Background There is a growing focus on using various plant-derived agricultural by-products to increase the benefits of pig farming,but these feedstuffs are fibrous in nature.This study investigated the relationship b...Background There is a growing focus on using various plant-derived agricultural by-products to increase the benefits of pig farming,but these feedstuffs are fibrous in nature.This study investigated the relationship between dietary fiber physicochemical properties and feedstuff fermentation characteristics and their effects on nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,and gut microbiota in growing pigs.Methods Thirty-six growing barrows(47.2±1.5 kg)were randomly allotted to 6 dietary treatments with 2 apparent viscosity levels and 3β-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios.In the experiment,nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,fecal microbial community,and production and absorption of short-chain fatty acid(SCFA)of pigs were investigated.In vitro digestion and fermentation models were used to compare the fermentation characteristics of feedstuffs and ileal digesta in the pig’s hindgut.Results The production dynamics of SCFA and dry matter corrected gas production of different feedstuffs during in vitro fermentation were different and closely related to the physical properties and chemical structure of the fiber.In animal experiments,increasing the dietary apparent viscosity and theβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased the apparent ileal digestibility(AID),apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD),and hindgut digestibility of fiber components while decreasing the AID and ATTD of dry matter and organic matter(P<0.05).In addition,increasing dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased gas exchange,heat production,and protein oxidation,and decreased energy deposition(P<0.05).The dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucanto-arabinoxylan ratios had linear interaction effects on the digestible energy,metabolizable energy,retained energy(RE),and net energy(NE)of the diets(P<0.05).At the same time,the increase of dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased SCFA production and absorption(P<0.05).Increasing the dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios increased the diversity and abundance of bacteria(P<0.05)and the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria.Furthermore,increasing the dietaryβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios led to a linear increase in SCFA production during the in vitro fermentation of ileal digesta(P<0.001).Finally,the prediction equations for RE and NE were established.Conclusion Dietary fiber physicochemical properties alter dietary fermentation patterns and regulate nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,and pig gut microbiota composition and metabolites.展开更多
Background The emergence of antibiotic resistant microorganisms associated with conventional swine production practices has increased interest in acid-based compounds having antimicrobial properties and other biologic...Background The emergence of antibiotic resistant microorganisms associated with conventional swine production practices has increased interest in acid-based compounds having antimicrobial properties and other biological functions as nutritional interventions.Despite the interest in organic acids and monoglycerides,few studies have examined the effects of the combination of these acid-based additives in weaned pigs under disease challenge conditions.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with blend of organic acids and/or medium-chain fatty acid monoglycerides on intestinal health and systemic immunity of weaned pigs experimentally infected with an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)F18 at 4-week of age.Results Dietary supplementation of organic acids,monoglycerides,or both organic acids and monoglycerides(combination)reduced(P<0.05)the diarrhea frequency of ETEC F18-infected pigs throughout the experimental period(d−7 to 21 post-inoculation).This is consistent with the reduced(P<0.05)proportion ofβ-hemolytic coliforms in feces observed for the organic acid and combination treatments on d 10 post-inoculation.Supplementation of organic acids,monoglycerides,or combination also reduced(P<0.05)bacterial translocation in mesenteric lymph nodes on d 21 post-inoculation.Pigs fed with monoglycerides or combination had lower(P<0.05)white blood cells on d 5 post-inoculation,and pigs fed the combination also had lower(P<0.05)lymphocytes than pigs