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Animals
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Non-antibiotic Feed Additives: Implications for Pig Growth and Health
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Non-antibiotic Feed Additives: Implications for Pig Growth and Health

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Pigs".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2022) | Viewed by 21159

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Feiruo Huang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: animal molecular nutrition; feed science; gut microbiota; gut immunity; animal production; plant extracts

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Antibiotics are used in swine feed as a growth promoter, to improve feed efficiency, and to reduce susceptibility to bacterial infections, resulting in an increased profitability of production for swine producers. However, the practice has become increasingly controversial and has been banned in the European Union, the United States of America, and China. Thus, finding safe and effective alternatives to traditional antibiotics will allow swine producers to maintain a competitive advantage.

Nowadays, non-antibiotic feed additives are being developed to help strengthen the immune systems of pigs, regulate their gut microbiota, and reduce the negative effects of weaning and other environmental challenges. The most commonly used feed additives include acidulants, zinc–copper, probiotics, direct-fed microorganisms, yeast-based products, nucleotides, and plant extracts to trigger immune responses, and these could be explored as natural alternatives to prophylactic antibiotics. However, the amount of antibiotics added and their specific effects on pigs are inconsistent among research in the literature; therefore, more relevant research is needed in this area.

In this Special Issue, we intend to focus on the use of feed additives to strengthen the immune function and intestinal barrier function in pigs. We call on researchers to contribute their recent findings, especially those on the topics such as but not limited to the following:

  • Intestinal immune response;
  • Growth performance;
  • Intestinal mucosal morphology;
  • Antioxidant capacity;
  • Gut microbiota;
  • Meat quality.

Prof. Dr. Feiruo Huang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gut microbiota
  • immune responses
  • inflammation
  • growth performance
  • gut barrier
  • antioxidant capacity
  • plant extract

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 3638 KiB  
Article
Galacto-Oligosaccharides Increase the Abundance of Beneficial Probiotic Bacteria and Improve Gut Architecture and Goblet Cell Expression in Poorly Performing Piglets, but Not Performance
by Adam Lee, Stephen C. Mansbridge, Lu Liang, Ian F. Connerton and Kenneth H. Mellits
Animals 2023, 13(2), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13020230 - 8 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2185
Abstract
Poorly performing piglets receiving commercial milk replacers do not benefit from the naturally occurring probiotic galacto-oligosaccharides otherwise found in sow milk. Study objectives were to investigate the effects of complete milk replacer supplemented with galacto-oligosaccharides on the microbiome, gut architecture and immunomodulatory goblet [...] Read more.
Poorly performing piglets receiving commercial milk replacers do not benefit from the naturally occurring probiotic galacto-oligosaccharides otherwise found in sow milk. Study objectives were to investigate the effects of complete milk replacer supplemented with galacto-oligosaccharides on the microbiome, gut architecture and immunomodulatory goblet cell expression of poorly performing piglets that could benefit from milk replacement feeding when separated from sows and housed with fit siblings in environmentally controlled pens. The study is novel in that it is one of the first to investigate the effects of supplementing complete milk replacer with galacto-oligosaccharides in poorly performing piglets. Gastrointestinal tract samples were collected from piglets, and the microbiome composition was assessed by 16s ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequencing. Gut architectural features, villus/crypt ratio and enumeration of goblet cells in tissues were assessed by histopathological techniques. The most abundant taxa identified at the genus level were Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Prevotella, Lactococcus and Leuconostoc. Milk replacer plus galacto-oligosaccharides significantly improved gut architectural features and villus/crypt ratio throughout the gastrointestinal tract, increased the number of goblet cells and revealed a differential abundance of beneficial probiotic bacteria, particularly Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. In these respects, galacto-oligosaccharide-supplemented milk replacer may be a useful addition to animal husbandry in poorly performing, non-thriving animals when moved to environmentally controlled pens away from sows and fit siblings, thereby modulating the microbiome and gastrointestinal tract performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-antibiotic Feed Additives: Implications for Pig Growth and Health)
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11 pages, 3897 KiB  
Article
Glycine Alleviated Intestinal Injury by Inhibiting Ferroptosis in Piglets Challenged with Diquat
by Xiao Xu, Yu Wei, Hongwei Hua, Huiling Zhu, Kan Xiao, Jiangchao Zhao and Yulan Liu
Animals 2022, 12(22), 3071; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223071 - 8 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1610
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of glycine on intestinal injury caused by oxidative stress in piglets. A 2 × 2 factorial experiment with diets (basic diet vs. 1% glycine diet) and oxidative stress (saline vs. diquat) was conducted [...] Read more.
The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of glycine on intestinal injury caused by oxidative stress in piglets. A 2 × 2 factorial experiment with diets (basic diet vs. 1% glycine diet) and oxidative stress (saline vs. diquat) was conducted on 32 weanling piglets. On day 21, all piglets received an injection of either saline or diquat. After 7 days, all pigs were slaughtered and intestinal samples were collected. Dietary glycine supplementation improved intestinal mucosal morphology, increased the activities of disaccharidases and enhanced intestinal mucosal antioxidant capacity, while regulating the expression of ferroptosis mediators in the piglets under oxidative stress. These findings suggested that dietary glycine supplementation improved the morphology and function of the intestinal mucosa, which was involved in regulating antioxidant capacity and ferroptosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-antibiotic Feed Additives: Implications for Pig Growth and Health)
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13 pages, 3322 KiB  
Article
Effects of Bacillus licheniformis on Growth Performance, Diarrhea Incidence, Antioxidant Capacity, Immune Function, and Fecal Microflora in Weaned Piglets
by Xiaorong Yu, Zhenchuan Cui, Songke Qin, Ruiqiang Zhang, Yanping Wu, Jinsong Liu and Caimei Yang
Animals 2022, 12(13), 1609; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12131609 - 22 Jun 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2272
Abstract
Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) is a safe probiotic that can promote animal growth and inhibit pathogenic bacteria. This study aimed to assess the effects of B. licheniformis, one green feed additive, on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, immune function, fecal volatile [...] Read more.
Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) is a safe probiotic that can promote animal growth and inhibit pathogenic bacteria. This study aimed to assess the effects of B. licheniformis, one green feed additive, on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, immune function, fecal volatile fatty acids, and microflora structure in weaned piglets. Weaned piglets (n = 180) were randomly divided into three treatment groups and fed a basal diet and a basal diet supplemented with 500 mg B. licheniformis per kg and 1000 mg B. licheniformis per kg, respectively. The dietary 500 mg/kg B. licheniformis inclusion improved the average daily gain, reduced diarrhea incidence, and strengthened antioxidant capacity. Piglets supplemented with B. licheniformis presented increased serum immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM) compared to the CON group. Meanwhile, the expression of anti-inflammation factors was increased, and the levels of pro-inflammation factors were reduced after B. licheniformis administration. Moreover, the levels of volatile fatty acids, including acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, and isovaleric acid, in the BL500 and BL1000 groups were increased compared with the CON group, and the concentration of valeric acid was higher in the BL500 group. Furthermore, piglets in the 500 mg/kg B. licheniformis addition group significantly altered fecal microbiota by increasing Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 and Oscillospira. In conclusion, dietary B. licheniformis relieved diarrhea, enhanced antioxidant capacity, immunity function, and fecal microflora structure in weaned pigs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-antibiotic Feed Additives: Implications for Pig Growth and Health)
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Review

