title: Effect of maternal supplementation with seaweed extracts on growth performance and aspects of gastrointestinal health of newly weaned piglets after challenge with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88.
abstract: In the present study, a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal supplementation with seaweed extracts ( - SWE v. +SWE, n 20) from day 83 of gestation until weaning (day 28) on post-weaning (PW) growth performance, faecal score, faecal enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) toxin quantification, intestinal histology and cytokine mRNA of unchallenged and ETEC-challenged pigs. Pigs were ETEC challenged on day 9 PW. There was a maternal treatment × challenge (SWE × ETEC) interaction effect on growth performance and faecal score (P< 0.05). Pigs from SWE-supplemented sows and ETEC-challenged (SE) had higher average daily gain (ADG) during 0-13 d PW and reduced faecal score during 0-72 h post-challenge than those from basal-fed sows and ETEC-challenged (BE) (P< 0.05). However, there was no difference between unchallenged pigs from the SWE-supplemented sows (SC) and basal-fed sows (BC) (P>0.10). Pigs from the SWE-supplemented sows had reduced heat-labile enterotoxin gene copy numbers than those from the basal-fed sows (P< 0.05). Maternal SWE supplementation increased the villus height in the ileum of pigs (P< 0.05). There was a SWE × ETEC interaction effect (P< 0.05) on IL-6 mRNA and a SWE × gastrointestinal (GI) region interaction effect (P< 0.05) on transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and TNF-α mRNA. IL-6 mRNA was down-regulated in SC pigs than BC pigs (P< 0.05). However, there was no difference in IL-6 mRNA between SE and BE pigs. The mRNA of TGF-β1 and TNF-α was down-regulated in the colon of pigs from the SWE-supplemented sows compared with those from the basal-fed sows (P< 0.05). However, there was no difference in TGF-β1 and TNF-α mRNA in the ileum between the pigs from the SWE-supplemented sows and basal-fed sows. In conclusion, maternal SWE supplementation improves ADG and the aspects of GI health of weaned pigs following an ETEC challenge.
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin,Belfield,Dublin 4,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heim
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin,Belfield,Dublin 4,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin,Belfield,Dublin 4,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: O'Shea
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin,Belfield,Dublin 4,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin,Belfield,Dublin 4,Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: O'Doherty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005243:Feces; D005260:Female; D007082:Ileum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D007795:Laminaria; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012624:Seaweed; D013552:Swine; D014886:Weaning; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004768:Enterotoxins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger