An evaluation of natural (RRR-{alpha}-tocopheryl acetate) and synthetic (all-rac-{alpha}-tocopheryl acetate) vitamin E fortification in the diet or drinking water of weanling pigs

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Three experiments conducted with weanling pigs evaluated the effects of vitamin E added to the drinking water or diet on plasma and tissue ƒ¿-tocopherol concentrations. It was found that when vitamin E was not added to the diet or water, plasma ƒ¿-tocopherol declined over the 21-d period. Although there were some interactions (P < 0.01), tissue and plasma ƒ¿-tocopherol concentrations increased linearly when vitamin E was added to the diet or water. The results from the second experiment indicate that plasma ƒ¿-tocopherol concentrations increased (P < 0.01) as vitamin E increased, with greater tissue ƒ¿-tocopherol concentrations (P < 0.01) when natural vitamin E was provided. The conclusions from experiment three plasma ƒ¿-tocopherol increased quadratically (P < 0.01) and plateaued at 8 to 10 h for each treatment group. These results indicate that adding vitaminEto the pigfs water supply at weaning was more effective in increasing plasma ƒ¿-tocopherol than when it was added to the diet during the initial 14 d postweaning, and that natural vitamin E was a superior source compared with synthetic vitamin E.

Optimal utilization of non-additive quantitative trait locus in animal breeding programs

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Idiopathic vesicular disease in swine in Manitoba

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In June of 2007, a ruptured vesicle, rounded with necrotic edges that were blue-grey, was noted on the snout
of a pig from a trailer load of 187 Canadian market hogs that arrived at a harvest facility in Minnesota from Manitoba. Further investigation of these pigs identified 12 animals that had red coalescing erosions on the snout. Another 25% to 30% of the pigs had broken vesicles along the coronary band that were swollen and blanched white, with tissues separating from the edge of the hoof and dewclaws sloughing from their attachments. Testing identified the presence of porcine circovirus and porcine enterovirus. Unfortunately, little is known about the causation
of idiopathic vesicular disease, outbreaks of which occur sporadically.

Effects of low-protein diets supplemented with crystalline amino acids on performance and intestinal development in piglets over the first 2 weeks after weaning

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The results of this study confirmed that reducing the dietary CP level associated with AA supplementation could
improve the utilization of dietary nitrogen in piglets. Intestinal morphology and some digestive enzyme activities were not influenced when dietary CP concentration was reduced from 23.1 to 18.9% in weaned pigs. However, some amino acids may be at insufficient levels to meet piglet requirements when reducing dietary CP concentration from 23.1 to 17.2%. This resulted in reduced feed intake, villous atrophy and reduction of some digestive enzymes activities leading to poor performance during the immediate post-weaning period. Therefore, the ideal protein profile should be further studied in low-protein diets and the correct balance of arginine or glutamine may be required to ensure optimal gut development and performance in weaned piglets when reducing dietary CP concentration from 23.1 to 17.2%.

International scientists raise warning flag on intestinal cholesterol

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A wave of newly published science and analysis from the 2008 International Symposium
on Chylomicrons in Disease (ISCD) raises a warning flag to the global health community
over an overlooked type of cholesterol. It also serves as a call to action towards further
progress that will be featured at the next ISCD conference planned for March 2010.
The science focuses on chylomicrons – a type of cholesterol carrier formed in the
intestine. Because chylomicrons are processed quickly, they are virtually undetected by
common doctor-directed cholesterol tests. Now growing evidence points to chylomicrons
as a major missing puzzle piece in the diagnosis and treatment of metabolic disorders that
give rise to heart disease and stroke, diabetes, chronic obesity and other dangerous health
conditions.

Interferon-α Production by Swine Dendritic Cells is Inhibited During Acute Infection with Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus

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Viruses have evolved multiple mechanisms to evade the innate immune response, particularly the actions of interferons (IFNs). We have previously reported that exposure to dendritic cells (DCs) to foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in vitro yields no infection and induces a strong type I IFN (IFN-α and IFN-ß) response, indicating that DCs may play a critical role in the innate response to the virus. In vivo, FMDV induces lymphopenia and reduced T-cell proliferative responses to mitogen, viral effects that may contribute to evasive of early immune responses. In this study we analyzed the in vivo effects of FMDV infection on the IFN-α response of two populations of dendritic cells. During the acute phase of infection of swine, production of IFN-α from monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs) and skin derived DCs (skin DCs) is inhibited. This effect occurs concurrently with with rising viral titers in the blood; however, these cells are not productively infected. Interstingly, there are no changes in the capability of these DCs to take up particles and process antigens, indicating that antigen-presenting cell function is normal. These data indicate that inhibition of the IFN-α response of dendritic cell populations from blood and skin by FMDV enhances viral pathogensesis in infected animals.

A regional evaluation of injections of high levels of vitamin A on reproductive performance of sows

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A regional study involving 443 litters
from 182 sows was conducted at 5 cooperating experiment
stations to determine the effects of an i.m. injection
of vitamin A at weaning and breeding on subsequent
litter size of sows. The results of this
regional project demonstrated that injection of high
doses of vitamin A in young sows at weaning and breeding
improves the subsequent number of pigs born and
weaned per litter, indicating that vitamin A requirements
for maximal performance may vary with age.

Influence of dietary phosphorus concentration on the digestibility of phosphorus in monocalcium phosphate by growing pigs

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This study was done to determine if the dietary inclusion rate of phosphorus influences the digestibility of it. The results concluded that the digestibility and absorption of phosphorus from monocalcium
phosphate was not influenced by the dietary concentration of phosphorus.

Effects of chito-oligosaccharide supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, and fecal shedding of Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus in weaning pigs

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50 weaning pigs were selected to investigate the effect of dietary chito-oligosaccharide (COS) supplementation on growth performance, fecal shedding of Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus, apparent digestibility and small intestinal morphology. The results indicated that dietary supplementation of COS at 100 and 200 mg/kg enhanced growth performance by increasing apparent digestibility, decreasing the incidence of diarrhea and improving small intestinal morphology.

Fasting regulates the expression of adiponectin receptors in young growing pigs

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Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived
hormone that can improve insulin sensitivity. Its functions
in regulating glucose utilization and fatty acid
metabolism in mammals are mediated by 2 subtypes
of adiponectin receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2). This
study was conducted to determine the effect of fasting
on the expression of adiponectin and its receptors.
The expression of adiponectin was not affected in s.c.
adipose tissue, but adiponectin expression increased in
visceral adipose tissue after fasting. In contrast, expression
of both AdipoR mRNA was increased in the liver
and s.c. adipose tissue of 24-h-fasted pigs compared
with fed pigs, but the mRNA in muscle and visceral
adipose tissue was not affected by fasting. A third putative
adiponectin receptor, T-cadherin, was cloned and
the mRNA expression was determined. T-Cadherin has
been recognized to act as a vascular adiponectin receptor
in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Our
data showed that the expression of T-cadherin was decreased
in the muscle of fasted pigs, suggesting that the
expression of T-cadherin can be regulated by feeding
status. In summary, in young pigs, adiponectin mRNA
was up-regulated by fasting in visceral, but not s.c.,
adipose tissue, whereas AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 mRNA
were increased in s.c., but not visceral, adipose tissue.
The adiponectin receptor, T-cadherin, was expressed in
s.c. and visceral adipose tissue and in muscle, but only
muscle mRNA expression was decreased by fasting.