPF (90.55 mg/dL) than in CON (73.15 mg/dL) and DexaFO (80.06 mg/dL) treatments (P < 0.01). Besides the effect on farrowing duration, no differences among treatments were observed regarding piglets born alive and stillbirths, newborn piglet vitality, colostrum consumption, immunocrit, and colostrum yield (P ≥ 0.17). Regarding piglet traits, higher percentages of piglets born without meconium staining and lower percentages of piglets with meconium scores 2 and 3 were observed in the groups treated with dexamethasone (DexaPF and DexaFO; P < 0.01) compared with CON. However, piglet weight gain and survival rate until 5 d of age were not affected by the treatment (P ≥ 0.61). In summary, dexamethasone treatment before farrowing onset, in primiparous sows, had the potential to reduce the farrowing duration and the necessity of obstetric intervention, but it did not affect the main productive parameters such as the occurrence of stillbirths, piglet weight gain, and survival rates until 5 d of age.

Study of adipose tissue of Kemerovo piglets: Detection of beige adipocytes

Animals have two types of adipose tissue differing in structure and function: white (WAT) and brown (BAT). Beige adipose tissue (BeAT) is a result of WAT browning, when beige adipocytes appear between white adipocytes in response to exposure to cold, diet or physical activity. BeAT shares morphological and biochemical characteristics with BAT, is thermogenic and dissipates energy in the form of heat, unlike WAT, which is responsible for energy storage. Pigs do not have classic BAT, and modern breeds are sensitive to cold. There is literature information that BeAT has been found in cold-resistant pigs. The aim of the work was to study adipose tissue of piglets of the Kemerovo cold-resistant breed under growing conditions in the cold season and to identify the localization of BeAT. Histological studies have shown two types of adipocytes in subcutaneous fat samples (lateral, backfat and axillary): white, with one large fat droplet, and beige, multilocular. Larger cells were detected in backfat fat (69.36±12.98 µm) compared with lateral (53.25±9.27 µm) and axillary fat (45.94±8.29 µm). Only WAT with a diameter of 35.69±6.96 µm was present in the internal perirenal fat. Raman spectroscopy was used to evaluate the overall fatty acid profile of the tested samples. The main peaks were noted in all samples: 970 cm-1 (=C-H out-of-plane bend), 1266/1272 cm-1 (=C-H symmetrical rock) and 1655 cm-1 (C=C stretching) responsible for unsaturated bonds, and signals at 1297/1301 cm-1 (CH2 twisting), 1430/1460 cm-1 (CH2 symmetrical deformation (scissoring)) and 1735/1746 cm-1 (C=O stretching) corresponding to saturated bonds or ester groups. Internal perirenal fat contained the largest number of saturated fatty acid bonds, subcutaneous axillary fat — the smallest. The average intensity of the peaks was 0.4801010 and 0.639995, respectively. According to the results of gas chromatography, the largest amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids was noted in the subcutaneous fat samples: 20.199 in backfat fat, 21.749 in lateral and 20.436 in axillary fat compared to 18.636 in internal fat. Activation of beige cells in Kemerovo pigs under cold exposure, according to the authors, plays a crucial role in the heat balance, allowing them to tolerate cold without severe shivering. The study of the BeAT formation is of great practical importance for changing energy metabolism and increasing thermogenesis in newborn piglets by genome editing, as well as for improving the quality of pig’s fat.

The effect of piglet vitality, birth order, and blood lactate on the piglet growth performances and preweaning survival

BackgroundLitter size is going up in modern pig production. Due to large litter size and increased farrowing duration, newborn piglets, during parturition, can suffer from asphyxiation. This alters their blood energy parameters and can contribute to their reduced vitality at birth, which is detrimental to their growth performance and survival. We aimed to evaluate the effects of vitality score, piglets’ umbilical cord blood lactate, glucose, and butyrate, and birth order on growth performance and the preweaning mortality of piglets.ResultsThe more vital (vitality score 2, VS2) piglets had higher umbilical cord blood glucose and butyrate, lower blood lactate, and higher colostrum intake (CI) at birth, and showed higher body weight at birth and at weaning than did less vital piglets (vitality score 1, VS1). Umbilical cord lactate negatively correlated with vitality, colostrum intake, and growth before weaning. Among the four birth-order groups (BOGs), piglets born earlier during parturition had a higher mean vitality score than those born later. BOG1 and BOG2 had significantly higher CI (p < 0.05) than BOG3 and BOG4.ConclusionChanges in piglets’ body weight, colostrum intake, and umbilical cord lactate are associated with piglet vitality and asphyxiation during farrowing. In addition, asphyxiation induced higher umbilical cord lactate may serve as an indicator of low vitality and low colostrum consumption. Overall, improvement in piglets’ vitality and in the farrowing process can help in reducing piglet mortality.

