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The effect of a diet with fructan-rich chicory roots on intestinal helminths and microbiota with special focus on Bifidobacteria and Campylobacter in piglets around weaning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 January 2011

A. N. Jensen*
Affiliation:
Division of Microbiology and Risk Assessment, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Bülowsvej 27, DK-1790 Copenhagen V, Denmark
H. Mejer
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 100, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
L. Mølbak
Affiliation:
Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Bülowsvej 27, DK-1790 Copenhagen V, Denmark
M. Langkjær
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 100, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
T. K. Jensen
Affiliation:
Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Bülowsvej 27, DK-1790 Copenhagen V, Denmark
Ø. Angen
Affiliation:
Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Bülowsvej 27, DK-1790 Copenhagen V, Denmark
T. Martinussen
Affiliation:
Research Unit of Statistics, University of Southern Denmark, J. B. Winsløws Vej, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
K. Klitgaard
Affiliation:
Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Bülowsvej 27, DK-1790 Copenhagen V, Denmark
D. L. Baggesen
Affiliation:
Division of Microbiology and Risk Assessment, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Bülowsvej 27, DK-1790 Copenhagen V, Denmark
S. M. Thamsborg
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 100, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
A. Roepstorff
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 100, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
*
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Abstract

The restrictions on the use of antibiotic and anthelmintic treatments in organic pig farming necessitate alternative non-medical control strategies. Therefore, the antibiotic and parasite-reducing effect of a fructan-rich (prebiotic) diet of dried chicory was investigated in free-ranging piglets. Approximately half of 67 piglets from nine litters were experimentally infected with Ascaris suum and Trichuris suis in the suckling period (1 to 7 weeks of age) and 58 of the piglets were challenged daily with Eschericiacoli O138:F8 for 9 days after weaning to induce weaning diarrhoea. The litters were fed either chicory (30% dry matter) or a control diet. The effect of chicory on intestinal helminths, intestinal microbiota, especially Bifidobacteria and Campylobacter spp. and E. coli post-weaning diarrhoea was assessed. The weight gain of the piglets was not impaired significantly by chicory. The intestinal A. suum worm burden was reduced by 64% (P = 0.034) in the chicory-fed piglets, whereas these same piglets had 63% more T. suis worms (P = 0.016). Feeding with chicory elicited no changes among the main bacterial groups in ileum according to terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. However, the terminal-restriction fragment (T-RF) 208 bp, which may belong to Lachnospiraceae, was stimulated by the chicory feed (P = 0.03), and T-RF 370 bp that matches Enterobacter belonging to the Enterobacteria was reduced (P = 0.004). In addition, chicory increased the level of Bifidobacteria (P = 0.001) and the faecal Campylobacter excretion level was transitorily reduced in chicory-fed piglets at 7 weeks of age (P = 0.029). Unfortunately, it was not possible to assess the effect of chicory on post-weaning diarrhoea as it did not develop. In conclusion, feeding piglets chicory around the time of weaning caused complex changes of the microbiota and parasite communities within the intestinal tract, and feeding piglets chicory may therefore serve as an animal-friendly strategy to control pathogens.

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Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2011

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