The effect of dietary Laminaria-derived laminarin and fucoidan on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen utilisation, intestinal microflora and volatile fatty acid concentration in pigs.
BACKGROUND
In experiment 1, 30 boars were assigned to one of five treatments (n = 6): T1, 0 g kg(-1) seaweed extract (SWE); T2, 0.7 g kg(-1) SWE; T3, 1.4 g kg(-1) SWE; T4, 2.8 g kg(-1) SWE and T5, 5.6 g kg(-1) SWE. The extract contained laminarin and fucoidan only and was extracted from Laminaria spp. In experiment 2, 28 boars were assigned, in a 2 x 2 factorial to one of four treatments (n = 7): T1, control; T2, control plus 300 mg laminarin; T3, control plus 240 mg fucoidan; T4, control plus 300 mg laminarin and 240 mg fucoidan kg(-1) diet.


RESULTS
In experiment 1 there was a response to SWE on colonic Bifidobacterium spp. (P < 0.01 quadratic), Enterobacterium spp. (quadratic P < 0.05) and on caecal Enterobacterium spp. (quadratic P < 0.05). In experiment 2 there was an interaction (P < 0.05) between laminarin and fucoidan supplementation on Enterobacterium spp. in the proximal and distal colon. Pigs offered laminarin had reduced Enterobacterium spp. compared with pigs offered the control diet. However, the combination of laminarin and fucoidan had increased Enterobacterium spp. compared with alone. Pigs offered diets containing fucoidan had increased Lactobacilli spp. in the proximal colon (P < 0.05) and distal colon (P < 0.001) compared with non-fucoidan diets.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, the reductions in intestinal Enterobacterium spp. and increases in Lactobacilli spp. obtained suggest that laminarin and fucoidan may provide a dietary means to improve gut health in pigs.
Lynch
Mary B
MB
UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, Lyons Research Farm, University College Dublin, Newcastle, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Sweeney
Torres
T
Callan
James J
JJ
O'Sullivan
John T
JT
O'Doherty
John V
JV
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion / Q000187:drug effects; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005936:Glucans; D007795:Laminaria / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013552:Swine
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D005936:Glucans; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; C008247:laminaran; C007789:fucoidan; D009584:Nitrogen