Henrique Gastmann Brand’s research while affiliated with Evonik and other places

Immune system activation alters the demand for amino acid (AA) supply, and amino acid-based nutritional strategies may mitigate performance reduction in pigs subjected to a sanitary challenge (SC). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of extra supplementation of a combination of functional amino acids (FAA, +20% Threonine, Methionine, and Tryptophan) preventively (pre-sanitary challenge), curatively (post-sanitary challenge) or both on the performance of growing pigs challenged with Salmonella typhimurium (ST) and poor housing conditions. Male pigs [n = 60; body weight (BW) = 21.7 ± 4,6 kg] were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments, with a basal AA profile fed throughout the experimental period (Control; NRC, 2012) or a functional AA profile (FAA+; +20% Trip:Lys, Tre:Lys, and Met+Cys:Lys) fed only before the SC (FAA Preventive), after the SC (FAA Curative), or throughout the experimental period (FAA Continuous). On d 0, after a 7-d adaptation period (d -7 to 0, pre-SC), all pigs were inoculated with ST (2 x 109 CFU/mL). Manure from a commercial pig farm was spread on the solid concrete floor, and the room was not cleaned during the experiment for 28 d (d 0 to 28, SC period). Pigs were housed in groups, and diets were supplied using 5 Precision Feeders. Body composition was determined using DXA on d 0 and 28 and protein and lipid deposition was calculated. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, with diets considered a fixed effect and initial BW as a covariate. Each pig was considered the experimental unit, and means were compared using Tukey’s test. There was no effect of providing FAA before the sanitary challenge on performance, indicating that the control diet was adequate for the phase requirements. All pigs tested positive for fecal ST shedding. A 1.2°C increase in rectal temperature was observed on d 1 (P < 0.01), and rectal temperature remained elevated throughout the first week (P < 0.01). The control treatment had a higher rectal temperature than the preventive treatment (P = 0.02). There was an increase in serum haptoglobin on d 7 (P < 0.01). A reduction in albumin on d 7 and 28 compared with the pre-sanitary challenge period was observed (P = 0.02), and pigs in the control group had a greater value compared with the curative and continuous groups (P < 0.01). A heavier final BW (P = 0.02), daily gain (P = 0.02), and feed efficiency (P = 0.01) were observed in the continuous FAA treatment compared with the control, whereas preventive and curative FAA showed intermediate values (Table 1). Providing FAA through a combination of preventive period with curative supply during a chronic sanitary challenge was able to positively modulate the immune response and performance of pigs at the beginning of the growth phase.

Recent insights continue to point to a causal role of the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome in digestion, nutrient absorption, and host metabolism. The GI microbiome may be a frequent target of perturbation since some challenges (i.e., high density, temperature and air quality fluctuations, presence of endemic enteric pathogens) faced by pigs may altogether create a spectrum of contrasting sanitary conditions. Therefore, our study investigated the influence of increased dietary tryptophan, threonine, and methionine supplementation in pigs from “good” vs. “poor” sanitary conditions, on the GI microbiome over time. For that purpose, female growing pigs were randomly assigned in a 2 × 2 factorial design (n = 30/treatment), consisting of two sanitary conditions (“good” vs. “poor”) and two diets [control (CN) vs. supplemented with specific amino acids (Trp, Thr, and Met+Cys:Lys ratios increased to 20% greater than CN]. Pigs allocated to the “good” sanitary condition treatment were sham-inoculated with pure BHI broth and the barn was cleaned twice a day and disinfected once a week. Whereas, “poor” sanitary condition comprised of all pigs being inoculated with 2 x 109 CFU of Salmonella Typhimurium (ST), in addition to spreading fecal material from a commercial farm under sanitary challenge, followed by leaving the barn uncleaned throughout the study (poor + ST). Fecal samples (n = 11) were collected at day post-challenge (DPC) 0, 10, and 21, and were sequenced for 16S rRNA data analysis of community diversity (alpha and beta) and taxonomic changes over time. Our results demonstrated that both alpha (Shannon and Simpson) and beta diversity metrics were significantly altered at DPC 21 by differentiating “good” vs “poor + ST” treatments, despite amino acids supplementation in the diet. Bacterial taxonomic analysis further captured community level alterations by a marked dysbiosis occurring on pigs allocated under “poor + ST” sanitary conditions. “ST + poor” sanitary conditions altered community structure as measured by co-occurrence networks, which was particularly pointed out at DPI 21. Specifically, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Intestinibacter, Rombustsia, Terrisporobacter, and Megasphaera were five taxa between others co-enriched in fecal samples from pigs allocated under “poor + ST” sanitary conditions at DPC 21. These putative SCFA-producing bacteria were positively straighter correlated between them (Figure 1), which suggests a traceable signature for a recovery microbiome composition after a dysbiosis. In conclusion, temporal changes in fecal swine microbiome of growing pigs may be reflective of sanitary status despite dietary supplementation of specific amino acids.

