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  • Publication
    The effects of mushroom powder and vitamin D2 enriched mushroom powder supplementation on the growth performance and health of newly weaned pigs
    A complete randomised block design experiment was conducted to examine the effects of mushroom powder (MP) and vitamin D2-enriched mushroom powder (MPD2) on growth performance, faecal scores, coefficient of apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of nutrients and selected microflora in weaned pigs up to day 35 post-weaning. One hundred and ninety-two weaned pigs (7.8kg [SD 1.08kg]) were blocked according to live weight, sex and litter of origin and randomly assigned to the following: (T1) control diet; (T2) control diet +MP; (T3) control diet + MPD2; and (T4) control diet +zinc oxide (ZnO) (n = 12 replicates/treatment). Mushroom powders were included at 2 g/kg of feed achieving a β-glucan content of 200ppm. ZnO was included at 3100 mg/kg feed and halved to 1550 mg/kg after 21 days. Vitamin D content was enhanced in MPD2 using synthetic UVB exposure to obtain a vitamin D2 level of 100 Âµg/kg of feed. Faecal samples were collected on day 14 for microbial and nutrient digestibility analysis. There was no difference (p > 0.05) in ADG, G:F, faecal scores, microbial populations and CATTD of nutrients in pigs supplemented with MP or MPD2 compared with the control diet. The supplementation of MP and MPD2 caused a reduction (p < 0.05) in feed intake compared with the control and ZnO diet throughout the 35-day experimental period. ZnO supplementation increased ADG and ADFI (p < 0.05) during the first period (D0-21) compared with pigs offered MP and MPD2. In conclusion, MP and MPD2 supplementation resulted in similar ADG, G:F, faecal scores compared with the control but were not comparable to ZnO, mainly due to a reduction in feed intake.
    Scopus© Citations 5  67
  • Publication
    Potential of a fucoidan-rich Ascophyllum nodosum extract to reduce Salmonella shedding and improve gastrointestinal health in weaned pigs naturally infected with Salmonella
    Background. Dietary supplementation with a fucoidan-rich Ascophyllum nodosum extract (ANE), possessing an in vitro anti-Salmonella Typhimurium activity could be a promising on-farm strategy to control Salmonella infection in pigs. The objectives of this study were to: 1) evaluate the anti-S. Typhimurium activity of ANE (containing 46.6% fucoidan, 18.6% laminarin, 10.7% mannitol, 4.6% alginate) in vitro, and; 2) compare the effects of dietary supplementation with ANE and Zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, Salmonella shedding and selected gut parameters in naturally infected pigs. This was established post-weaning (newly weaned pig experiment) and following regrouping of post-weaned pigs and experimental re-infection with S. Typhimurium (challenge experiment). Results. In the in vitro assay, increasing ANE concentrations led to a linear reduction in S. Typhimurium counts (P <  0.05). In the newly weaned pig experiment (12 replicates/treatment), high ANE supplementation increased gain to feed ratio, similar to ZnO supplementation, and reduced faecal Salmonella counts on d 21 compared to the low ANE and control groups (P <  0.05). The challenge experiment included thirty-six pigs from the previous experiment that remained on their original dietary treatments (control and high ANE groups with the latter being renamed to ANE group) apart from the ZnO group which transitioned onto a control diet on d 21 (ZnO-residual group). These dietary treatments had no effect on performance, faecal scores, Salmonella shedding or colonic and caecal Salmonella counts (P > 0.05). ANE supplementation decreased the Enterobacteriaceae counts compared to the control. Enterobacteriaceae counts were also reduced in the ZnO-residual group compared to the control (P <  0.05). ANE supplementation decreased the expression of interleukin 22 and transforming growth factor beta 1 in the ileum compared to the control (P <  0.05).
    Scopus© Citations 4  206