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Productive and nutritive traits of Piatã palisadegrass after thinning the forest component of a silvopastoral system in southeastern Brazil
- H. B. Brunetti, J. R. M. Pezzopane, W. L. Bonani, C. Bosi, R. Pasquini Neto, A. C. de C. Bernardi, P. P. A. de Oliveira
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- Journal:
- The Journal of Agricultural Science / Volume 160 / Issue 5 / October 2022
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 25 August 2022, pp. 338-348
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Silvopastoral systems (SPSs) are sustainable alternatives for pasture intensification. Management practices such as thinning are options to diminish competition for resources between pasture and trees, ensuring appropriate forage production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the productive and nutritive traits of Piatã palisadegrass (Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Piatã) after thinning the forest component of a SPS. Forage production and nutritive value, along with microclimate variables were assessed in a SPS and in an intensive system (INT) in São Carlos-SP, Brazil, from 2016 to 2018. The INT was a full sun pasture of Piatã palisadegrass, while the SPS was established with Piatã palisadegrass shaded by eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urograndis clone GG100) spaced 15 × 2 m but thinned to 15 × 4 m before the onset of the experiment. In the SPS, measurements were made under the tree row (SPS_1), 3.75-m (SPS_2), 7.5-m (SPS_3) and 11.25-m (SPS_4) distant from the North row. Forage accumulation in the two systems were similar, whereas the pre-grazing forage mass in most of the SPS positions were smaller than that of the INT during the autumn of 2017 and summer of 2018. Crude protein (CP) content was greater in the SPS than in the INT in most positions and seasons. Forage production was favoured by the thinning of the trees mainly in the seasons close to the event, while forage CP was consistently greater in the understory pasture. Thinning of trees in SPSs can be adopted to provide forage production similar to intensive pastures with higher protein content.
Immunohistopathological response against anisakid nematode larvae and a coccidian in Micromesistius poutassou from NE Atlantic waters
- B. Sayyaf Dezfuli, E. Simoni, G. Bosi, M. Palomba, S. Mattiucci, L. Giulietti, M. Bao, A. Levsen, P. Cipriani
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- Journal:
- Journal of Helminthology / Volume 95 / 2021
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 10 March 2021, e14
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A survey on Anisakis simplex (sensu stricto (s.s.)) from blue whiting, Micromesistius poutassou, in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean revealed the occurrence of high infection levels of third larval stages in visceral organs and flesh. Larvae were genetically identified with a multilocus approach as A. simplex (s.s.). Histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural observations were conducted on 30 M. poutassou specimens. Gonads, pyloric caeca and flesh harboured encapsulated larvae of A. simplex (s.s.) but no intense host reaction was encountered around the parasite in the above organs. In the liver, the most infected organ, the larvae co-occurred with the coccidian Goussia sp. Within the granuloma around the A. simplex (s.s.) larvae, two concentric layers were recognized, an inner mostly comprising electron-dense epithelioid cells and an outer layer made of less electron-dense epithelioid cells. Macrophages and macrophage aggregates (MAs) were abundant out of the granulomas, scattered in parenchyma, and inside the MAs, the presence of engulfed Goussia sp. was frequent. In liver tissue co-infected with Goussia sp. and A. simplex (s.s.), hepatocytes showed cytoplasmic rarefaction and acute cell swelling. Results suggest that the host-induced encapsulation of A. simplex (s.s.) larvae is a strategic compromise to minimize collateral tissue damage around the larval infection sites, to facilitate the survival of both parasite and host.