Oral administration of Lactic acid bacteria inhibits PEDV infection in young piglets

Since the emergence of the highly pathogenic porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) strain in 2010, the prevention of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in pig farms remains problematic. To find the reasons behind the high mortality in young piglets, the relative mRNA expression of inflammation-related factors in infected pigs of different ages as well as uninfected pigs were detected by RT-qPCR. The results showed that the mRNA expression of these factors including IL-6 and TNF-α was more increased in infected younger piglets than infected older pigs. To clarify the relationship between these inflammation related factors, the pairwise linear correlation between the relative expression of these factors were analyzed and showed as network mapping with different correlation coefficients. A strong positive correlation was observed between the expression of various factors in 1-week-old piglets. Combined with the difference in mortality of PEDV infection in pigs of different ages, we hypothesized that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) could inhibit PEDV infection in newborn piglets, and an in vivo experiment was carried out. The results of survival rate and wet/dry ratio showed that LAB alleviated PEDV indued mortality and diarrhea. The detection of viral copies and tissue section staining showed less observed viruses in LAB treated pig. RT-qPCR results of gene expression in intestines showed that LAB modulated the gene expression of various host barrier genes, indicating that LAB is potential to inhibit PEDV infection by regulating the host intestinal barrier. However, to use LAB as therapy, how to improve the efficiency on inhibiting PEDV infection needs further studies.

Sodium butyrate protects against rotavirus-induced intestinal epithelial barrier damage by activating AMPK-Nrf2 signaling pathway in IPEC-J2 cells

Rotavirus (RV) mainly infects intestinal epithelial cells, which leads to diarrhea in newborn piglets with dysfunction in the intestinal mucosal mechanical barrier. Sodium butyrate (SB) is one of the metabolites excreted by gut microbes. However, the protective effect of SB on RV infection induced intestinal mucosal mechanical barrier injury and its potential mechanism has not been well elucidated. In the present study, IPEC-J2 cells with RV infection was a model of intestinal mucosal mechanical barrier injury. Our results demonstrated that the appropriate concentration of SB can effectively alleviate TJ structural damage and up-regulating the expression of TJ-related genes. Furthermore, the appropriate concentration of SB can effectively reverse the increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) level induced by RV infection. Meanwhile, the levels of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) and antioxidant proteins NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone 1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were increased through SB treatment. In addition, we found that SB increased cellular antioxidant capacity by activating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) signaling pathway and the cytoprotective effect of SB is limited by GPR109A siRNA. Thus, our findings revealed that SB reduces oxidative stress caused by RV infection and restores the intestinal mucosal mechanical barrier function by activating the AMPK-Nrf2 signal pathway mediated by the receptor GPR109A.

Spraying compound probiotics improves growth performance and immunity and modulates gut microbiota and blood metabolites of suckling piglets.

One factor that shapes the establishment of early neonatal intestinal microbiota is environmental microbial exposure, and probiotic application has been shown to promote health and growth of piglets. Thus, this study hypothesized that environmental probiotic application in early days of life would be beneficial to newborn piglets. This study aimed to investigate the effect of spraying a compound probiotic fermented liquid (CPFL) into the living environment of piglets on their early growth performance and immunity. This work included 68 piglets, which were randomized into probiotic and control groups. Blood and fecal samples were collected at 0, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days of age. Spraying CPFL significantly reshaped the microbiota composition of the delivery room environment, increased piglets' daily weight gain and weaning weight (P<0.001), and modulated piglets' serum cytokine levels (increases in IgA, IgG, and IL-10; decrease in IFN-γ; P<0.05 in each case) in piglets. Additionally, spraying CPFL during early days of life modified piglets' gut microbiota structure and diversity, increased the abundance of some potentially beneficial bacteria (such as Bacteroides uniformis, Butyricimonas virosa, Parabacteroides distasonis, and Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens) and decreased the abundance of Escherichia coli (P<0.05). Interestingly, CPFL application also significantly enhanced the gut microbial bioactive potential and levels of several serum metabolites involved in the metabolism of vitamins (B2, B3, B6, and E), medium/long-chain fatty acids (caproic, tetradecanoic, and peptadecanoic acids), and dicarboxylic acids (azelaic and sebacic acids). Our study demonstrated that spraying CPFL significantly could improve piglets' growth performance and immunity, and the beneficial effects are associated with changes in the gut microbiota and host metabolism. Our study has provided novel data for future development of probiotic-based health-promoting strategies and expanded our knowledge of probiotic application in animal husbandry.

