title: Lactulose and Lactobacillus plantarum, a potential complementary synbiotic to control postweaning colibacillosis in piglets.
abstract: The potential of a prebiotic oligosaccharide lactulose, a probiotic strain of Lactobacillus plantarum, or their synbiotic combination to control postweaning colibacillosis in pigs was evaluated using an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88 oral challenge. Seventy-two weanlings were fed four diets: a control diet (CTR), that diet supplemented with L. plantarum (2 × 10(10) CFU · day(-1)) (LPN), that diet supplemented with 10 g · kg(-1) lactulose (LAC), or a combination of the two treatments (SYN). After 7 days, the pigs were orally challenged. Six pigs per treatment were euthanized on days 6 and 10 postchallenge (PC). Inclusion of lactulose improved the average daily gain (ADG) (P < 0.05) and increased lactobacilli (P < 0.05) and the percentage of butyric acid (P < 0.02) in the colon. An increase in the ileum villous height (P < 0.05) and a reduction of the pig major acute-phase protein (Pig-MAP) in serum (P < 0.01) were observed also. The inclusion of the probiotic increased numbers of L. plantarum bacteria in the ileum and colon (P < 0.05) and in the total lactobacilli in the colon and showed a trend to reduce diarrhea (P = 0.09). The concentrations of ammonia in ileal and colonic digesta were decreased (P < 0.05), and the villous height (P < 0.01) and number of ileal goblet cells (P < 0.05) increased, at day 10 PC. A decrease in plasmatic tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (P < 0.01) was also seen. The positive effects of the two additives were combined in the SYN treatment, resulting in a complementary synbiotic with potential to be used to control postweaning colibacillosis.
authors.affiliation: Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service, Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Guerra-Ordaz
authors.affiliation: Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service, Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: González-Ortiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: La Ragione
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Woodward
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service, Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service, Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain susana.martin@uab.es.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Martín-Orúe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000382:microbiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D054307:Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D048191:Lactiplantibacillus plantarum / Q000502:physiology*; D007792:Lactulose / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D058616:Synbiotics / Q000032:analysis*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007792:Lactulose