This study evaluated the effects of increased dietary Thr, Met and Trp supplementation on fecal microbiota composition of weaned piglets raised under contrasting sanitary conditions [(GOOD SC) or under mixed management and poor housing conditions (MM+POOR SC)] during the nursery phase. A total of 144 entire male piglets [body weight (BW) = 6.33 ± 0.91 kg] from a high sanitary status (HSS) farm were randomly housed following a 2×2 factorial arrangement regarding BW blocks. Factorial arrangement was composed of two contrasting SC (GOOD or MM+POOR) and two diets [control, with nutritional requirements according to NRC (2012); or supplemented with Thr:Lys, Met+Cys:Lys and Trp:Lys 20% more than the control]. In total, 12 pens with three piglets each were used for treatment. On d -2, the 144 HSS piglets were allocated to one of two facilities under contrasting SCs. Also on d -2, to mimic a mixed management in the MM+POOR SC, 48 entire male piglets, from a commercial farm with low sanitary status (LSS), were randomly allocated by two piglets per pen into the same pens where the three HSS piglets were. On d 0, the two LSS piglets were removed from the HSS pens and allocated as sentinels into the remaining pens (four/pen) located between pens with HSS piglets. The MM+POOR SC had a weekly cleaning routine only to remove the manure located under the slatted floor, while in the GOOD SC, a daily cleaning routine and a high level of biosecurity protocol were adopted. One fecal sample per pen was collected on d 0, 21 and 42. The V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified from each fecal sample to evaluate ecological changes into bacterial communities and taxonomy. Mean relative abundance for each family/genus/species (taxon) across groups were depicted as a heatmap using the log2 transformed relative abundance of the most dominant taxa based on a 2% cutoff and network analysis of clusters of co-occurrences of the most relevant taxa (Figure 1). Overall, fecal microbiome analyses revealed no differences (P >0.05) in bacterial community composition and individual taxon abundances at the bacterial genus level across treatments over time. The alpha- and beta-diversity analysis showed no diet or SC differences (P >0.05). Additional community structure analysis based on co-occurrence network mapping revealed the absence of major temporal changes in architecture or keystone nodes (taxa) for HSS animals housed in either GOOD or MM+POOR SCs, despite the AA+ supplementation. The analysis revealed no specific taxon or taxa that were preferentially enriched or diminished over time (P > 0.05). According to our results, the microbial fecal composition of weaned piglets under GOOD or MM+POOR SCs measured using 16S rRNA sequencing analysis was stable including the major central taxa with no Thr, Met and Trp supplementation effect.

A sanitary challenge was carried out to induce suboptimal herd health while investigating the effect of amino acids supplementation on piglet responses. Weaned piglets of high sanitary status (6.33 ± 0.91 kg of BW) were distributed in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement into two similar facilities with contrasting sanitary conditions and two different diets. Our results suggest that increased Trp, Thr, and Met dietary supplementation could support the immune systems of piglets under a sanitary challenge. In this manner, AA+ supplementation improved the performance and metabolism of piglets under mixed management and poor sanitary conditions. No major temporal microbiome changes were associated with differences in performance regardless of sanitary conditions or diets. Since piglets often become mixed in multiple-site production systems and facility hygiene is also often neglected, this study suggests that increased Trp, Thr, and Met (AA+) dietary supplementation could contribute to mitigating the side effects of these harmful risk factors in modern pig farms.