The fatty acid imbalance of cystic fibrosis exists at birth independent of feeding in pig and ferret models.

Persons with cystic fibrosis (CF) exhibit a unique alteration of fatty acid composition, marked especially among polyunsaturates by relative deficiency of linoleic acid and excess of Mead acid. Relative deficiency of docosahexaenoic acid is variably found. However, the initial development of these abnormalities is not understood. We examined fatty acid composition in young CF ferrets and pigs, finding abnormalities from the day of birth onward including relative deficiency of linoleic acid in both species. Fatty acid composition abnormalities were present in both liver and serum phospholipids of newborn CF piglets even prior to feeding, including reduced linoleic acid and increased Mead acid. Serum fatty acid composition evolved over the first weeks of life in both non-CF and CF ferrets, though differences between CF and non-CF persisted. Although red blood cell phospholipid fatty acid composition was normal in newborn animals, it became perturbed in juvenile CF ferrets including relative deficiencies of linoleic and docosahexaenoic acids and excess of Mead acid. In summary, fatty acid composition abnormalities in CF pigs and ferrets exist from a young age including at birth independent of feeding and overlap extensively with the abnormalities found in humans with CF. That the abnormalities exist prior to feeding implies that dietary measures alone will not address the mechanisms of imbalance.

Three Amino Acid Substitutions in the Spike Protein Enable the Coronavirus Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus To Infect Vero Cells.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a continuously evolving pathogen, causes severe diarrhea in piglets, with high mortality rates. To prevent or mitigate the disease, it is common practice to develop live or inactivated PEDV vaccines based on cell-adapted viral variants. Propagating wild-type PEDV in cultured cells is, however, often challenging due to the lack of knowledge about the requirements for the cell adaptation of PEDV. In the present study, by using the RNA-targeted reverse genetic system for PEDV to apply S protein swapping followed by the rescue of the recombinant viruses, three key amino acid mutations in the S protein, A605E, E633Q, and R891G, were identified, which enable attenuated PEDV strain DR13 (DR13att) to efficiently and productively infect Vero cells, in contrast to the parental DR13 strain (DR13par). The former two key mutations reside inside and in the vicinity of the receptor binding domain (RBD), respectively, while the latter occurs at the N-terminal end of the fusion peptide (FP). Besides the three key mutations, other mutations in the S protein further enhanced the infection efficiency of the recombinant viruses. We hypothesize that the three mutations changed PEDV tropism by altering the S2' cleavage site and the RBD structure. This study provides basic molecular insight into cell adaptation by PEDV, which is also relevant for vaccine design. IMPORTANCE Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a lethal pathogen for newborn piglets, and an efficient vaccine is needed urgently. However, propagating wild-type PEDV in cultured cells for vaccine development is still challenging due to the lack of knowledge about the mechanism of the cell adaptation of PEDV. In this study, we found that three amino acid mutations, A605E, E633Q, and R891G, in the spike protein of the Vero cell-adapted PEDV strain DR13att were critical for its cell adaptation. After analyzing the mutation sites in the spike protein, we hypothesize that the cell adaptation of DR13att was achieved by altering the S2' cleavage site and the RBD structure. This study provides new molecular insight into the mechanism of PEDV culture adaptation and new strategies for PEDV vaccine design.