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28 pages, 433 KiB  
Review
Too Much of a Good Thing: Rethinking Feed Formulation and Feeding Practices for Zinc in Swine Diets to Achieve One Health and Environmental Sustainability
by Gerald C. Shurson, Pedro E. Urriola and Yuan-Tai Hung
Animals 2022, 12(23), 3374; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233374 - 30 Nov 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 14425
Abstract
The objectives of this review were to summarize current knowledge of Zn in swine nutrition, environmental concerns, potential contribution to antimicrobial resistance, and explore the use of alternative feeding strategies to reduce Zn excretion in manure while capturing improvements in productivity. Zinc is [...] Read more.
The objectives of this review were to summarize current knowledge of Zn in swine nutrition, environmental concerns, potential contribution to antimicrobial resistance, and explore the use of alternative feeding strategies to reduce Zn excretion in manure while capturing improvements in productivity. Zinc is a required nutrient for pigs but is commonly supplemented at concentrations that greatly exceed estimated requirements. Feeding pharmacological concentrations of Zn from ZnO to pigs for 1 to 2 weeks post-weaning reduces post-weaning diarrhea and improves growth performance. Feeding elevated dietary levels of Zn to sows during the last 30 days of gestation can reduce the incidence of low-birth-weight pigs and pre-weaning mortality. Most of the dietary Zn consumed by pigs is not retained in the body and is subsequently excreted in manure, which led several countries to impose regulations restricting dietary Zn concentrations to reduce environmental impacts. Although restricting Zn supplementation in swine diets is a reasonable approach for reducing environmental pollution, it does not allow capturing health and productivity benefits from strategic use of elevated dietary Zn concentrations. Therefore, we propose feeding strategies that allow strategic use of high dietary concentrations of Zn while also reducing Zn excretion in manure compared with current feeding practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-antibiotic Feed Additives: Implications for Pig Growth and Health)
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