in control group.Monoglyceride supplementation increased(P<0.05)white blood cells and neutrophils compared with control group on d 14 post-inoculation.However,supplementation with organic acid blend,monoglyceride blend,or combination did not affect growth performance in this experiment.Conclusions Supplementation with monoglycerides or organic acids alone or in combination improves the detrimental effects of ETEC F18 infection in weaned pigs,as indicated by reduced diarrhea,fecal shedding ofβ-hemolytic coliforms,and bacterial translocation,and thus enhancing disease resistance.Monoglycerides reduced the inflammatory response during peak infection,but their immunomodulatory and possible synergistic effects with organic acids need to be further investigated.展开更多
Background Exogenous xylanase can increase utilization of fiber and energy when included in diets for pigs,and xylo-oligosaccharides(XOS)may improve growth performance of pigs by modulating intestinal fermentation.How...Background Exogenous xylanase can increase utilization of fiber and energy when included in diets for pigs,and xylo-oligosaccharides(XOS)may improve growth performance of pigs by modulating intestinal fermentation.However,it is unclear if a stimbiotic(i.e.,a combination of xylanase and XOS)has superior effects compared with a xylanase alone,and there is a lack of data demonstrating if xylanase fed to lactating sows influences growth performance of weanling pigs.Therefore,two hypotheses were tested:1)xylanase and stimbiotic improve growth performance,apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD)of gross energy(GE)and total dietary fiber(TDF),digestible energy(DE),and intestinal health of weanling pigs and 2)offspring of sows fed xylanase in lactation have greater growth performance after weaning than offspring of sows fed no xylanase during lactation.Methods One hundred and twenty pigs were weaned from sows fed a diet without xylanase,and 120 pigs were weaned from sows fed a lactation diet containing 16,000 beechwood xylanase units per kg(initial weight:5.81±0.50 kg).Pigs were allotted to a 2×3 factorial with two sow groups(lactation diet without or with xylanase)and three dietary treatments(i.e.,control,control plus xylanase,or control plus stimbiotic).Results There were no interactions between sow treatment and post-weaning pig treatment,and sow treatment did not impact post-weaning growth or ATTD of GE and TDF in weaned pigs.From d 15 to 28 post-weaning,the ADG,G:F,ATTD of GE and TDF,and concentration of DE were greater(P<0.05)for pigs fed the diet with stimbiotic than if fed the xylanase diet or the control diet,and pigs fed the xylanase diet had greater(P<0.05)ADG,G:F,ATTD of GE and TDF,and concentration of DE than pigs fed the control diet.From d 29 to 42 post-weaning,pigs fed the diets with xylanase or stimbiotic had greater(P<0.05)ADG,ATTD of GE and TDF,and DE than pigs fed the control diet.Conclusions Pigs fed xylanase or stimbiotic had greater ATTD of GE and TDF,greater DE,and greater overall ADG,G:F,and final body weight on d 42 post-weaning than pigs fed the control diet,but feeding sows xylanase in lactation did not influence post-weaning growth performance.展开更多
Background The composition and relative abundances of intestinal microbiota are closely related to animal growth,development and health.This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the spatial distribution and temp...Background The composition and relative abundances of intestinal microbiota are closely related to animal growth,development and health.This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of intestinal fungi in pigs,with a focus on fungal alterations associated with diarrhea.Methods Intestinal digesta from duodenum,jejunum,ileum,cecum,colon and feces of 8 finishing pigs(180 days old)were collected.Fecal samples were also collected from 18 pigs across different growth stages,including lactation(3 d),nursery(26 d,35 d,49 d),growing(120 d)and finishing(180 d).Additionally,feces were collected from 32 diarrheal and 32 healthy piglets at 28 days old.Fungal community profiling in these samples was performed using internal transcribed spacer(ITS)sequencing.Results A total of 9,224 amplicon sequence variants(ASVs)were detected in all of 220 samples.Intestinal fungal diversity exhibited clear biogeographic patterns,with significantly lower richness and Shannon index in the ileum(P<0.05)and significantly higher richness in the large intestine and feces(P<0.05).The fungal community structure also varied significantly across intestinal segments,with Kazachstania dominating in the ileum