Highly intensified rearing conditions and precarious sanitary management predispose pigs to immune system activation, altered amino acid (AA) metabolism, and decreased growth performance. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of increased dietary tryptophan (Trp), threonine (Thr), and methionine + cysteine (Met + Cys) supplementation on performance, body composition, metabolism, and immune responses of group-housed growing pigs under challenging sanitary conditions. A hundred and twenty pigs (25.4 ± 3.7 kg) were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, consisting of two sanitary conditions (SC, good (GOOD) or salmonella-challenge and poor housing condition (ST + POOR)) and two diets (D, control (CN) or supplemented with AA (Trp, Thr, and Met + Cys:Lys ratios 20 % higher than those of the CN diet (AA+)). Pigs were followed during the growing phase (25 to 50 kg) and the trial lasted 28 days. The ST + POOR SC pigs were challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium and raised in a poor housing condition. The ST + POOR SC increased rectal temperature, fecal score, serum haptoglobin, and urea concentration (P < 0.05) and decreased serum albumin concentration (P < 0.05) compared with GOOD SC. Body weight, average daily feed intake, average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (G:F), and protein deposition (PD) were greater in GOOD SC than in ST + POOR SC (P < 0.01). However, pigs housed in ST + POOR SC fed with AA+ diet had lower body temperature (P < 0.05), increased ADG (P < 0.05) and nitrogen efficiency (P < 0.05), and a tendency for improved PD and G:F (P < 0.10) compared with CN diet fed pigs. Regardless of the SC, pigs fed AA+ diet had lower serum albumin (P < 0.05) and tended to decrease serum urea levels (P < 0.10) compared with CN diet. The results of this study suggest that the ratio of Trp, Thr, and Met + Cys to Lys for pigs are modified by sanitary conditions. Furthermore, supplementation of diets with a blend of Trp, Thr, and Met + Cys AA improves performance, especially under salmonella-challenge and poor housing conditions. Dietary Trp, Thr, and Met supplementation can modulate immune status and influence resilience to sanitary challenges.

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary Bacillus subtilis DSM 32540 supplementation with or without different fiber sources for piglets. A total of 150 piglets (7.20 ± 0.98 kg) weaned at 21 days old were assigned to one of five treatments in a randomized block design, with ten replicates and 3 piglets per pen. Treatments consisted of negative control (NC, without ZnO and amoxicillin), positive control (PC, with ZnO and amoxicillin), NC + 0.5 g/kg of probiotic (PRO), NC + 0.5 g/kg probiotic + 5 g/kg cellulose as IDF + 5 g/kg inulin as SDF (PROCI), and NC + 0.5 g/kg probiotic + 50 g/kg wheat bran (PROWB). From D0 to D14 and D0 to D28, piglets fed NC or PROWB had the lowest (P < 0.01) average daily gain (ADG) and final body weight (BW), while piglets fed PRO and PROCI had similar ADG and BW to those fed PC. From D0 to D14, piglets fed PRO and PC had lower (P < 0.01) feed conversion ratio (FCR) than those fed NC. From D0 to D28, piglets fed PROWB and NC had the highest (P < 0.01) FCR, while there was no difference in FCR among PC, PRO and PROCI groups. Piglets fed PRO, PROCI and PROWB had lower (P < 0.001) diarrhea incidence than those fed NC. Piglets fed PC, PRO and PROCI and those fed PRO and PROWB had higher (P < 0.01) duodenum and jejunum villus heights and villus to crypt ratios, respectively, than those fed NC. Piglets fed NC had the highest (P = 0.045) serum DAO content, and no difference was observed among groups PC, PRO, PROCI and PROWB on serum concentration of DAO. In conclusion, B. subtilis DSM 32,540 supplementation improves performance of piglets fed diets with or without pure fiber sources. In addition, regardless of the fiber source, B. subtilis DSM 32,540 reduces diarrhea incidence and improves intestinal morphology and integrity of nursery piglets.

Probiotics are being considered as an alternative means to reduce pathogen infection and improve animal health especially around the time of weaning. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of the use of a probiotic in diets for piglets on their performance and intestinal integrity during nursery phase. Thirty-six piglets (18 barrows and 18 females), weaned at 24 days of age were distributed in a randomized block design, with six repetitions per treatment (with or without addition of 50g/ton of the probiotic Bacillus subtilis DSM 32315, GutCare®, Evonik Industries) and each repetition with three pigs per experimental unit. During the experimental period, performance parameters evaluated were body weight (BW), daily feed intake (ADFI), feed conversion, average daily weight gain (ADG) and the intestinal integrity assessed via galactose absorption capacity. The performance data were submitted to the PDIFF option of the SAS and compared using the Tukey test. During phase 1 (24 to 31 days of age) the use of the probiotic tended (P = 0.07) to improve ADG (+76 g/ d) in comparison to control. As for phase 2 (32 to 39 days of age), 3 (40 to 53 days of age) and 4 (54 to 70 days of age) the use of the probiotic increased the ADFI (+118, +66 and +162 g/ d, respectively; P < 0.05) and ADG (+5 and +8%, respectively for phase 2 and 3; P < 0.05) compared to control. The use of the probiotic improved (P = 0.05) nursery end BW (+1.3 kg) and overall ADFI (+8%; P = 0.046). The intestinal integrity was not affected by treatments (P > 0.10) at any stage. In conclusion, the use of the probiotic Bacillus subtilis DSM 32315 in diets for weaned piglets can be used as a viable formulation strategy to improve performance and the intestinal health of the animals during nursery phase.