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Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a member of the genera Alphacoronavirus in the family Coronaviridae causes newborn and weaning piglets serious diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and high mortality. Moreover, PEDV infection also causes severe perturbations of gut microbiota and reduces probiotic bacterial abundance. Therefore, effective protective products against PEDV infection are needed. In the pig farm, sows are the major economic resource, which runs the...
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Introduction Animal-source feedstuffs are generally superior to plant-source ones for the growth and health of livestock, poultry, and fish (Wu 2018). This is due, in part, to the greater quantity of proteinogenic amino acids (AAs) and higher quality (the ratios and digestibilities of AAs) of the former than the latter. Traditionally, extensive research has focused on AAs that are not synthesized by animal cells and are known as nutritionally essential AAs (EAAs), including...
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1. Introduction The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs would like to see an increased number of pig production chains addressing improved pig welfare. The sustainable pork chain called “De Hoeve” wants to be at the forefront in taking the next step in the area of animal welfare. This step consists of no longer docking the tails of the piglets. Up to now, not docking in conventional pig husbandry increases the risk of tail biting [1,2]. More enrichment, space (low...
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Implications The host DNA in faeces presumably originates from gut cell losses. This development of a non-invasive assessment method is potentially a novel indirect measurement of gut cell losses, although further validation experiments are required. A yeast-inclusion diet significantly reduced pig DNA in faeces and therefore may reduce gut cell losses. Turnover of gut cells contributes to feed efficiency; therefore, assessment of host DNA in faeces could potentially, following...
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1. Introduction Pre-weaning mortality (PWM) is a major economic and productivity challenge for the pig industry. Recent trends for piglets born alive per litter are increasing in the US, while piglets weaned per litter have stayed stable over the past five years [1]; hence, indicating an increasing PWM. PWM is typically greatest during the neonatal phase, or within the first few days after birth in a healthy herd. During this perilous time frame, mortalities may be attributed to...
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1. Introduction Streptococcus suis is considered one of the most important bacterial swine pathogens leading to important economic losses to the porcine industry worldwide. S. suis has been reported globally in both traditional and intensive swine operations [1]. Control is based on an alarming overuse of antimicrobials, leading to a dramatic increase of the risk related to antimicrobial resistance. It is also an agent of disease in humans and considered in most OECD...
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1. Introduction Quercetin, as the foremost representative of flavonols, has been extensively investigated for its beneficial effects on health [1]. With regard to the gastrointestinal tract, quercetin received a lot of attention in treating chronic intestinal inflammation. Different mechanisms, including protection against oxidative stress, preservation of epithelial barrier function, and immunomodulatory properties in the gut, are believed to be involved [2,3]. These biological...
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1. Introduction Ammonia (NH 3 ) release in livestock buildings originates from the nitrogen content in the urine and feces deposited in pits or on the building floor surfaces with or without bedding material [1]. Currently, NH 3 , together with hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is one of the most critical pollutants for pig production [2–4] because of its direct relationship with animal and workers’ welfare and health [3–6]. Accordingly,...
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1. Introduction Olive (Olea europaea) cultivation plays an important economic and social role in the Mediterranean region. In 2014 more than 1.74, 0.29, and 0.21 million tons of olive oil were produced in Spain, Italy, and Greece, respectively [1]. It is concluded that olive oil extraction produces a high quantity of olive by-products (pulp or cake), which represents a severe environmental problem [2]. Therefore, utilization of these residues in the diets of farm animals...
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1. Introduction Meat consumers have shown an increasing interest in purchasing products from more sustainable production systems that are considered more respectful of the environment and of animal welfare [1,2]. Those systems reduce the use of agrochemicals and fossil fuels, encourage the rescue of local animal genetic resources, and contribute to the strengthening of local communities [3]. This reorientation promotes the creation and consolidation of niche markets. Niche pork...
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1. Introduction As advances in genetics [1–3], reproductive management [4], and nutrition [5,6] continue to increase the number of piglets a sow can produce per litter [7,8], it is important to consider the issues that are associated with larger litters, particularly surrounding piglets and pre-weaning survival. Issues surrounding large litters include the effects of intrauterine crowding and so birth weight variation, piglet hypoxia during delivery and litter-mate...
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Background There are three enteric coronaviruses that can cause gastrointestinal illness in young pigs e.g., transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and porcine delta coronavirus (PDCoV) [1]. Transmissible gastroenteritis virus has been present in the United States since 1946, but PEDV and PDCoV were introduced more recently in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The spread of PEDV among swine herds was rapid; and strict biosecurity...
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Introduction Coronaviruses belong to the order Nidovirales, family Coronaviridae, and subfamily Coronavirinae [1], and are characterized by their large genome, helical nucleocapsids, and unique method of gene expression [2]. The subfamily includes four genera: Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus, Gammacoronavirus, and the more recently discovered Deltacoronavirus [3]. Coronaviruses are typically species specific and can infect a variety of birds and mammals [2]. In humans,...
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1. Introduction In the wild, weaning in pigs is a long and progressive process that occurs between the 9th and 22nd week of age, allowing piglets a gradual transition from milk to solid foods [1]. In addition, social interactions with the mother and experienced conspecifics may allow for a smooth transition to adapt to post-weaning feeding patterns [2]. In contrast, early weaning practices common in commercial pig husbandry occurring around 21–28 days of age depict an...
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Introduction Lysine is the first limiting amino acid in corn-soybean meal-based swine diets. In order to maximize efficiency in all stages of production, the requirement of Lys needs to be determined. In lactation diets, nutrients need to be supplied to support both sow maintenance and litter growth. Inadequate nutrient intake during lactation can cause the sow to be catabolic and cause increased sow body protein mobilization. Previous research has suggested a linear correlation...
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Introduction Voluntary feed intake is often low and variable directly after weaning. As a result, research has focused on how nutritional stressors can be overcome to stimulate feed intake and subsequently increase performance (Pluske et al., 1997). Thus, highly palatable and nutrient dense protein sources are commonly added to nursery diets to encourage feed intake. Traditionally, this has been accomplished with the addition of milk and animal-based by-products. However,...
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1. Introduction Weaning is one of the most stressful events in pig production [1]. Early weaned piglets face several nutritional and psychosocial stressors, including the transition to a solid diet and the abrupt separation of sows and piglets [2]. These events coincide with an immature immune and digestive system [3], which has consequences, such as the reduced activity of digestive enzymes, changes in intestinal morphology, and reduced nutrient digestion in the small intestine...
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Introduction Market availability and fluctuation in the cost of conventional feed ingredients are pushing producers to increase inclusion of low-cost, fibre-rich co-products in the diets of monogastric animals. One major issue of this approach is that digestibility of high-fibre ingredients varies widely, with α-linked starch being digestible through hydrolytic–enzymatic action, but β-linked dietary fibres only being digested by exogenously supplied enzymes or...
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Fermentation products with main and side activities Feed enzymes are mostly produced by fungi or bacteria. Those living organisms produce a wide variety of different enzyme proteins. For commercial practice, only a limited number of those activities is assayed in the laboratory. Assaying e.g. the xylanase activity obviously results in a quantification of the xylanase level, while not providing information about other activities that remain present in the fermentation product. In...
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1. Introduction For newborn piglets, the thermoneutral zone is about 34 °C [1]. However, to ensure thermal comfort of sows [2], the temperature in farrowing rooms is controlled to about 20 °C, which is markedly below the thermoneutral zone for newborn piglets [3]. The immature thermoregulatory ability of piglets makes maintenance of body temperature difficult for piglets and makes them prone to suffer hypothermia. Important secondary effects of hypothermia include...
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