title: Effects of betaine, organic acids and inulin as single feed additives or in combination on bacterial populations in the gastrointestinal tract of weaned pigs.
abstract: A study was carried out to investigate whether blends of betaine, organic acids and inulin may improve their efficacy to modulate intestinal bacterial populations in weaned pigs compared with the single application of these additives. Moreover, potential postprandial diurnal variations in ileal bacterial numbers were determined in piglets fed the control diet. Twenty-four piglets in two consecutive experiments received a wheat-barley-soybean meal control diet (Con) or the Con diet supplemented with betaine (BET; 0.2%), an organic acid blend (AC; 0.4%) or inulin (IN; 0.2%) as single additives or in combination. Ileal bacterial numbers of total bacteria, lactobacilli, bifidobacteria (p < 0.05) and enterobacteria (p < 0.10) showed a postprandial diurnal variation, thus spot sampling of ileal digesta for the determination of bacterial numbers may not be representative. There were only small effects of BET, AC and IN on ileal and faecal bacterial populations. BET + AC increased total ileal bacterial numbers compared to the Con and AC treatments. BET reduced lactobacilli numbers in faeces, whereas BET + IN increased ileal numbers of bifidobacteria compared to AC and IN. There is evidence that BET, AC, IN and their combinations may affect proliferation of beneficial bacterial populations, although this has to be confirmed in further studies.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Agricultural , Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB , Canada.|b Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart , Germany.
authors.forename: Barbara U
authors.initials: BU
authors.lastname: Metzler-Zebeli
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart , Germany.|c Department of Animal Science , Sebelas Maret University , Surakarta , Indonesia.
authors.forename: Adi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ratriyanto
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart , Germany.
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jezierny
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart , Germany.
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart , Germany.
authors.forename: Meike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eklund
authors.affiliation: a Department of Agricultural , Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB , Canada.|b Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart , Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mosenthin
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001622:Betaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000187:drug effects*; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D007444:Inulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D001622:Betaine; D007444:Inulin
keywords: bacteria; betaine; gastrointestinal tract; inulin; organic acids; pigs