Resistant starch reduces large intestinal pH and promotes fecal lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in pigs
- B. U. Metzler-Zebeli, N. Canibe, L. Montagne, J. Freire, P. Bosi, J. A. M. Prates, S. Tanghe, P. Trevisi
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Dietary resistant starch (RS) may have prebiotic properties but its effects on fermentation and the microbial population are inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to quantify the relationship between RS type 2 (RS2) and intestinal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and pH as well as certain key bacterial taxa for intestinal health in pigs. From the 24 included articles with sufficient information about the animal, and dietary and physiological measurements published between 2000 and 2017, individual sub-data sets for fermentation metabolites, pH, bacterial abundances and apparent total tract digestibility were built and used to parameterize prediction models on the effect of RS2, accounting for inter- and intra-study variability. In addition, the effect of pig’s BW at the start of the experiment and duration of the experimental period on response variables were also evaluated using backward elimination analysis. Dietary RS levels ranged from 0% to 78.0% RS, with median and mean RS levels of 28.8% and 23.0%, respectively. Negative relationships could be established between dietary RS and pH in the large intestine (P<0.05), with a stronger effect in the mid and distal colon, and feces (R2=0.64 to 0.81; P<0.001). A dietary level of 15% RS would lower the pH in the proximal, mid-, distal colon and feces by 0.2, 0.6, 0.4 and 0.6 units, respectively. Increasing RS levels, however, did not affect SCFA concentrations in the hindgut, but enhanced the molar proportion of propionate in mid-colon and reduced those of acetate in mid-colon and of butyrate in mid- and distal colon (R2=0.46 to 0.52; P<0.05). Backward elimination indicated an age-related decrease in mid-colonic propionate proportion and increase in mid- and distal colonic butyrate proportion (P<0.05), thereby modulating RS2 effects. In feces, increasing RS levels promoted fecal lactobacilli (R2=0.46; P<0.01) and bifidobacteria (R2=0.57; P<0.01), whereby the slope showed the need for a minimal RS level of 10% for a 0.5 log unit-increase in their abundance. Best-fit equations further supported that a longer experimental period increased fecal lactobacilli but decreased fecal bifidobacteria (P<0.05). In conclusion, dietary RS2 seems to effectively decrease digesta pH throughout the large intestine and increase lactic acid-producing bacteria in feces of pigs which may limit the growth of opportunistic pathogens in the hindgut. To achieve these physiologically relevant changes, dietary RS should surpass 10% to 15%.
Effect of feed supplementation with live yeast on the intestinal transcriptome profile of weaning pigs orally challenged with Escherichia coli F4
- P. Trevisi, R. Latorre, D. Priori, D. Luise, I. Archetti, M. Mazzoni, R. D’Inca, P. Bosi
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The ability of live yeasts to modulate pig intestinal cell signals in response to infection with Escherichia coli F4ac (ETEC) has not been studied in-depth. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-4407 (Sc), supplied at different times, on the transcriptome profile of the jejunal mucosa of pigs 24 h after infection with ETEC. In total, 20 piglets selected to be ETEC-susceptible were weaned at 24 days of age (day 0) and allotted by litter to one of following groups: control (CO), CO+colistin (AB), CO+5×1010 colony-forming unit (CFU) Sc/kg feed, from day 0 (PR) and CO+5×1010 CFU Sc/kg feed from day 7 (CM). On day 7, the pigs were orally challenged with ETEC and were slaughtered 24 h later after blood sampling for haptoglobin (Hp) and C-reactive protein (CRP) determination. The jejunal mucosa was sampled (1) for morphometry; (2) for quantification of proliferation, apoptosis and zonula occludens (ZO-1); (3) to carry out the microarray analysis. A functional analysis was carried out using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. The normalized enrichment score (NES) was calculated for each gene set, and statistical significance was defined when the False Discovery Rate % was <25 and P-values of NES were <0.05. The blood concentration of CRP and Hp, and the score for ZO-1 integrity on the jejunal villi did not differ between groups. The intestinal crypts were deeper in the AB (P=0.05) and the yeast groups (P<0.05) than in the CO group. Antibiotic treatment increased the number of mitotic cells in intestinal villi as compared with the control group (P<0.05). The PR group tended to increase the mitotic cells in villi and crypts and tended to reduce the cells in apoptosis as compared with the CM group. The transcriptome profiles of the AB and PR groups were similar. In both groups, the gene sets involved in mitosis and in mitochondria development ranked the highest, whereas in the CO group, the gene sets related to cell junction and anion channels were affected. In the CM group, the gene sets linked to the metabolic process, and transcription ranked the highest; a gene set linked with a negative effect on growth was also affected. In conclusion, the constant supplementation in the feed with the strain of yeast tested was effective in counteracting the detrimental effect of ETEC infection in susceptible pigs limits the early activation of the gene sets related to the impairment of the jejunal mucosa.
Metabolomics evidences plasma and serum biomarkers differentiating two heavy pig breeds
- S. Bovo, G. Mazzoni, G. Galimberti, D. G. Calò, F. Fanelli, M. Mezzullo, G. Schiavo, A. Manisi, P. Trevisi, P. Bosi, S. Dall’Olio, U. Pagotto, L. Fontanesi
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In pigs, many production traits are known to vary among breeds or lines. These traits can be considered end phenotypes or external traits as they are the final results of complex biological interactions and processes whose fine biological mechanisms are still largely unknown. This study was designed to compare plasma and serum metabolomic profiles between animals of two heavy pig breeds (12 Italian Large White and 12 Italian Duroc), testing indirectly the hypothesis that different genetic backgrounds might be the determining factors of differences observed on the level of metabolites in the analyzed biofluids between breeds. We used a targeted metabolomic approach based on mass spectrometric detection of about 180 metabolites and applied a statistical validation pipeline to identify differences in the metabolomic profiles of the two heavy pig breeds. Blood samples were collected after jugulation at the slaughterhouse and prepared for metabolomics analysis that was carried out using the Biocrates AbsoluteIDQ p180 Kit, covering five different biochemical classes: glycerophospholipids, amino acids, biogenic amines, hexoses and acylcarnitines. A statistical pipeline that included the selection of the most relevant metabolites differentiating the two breeds by sparse Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (sPLS-DA) was coupled with a stability test and significance test determined with leave one out and permutation procedures. sPLS-DA plots clearly separated the pigs of the two investigated breeds. A few metabolites (a total of five metabolites considering the two biofluids) involved in key metabolic pathways largely contributed to these differences between breeds. In particular, a higher level of the sphingomyelins SM (OH) C14:1 (both in plasma and serum), SM (OH) C16:1 (in serum) and SM C16:0 (in serum) were observed in Italian Duroc than in Italian Large White pigs and the inverse was for the biogenic amine kynurenine (in plasma). The level of another biogenic amine (acetylornithine) was higher in Italian Large White than in Italian Duroc pigs in both analysed biofluids. These results provided biomarkers that could be important to understand the biological differences between these two heavy pig breeds. In particular, according to the functional role played by sphingomyelins in obesity-induced inflammatory responses, it could be possible to speculate that a higher level of sphingomyelins in Italian Duroc might be related to the higher interrmuscular fat deposition of this breed compared with the Italian Large White. Additional studies will be needed to evaluate the relevance of these biomarkers for practical applications in pig breeding and nutrition.
Effect of free thymol on differential gene expression in gastric mucosa of the young pig
- M. Colombo, D. Priori, G. Gandolfi, G. Boatto, M. Nieddu, P. Bosi, P. Trevisi
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Thymol is the most common molecule in thyme and has been proposed as an oral alternative to antibiotics in the feed of pigs and broilers. The knowledge of the in vivo physiological effects of thymol on tissues is limited, particularly its impact on the gastric mucosa, where it is primarily absorbed when it is orally supplied. In this study, thymol (TH, 50 mg/ kg BW) or a placebo (CO) was introduced directly into the stomach of 8 weaned pigs that were slaughtered 12 h later and sampled for gastric oxyntic and pyloric mucosa. The analysis of whole transcript expression was performed using Affymetrix© Porcine Gene 1.1 ST array strips. Affymetrix Transcripts IDs were associated with 13 406 human gene names based on Sus scrofa Ensemble. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was performed, comparing TH and CO pigs. For each gene set, the normalized enrichment score (NES) was defined as significant when the false discovery rate % was <25 and the P-value of NES was <0.05. In response to TH, 72 and 19 gene sets were significantly enriched in the oxyntic and pyloric mucosa, respectively. Several gene sets involved in mitosis and its regulation ranked near the top, primarily in the oxyntic mucosa; the gene set DIGESTION ranked first and ninth in the pyloric and oxyntic mucosa, respectively. Within this group, somatostatin (SST), SST receptors, peptide transporter 1 (SLC15A1) and calpain 9 (gastrointestinal tract-specific calpain) were the most strongly upregulated genes. Thymol reduced the enrichment of 120 and 59 gene sets in the oxyntic and pyloric mucosa, respectively. Several gene sets related to ion transport and channeling and aqueous pores across membranes, including short transient receptor potential (TRP) channel 4, potassium voltage-gated channel members 1 and 2, and ryanodine receptors 2 and 3, were less enriched. The downregulation of these genes sensitive to thymol in vitro could depend on the thymol dose and contact with the gastric tissues that causes an adaptive response with their reduced activation. Conversely, the activation of the TRPA1 gene (ranked 1072 and 128 among all the genes in the oxyntic and pyloric mucosa, respectively) indicates the involvement of another TRP-regulating cellular calcium storage. In conclusion, the stimulation of gastric proliferative activity and the control of digestive activity by thymol can influence positively gastric maturation and function in the weaned pigs. These properties should be considered in addition to thymol’s antimicrobial properties when supplementation of this molecule in feed is evaluated.
Polymorphisms in an obesity-related gene (PCSK1) are associated with fat deposition and production traits in Italian heavy pigs
- L. Fontanesi, F. Bertolini, E. Scotti, P. Trevisi, L. Buttazzoni, S. Dall'Olio, R. Davoli, P. Bosi, V. Russo
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The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 1 (PCSK1) gene encodes the prohormone convertase 1/3 enzyme that processes prohormones into functional hormones that, in turn, regulate central and peripheral energy metabolism. Mutations in the human PCSK1 gene cause severe monogenic obesity or confer risk of obesity. We herein investigated the porcine PCSK1 gene with the aim of identifying polymorphisms associated with fat deposition and production traits in Italian heavy pigs. By re-sequencing about 5.1 kb of this gene in 21 pigs of different breeds, we discovered 14 polymorphisms that were organized in nine haplotypes, clearly distributed in two clades of putative European and Asian origin. Then we re-mapped this gene on porcine chromosome 2 and analysed its expression in several tissues including gastric oxyntic mucosa of weanling pigs in which PCSK1 processes the pre-pro-ghrelin into ghrelin, which in turn is involved in the control of feed intake and energy metabolism. Association analyses between PCSK1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and production, carcass and several other traits were conducted on five groups of pigs from three different experimental designs, for a total of 1221 animals. Results indicated that the analysed SNPs were associated (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) with several traits including backfat thickness and visible intermuscular fat in Italian Duroc (ID) and growth performances in Italian Large White (ILW) and in ILW × Italian Landrace pigs. However, the effects estimated in the ILW were opposite to the effects reported in the ID pigs. Suggestive association (P < 0.10) was observed with muscle cathepsin B activity, opening, if confirmed, potential applications to reduce the excessive softness defect of the green hams that is of particular concern for the processing industry. The results obtained supported the need to further investigate the PCSK1 gene to fully exploit the value of its variability and apply this information in pig breeding programmes.