and Geotrichum in the duodenum and jejunum.Across growth stages,fecal fungal diversity increased after weaning.PCoA results revealed that fungal structure exhibited significant temporal changes(R=0.7313,P=0.001),with the core fungal taxa dominated by Diutina catenulata,Aspergillus restrictus and Tahromyces munnarensis.In addition,by comparing the fungal community of piglets with and without diarrhea,the richness and Shannon index were significantly higher in the diarrheal piglets than those in healthy piglets(P<0.05)with Kazachstania,Diutina and Aspergillus enriched in diarrheal piglets and Geotrichum,Tahromyces and Piromyces in healthy piglets.Conclusions The intestinal fungal community in pigs shows distinct spatial variation,with greater diversity in the large intestine.Fungal composition shifts dynamically with age,particularly around the weaning transition.This study highlights specific fungal taxa associated with diarrhea caused by weaning stress,offering new insights into the interplay between gut fungi and pig health.展开更多
Dear Editor,Swinepox virus(SWPV)belongs to the family Poxviridae,subfamily Chordopoxvirinae,and genus Varicellovirus(Lefkowitz et al.,2018).It exhibits the typical brick-shaped morphology and envelope structure charac...Dear Editor,Swinepox virus(SWPV)belongs to the family Poxviridae,subfamily Chordopoxvirinae,and genus Varicellovirus(Lefkowitz et al.,2018).It exhibits the typical brick-shaped morphology and envelope structure characteristic of poxviruses.Its genome is a 146 kbp linear double-stranded DNA encoding approximately 150 genes(Moorkamp et al.,2008;Schwarz et al.,2024).SWPV is highly host-specific,infecting only domestic pigs and wild boars.Transmission occurs through direct contact with infectious scabs,congenital transmission,or mechanical transmission by arthropods such as pig lice and house flies.The disease is more likely to occur in pig farms with poor sanitation conditions(Borst et al.,1990;Jindal,2015;Kaiser et al.,2021;Kumar et al.,2023;Riyesh et al.,2016).展开更多
Background Monoglycerides have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional practices due to their biolog-ical activities,including antimicrobial properties.However,few studies have assessed the efficacy of mono...Background Monoglycerides have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional practices due to their biolog-ical activities,including antimicrobial properties.However,few studies have assessed the efficacy of monoglyceride blend on weaned pigs and their impacts on performance,immune response,and gut health using a disease chal-lenge model.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary monoglycerides of short-and medium-chain fatty acids on the immunity and gut health of weaned pigs experimentally infected with an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18.Results Pigs supplemented with high-dose zinc oxide(ZNO)had greater(P<0.05)growth performance than other treatments,but no difference was observed in average daily feed intake between ZNO and monoglycerides groups during the post-challenge period.Pigs in ZNO and antibiotic groups had lower(P<0.05)severity of diarrhea than control,but the severity of diarrhea was not different between antibiotic and monoglycerides groups.Pigs fed with monoglycerides or ZNO had lower(P<0.05)serum haptoglobin on d 2 or 5 post-inoculation than control.Pigs in ZNO had greater(P<0.05)goblet cell numbers per villus,villus area and height,and villus height:crypt depth ratio(VH:CD)in duodenum on d 5 post-inoculation than pigs in other treatments.Pigs supplemented with monoglyc-erides,ZNO,or antibiotics had reduced(P<0.05)ileal crypt depth compared with control on d 5 post-inoculation,contributing to the increase(P=0.06)in VH:CD.Consistently,pigs in ZNO expressed the lowest(P<0.05)TNFa,IL6,IL10,IL12,IL1A,IL1B,and PTGS2 in ileal mucosa on d 5 post-inoculation,and no difference was observed in the expres-sion of those genes between ZNO and monoglycerides.Supplementation of ZNO and antibiotic had significant impacts on metabolic pathways in the serum compared with control,particularly on carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism,while limited impacts on serum metabolites were observed in monoglycerides group when compared with control.Conclusions The results suggest that supplementation of monoglyceride blend may enhance disease resist-ance of weaned pigs by alleviating the severity of diarrhea and mitigating intestinal and systemic inflammation,although the effectiveness may not be comparable to high-dose zinc oxide.展开更多