Ethology and assessment of the physiological and somatic status of newborn piglets in industrial conditions

Purpose: to study the main physiological indicators of newborn piglets in industrial conditions; adaptation based on the obtained data of the generally accepted Apgar scale for intensive production.Materials and methods. 152 newborn piglets of a Landrace and Duroc mix, obtained from 12 different sows, were studied according to the existing methodology of the adapted Apgar scale in the conditions of an industrial pig farm. The sows from which the piglets were obtained were of different ages, clinically healthy. The sows were fed using the Dry Rapid feed distribution system, the sows had individual feeders, feeding with compound feed. All planned preventive measures (vaccination and deworming) were carried out according to the established schedule. From the first minutes of life, piglets were fed with colostrum and, later, sows' milk by selfsucking of the udder teats, then, for the introduction of complementary foods, on the 10th day, removable group feeders (pre-starter feeding) and nipple drinkers were provided. All piglets selected by us were examined immediately after birth and 5 and 20 minutes after birth. The assessment of their condition was carried out according to the following criteria: assessment of the general physical condition, the presence of visible developmental pathologies, activity, and the intensity of the sucking reflex. Assessment of the general condition, activity and presence of pathologies was carried out by general clinical methods - examination, palpation, auscultation. To assess the sucking reflex of each piglet, a reflexological method was used: a visual assessment of the sucking reflex on the nipples.Results. In the course of the research, not only the main physiological indicators (parameters, standards) of the above criteria applicable to newborn piglets in industrial conditions have been established, but also the generally accepted Apgar scale for intensive production has been adapted, which will allow you to quickly and reliably assess the morphophysiological state of newborn piglets, their physiological maturity, as well as to make a forecast regarding their further general condition and, based on these signs, to cull.

Comparison between Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and LuxS-deficient strain in regulating gut barrier function and inflammation in early-weaned piglets.

Early weaning-induced stress impairs the intestinal barrier function and adversely affects the health of piglet. Probiotics can be used to prevent and treat various intestinal diseases. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) has an LuxS/AI-2 quorum sensing (QS) system that senses environmental changes through chemical signaling molecules. The aim of the study was to explore whether luxS mutant affects the protective role of LGG in the gut barrier of weaned piglets by comparing the luxS mutant (ΔluxS) with its wild-type (WT). Newborn piglets were orally administered with WT and ΔluxS at dosage of 109 CFU, respectively. Accordingly, newborn piglets in the Con group were orally administered with PBS. Piglets were weaned on day 21 and euthanized on day 24, three days following weaning. Supplementation of ΔluxS in advance significantly boosted the relative abundances of healthy microbes (including Catenibacterium, Eubacterium, Lachnospiraceae and Bifidobacterium). WT and ΔluxS maintain intestinal barrier function mainly by promoting intestinal villus to crypt ratio (VCR), occludin protein expression and mucus secretion (P<0.05). Furthermore, LGG reduces pro-inflammatory mediators by inhibiting TLR4 and MAPK signal transduction (P<0.05). Both WT and ΔluxS were shown to resist weaning stress by enhancing the intestinal barrier function of piglets. It has to be said that the ability of ΔluxS to maintain intestinal tissue morphology and promote mucus secretion significantly decreased compared with that of WT.

Death Receptor DR5 as a Proviral Factor for Viral Entry and Replication of Coronavirus PEDV.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a member of Coronaviridae, causes high mortality in newborn piglets, and has caused significant economic losses in the pig industry. PEDV infection can induce apoptosis, both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent, but the details of apoptosis remain clarified. This study investigated the effect of death receptor DR5 on PEDV infection and its relationship with PEDV-induced apoptosis. We found that DR5 knockdown reduced viral mRNA and protein levels of PEDV, and the viral titer decreased from 104.5 TCID50 to 103.4 TCID50 at 12 hpi. Overexpression of DR5 significantly increased the viral titer. Further studies showed that DR5 facilitates viral replication by regulating caspase-8-dependent apoptosis, and the knockdown of DR5 significantly reduced PEDV-induced apoptosis. Interestingly, we detected a biphasic upregulation expression of DR5 in both Vero cells and piglets in response to PEDV infection. We found that DR5 also facilitates viral entry of PEDV, especially, incubation with DR5 antibody can reduce the PEDV binding to Vero cells. Our study improves the understanding of the mechanism by which PEDV induces apoptosis and provides new insights into the biological function of DR5 in PEDV infection.