Dietary addition of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG impairs the health of Escherichia coli F4-challenged piglets
- P. Trevisi, L. Casini, F. Coloretti, M. Mazzoni, G. Merialdi, P. Bosi
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Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) is a probiotic for humans and is normally not found in pigs; however, it has been shown to protect the human-derived intestinal Caco-2 cells against the damage induced by an important intestinal pathogen, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F4 (ETEC). An experiment was conducted to test whether the dietary addition of LGG improves the growth and health of weaned pigs when orally challenged by E. coli F4. Thirty-six pigs were weaned at 21 days and assigned to a standard weaning diet with or without 1010 CFU LGG (ATCC 53103) per day. The pigs, individually penned, were orally challenged with 1.5 ml of a 1010 CFU E. coli F4 suspension on day 7 and slaughtered on day 12 or 14. With the addition of LGG, the average daily gain and the average daily feed intake were reduced after the challenge with ETEC and for the entire trial (P < 0.05). The average faecal score tended to worsen from day 11 to the end of the trial and the concentration of ETEC in the faeces tended to increase (P = 0.07) with the LGG supplementation. The counts of lactic acid bacteria, enterobacteria and yeasts in the colonic digesta were not affected. The pH values in ileal, colonic and caecal digesta, and the small intestine size were also unchanged. Regardless of the site of measurement (duodenum, jejunum or ileum), a trend of decreased villus height was seen with LGG (P = 0.10). Crypt depth and villus to crypt ratio were unchanged by the diet. A gradual increase of total seric IgA was seen after 1 week and after the challenge, in the control (P < 0.05), but not in the treated group. After the challenge, the LGG reduced the total IgA in the blood serum (P < 0.05), v. the control. The total IgA in the saliva and in the jejunum secretion were not affected by the diet. The F4-specific IgA activity was not affected by the diet at all the samplings. Our result shows that, the administration of LGG do not prevent or reduce the detrimental effect of the E. coli F4 infection on the growth performance and health status of weaned piglet.
Impact of bioactive substances on the gastrointestinal tract and performance of weaned piglets: a review*
- J. P. Lallès, P. Bosi, P. Janczyk, S. J. Koopmans, D. Torrallardona
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The EU ban on in-feed antibiotics has stimulated research on weaning diets as a way of reducing post-weaning gut disorders and growth check in pigs. Many bioactive components have been investigated but only few have shown to be effective. Amongst these, organic acids (OA) have been shown to exert a bactericidal action mediated by non-dissociated OA, by lowering gastric pH, increasing gut and pancreas enzyme secretion and improving gut wall morphology. It has been postulated that they may also enhance non-specific immune responses and improve disease resistance. In contrast, relatively little attention has been paid to the impact of OA on the stomach but recent data show they can differently affect gastric histology, acid secretion and gastric emptying. Butyrate and precursors of butyric acid have received special attention and although promising results have been obtained, their effects are dependent upon the dose, treatment duration, initial age of piglets, gastrointestinal site and other factors. The amino acids (AA) like glutamine, tryptophan and arginine are supportive in improving digestion, absorption and retention of nutrients by affecting tissue anabolism, stress and (or) immunity. Glutamine, cysteine and threonine are important for maintaining mucin and permeability of intestinal barrier function. Spray-dried plasma (SDP) positively affects gut morphology, inflammation and reduces acquired specific immune responses via specific and a-specific influences of immunoglobulins and other bioactive components. Effects are more pronounced in early-weaned piglets and under poorer health conditions. Little interaction between plasma protein and antibiotics has been found, suggesting distinct modes of action and additive effects. Bovine colostrum may act more or less similarly to SDP. The composition of essential oils is highly variable, depending on environmental and climatic conditions and distillation methods. These oils differ widely in their antimicrobial activity in vitro and some components of weaning diets may decrease their activity. Results in young pigs are highly variable depending upon the product and doses used. These studies suggest that relatively high concentrations of essential oils are needed for beneficial effects to be observed and it has been assumed that these plant extracts mimic most of the effects of antibiotics active on gut physiology, microbiology and immunology. Often, bioactive substances protective to the gut also stimulate feed intake and growth performance. New insights on the effects of selected OA and AA, protein sources (especially SDP, bovine colostrum) and plant extracts with anti-bacterial activities on the gut are reported in this review.