Lactobacillus reuteri improves the development and maturation of fecal microbiota in piglets through mother-to-infant microbe and metabolite vertical transmission

BackgroundThe immature neonatal fecal microbiota substantially impacts the development of gut health and greatly increases the risk of disease. Developing effective strategies to modulate the development of neonatal fecal microbiota has great significance. Herein, we investigated whether the maternal dietary supplementation and oral administration of Lactobacillus reuteri could effectively promote the development and maturation of the fecal microbiome in piglets from birth to weaning.ResultsMetagenomic analysis of colostrum showed that maternal dietary L. reuteri supplementation influenced the overall microbiota composition, decreased the abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria and increased that of the species Bifidobacterium choerinum. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that maternal L. reuteri supplementation enriched the lysine biosynthesis and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathways and downregulated the bacterial invasion of epithelial cells in the colostrum. In addition, L. reuteri supplementation significantly altered the metabolite features and modules in umbilical cord blood serum based on metabolomics. Further, a significant covariation was observed between these differential metabolites and the species in colostrum. Maternal dietary L. reuteri supplementation also significantly influenced the microbiota composition and increased the meconium abundance of beneficial bacteria (such as Romboutsia, Lactobacillus, Blautia, Butyricicoccus, and Ruminococcus), some of which were markedly associated with several differential metabolites in umbilical cord blood serum between two groups. Notably, both the maternal dietary supplementation and oral intake of L. reuteri had strong impacts on the overall microbial composition and maturation of fecal microbiota in piglets during early life, and these effects were dependent on the growth stage. Oral administration of L. reuteri promoted diarrhea resistance in neonates, while maternal supplementation of L. reuteri enhanced the abilities of antioxidants and decreased inflammation. Moreover, the administration of L. reuteri via both methods in combination improved the growth performances of piglets.ConclusionOverall, our data demonstrated that L. reuteri had the ability to modulate the composition of fecal microbiota in newborn piglets by influencing the microbial community and functional composition in the colostrum and by altering several key metabolites in the umbilical cord blood serum. Also, both the maternal dietary supplementation and oral administration of L. reuteri effectively promoted the development and maturation of the fecal microbiome in piglets during early life. Both the maternal dietary supplementation and oral administration of L. reuteri in combination optimized the growth performances of piglets.AGipsyD7EKGiNj8Ce5GnYWVideo

BACTERIAL INTESTINAL INFECTIONS OF SWINE

Bacterial intestinal infections are one of the main diseases in pigs of different ages. Bacterial diseases of the pig digestive tract lead to significant economic losses due to high mortality, reduced growth, treatment and prevention costs.&#x0D; The main bacterial intestinal infections of pigs are anaerobic enterotoxemia (clostridiosis), colibacillosis, intestinal salmonellosis, dysentery, proliferative enteropathy (ileitis).&#x0D; Anaerobic enterotoxemia of pigs is an acute toxic-infectious disease mainly of newborn piglets, caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Clostridium and characterized by hemorrhagic-necrotic inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, diarrhea and toxicosis.&#x0D; Swine colibacillosis is an intestinal infection caused by the enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, which is able to produce enterotoxins that locally affect the intestines of pigs, causing diarrheal syndrome.&#x0D; Intestinal salmonellosis is a factorial infection. The causative agents are enteropathogenic salmonella (mainly Salmonella enterica serotype typhimurium), which cause inflammation and necrosis of the small and large intestine, leading to diarrhea, which may be accompanied by generalized sepsis.&#x0D; Dysentery is a severe enteroinfection of pigs caused by the anaerobic bacterium Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, characterized by fever, debilitating mucohemorrhagic diarrhea and dehydration, leading to high mortality among animals.&#x0D; Proliferative enteropathy is a sporadic disease of pigs caused by Lawsonia intracellularis. The acute form of ileitis, known as proliferative hemorrhagic enteritis, is characterized by intestinal hemorrhage and sudden death, and usually occurs in pigs older than 4 months.&#x0D; Diarrhea in piglets can also be caused by enterococci (Enterococcus spp.) and chlamydia (Chlamydia suis). Enterococcal bacteria cause diarrhea in newborn piglets, and intestinal chlamydia infections are mostly common in rearing piglets, and it is believed that most intestinal infections caused by chlamydia are subclinical.&#x0D; The literature review regarding the etiology, pathogenesis and clinical diagnosis of major bacterial intestinal infections in pigs is presented in the article.