Toxoplasma gondii(T.gondii)is a globally distributed parasite that can infect a diversity of warm-blooded animals,including swine and humans.Infection in swine poses a considerable threat to food safety and public hea...Toxoplasma gondii(T.gondii)is a globally distributed parasite that can infect a diversity of warm-blooded animals,including swine and humans.Infection in swine poses a considerable threat to food safety and public health.The aim of this meta-analysis was to estimate the seroprevalence of T.gondii infection in the swine population in China from 2000 to 2023 and to examine potential factors associated with infection.A total of 112 studies were included,collectively involving 145,152 swine samples originating from 26 provinces.The pooled seroprevalence was 26.0%(95%CI:23.3%–28.7%).Stratified analysis based on diagnostic methods revealed that studies using the indirect hemagglutination assay(IHA)reported a seroprevalence of 19.7%(95%CI:17.2%–22.2%),whereas those utilizing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)reported a higher seroprevalence of 35.5%(95%CI:29.1%–41.8%).Geographical analysis indicated higher seroprevalence in the South Central and Southwest regions,whereas the East and Northwest areas reported the lowest seroprevalence.Chongqing Province reported the highest seroprevalence,reaching 44.9%(95%CI:43.4%–46.0%),followed by Xinjiang,Hainan,and Guizhou,whereas the lowest was observed in Shandong Province(3.5%,95%CI:1.7%–6.1%).These findings provide important epidemiological evidence that can inform strategies for the prevention and control of T.gondii infection in swine populations,with a focus on high-risk populations and geographical areas.This imperative contributes substantially to the improvement of both food safety and public health.展开更多
Background Diets with high inclusion of corn co-products such as corn fermented protein(CFP)may contain excess Leu,which has a negative impact on feed intake and growth performance of pigs due to increased catabolism ...Background Diets with high inclusion of corn co-products such as corn fermented protein(CFP)may contain excess Leu,which has a negative impact on feed intake and growth performance of pigs due to increased catabolism of Val and Ile and reduced availability of Trp in the brain for serotonin synthesis.However,we hypothesized that the negative effect of using CFP in diets for weanling pigs may be overcome if diets are fortified with crystalline sources of Val,Trp,and(or)Ile.Methods Three hundred and twenty weanling pigs were randomly allotted to one of 10 dietary treatments in a com-pletely randomized design,with 4 pigs per pen and 8 replicate pens per treatment.A corn-soybean meal diet and 2 basal diets based on corn and 10%CFP or corn and 20%CFP were formulated.Seven additional diets were formu-lated by fortifying the basal diet with 20%CFP with Ile,Trp,Val,Ile and Val,Ile and Trp,Trp and Val,or Ile,Trp and Val.A two-phase feeding program was used,with d 1 to 14 being phase 1 and d 15 to 28 being phase 2.Fecal scores were recorded every other day.Blood samples were collected on d 14 and 28 from one pig per pen.On d 14,fecal samples were collected from one pig per pen in 3 of the 10 treatments to determine volatile fatty acids,ammonium concen-tration,and microbial protein.These pigs were also euthanized and ileal tissue was collected.Results There were no effects of dietary treatments on any of the parameters evaluated in phase 1.Inclusion of 10%or 20%CFP in diets reduced(P<0.05)final body weight on d 28,and average daily gain(ADG)and average daily feed intake(ADFI)in phase 2 and for the entire experimental period.However,pigs fed the CFP diet supplemented with Val,Ile,and Trp had final body weight,ADFI,ADG and gain to feed ratio in phase 2 and for the entire experiment that was not different from pigs fed the control diet.Fecal scores in phase 2 were reduced(P<0.05)if CFP was used.Conclusions Corn fermented protein may be included by up to 20%in diets for weanling pigs without affecting growth performance,gut health,or hindgut fermentation,if diets are fortified with extra Val,Trp,and Ile.Inclusion of CFP also improved fecal consistency of pigs.展开更多
Background This study investigated the effects of different non-starch polysaccharide(NSP)sources with NSP degrading enzymes(NSPases)and the influence on the mucosa-associated microbiota and intestinal immunity of nur...Background This study investigated the effects of different non-starch polysaccharide(NSP)sources with NSP degrading enzymes(NSPases)and the influence on the mucosa-associated microbiota and intestinal immunity of nursery pigs,on growth performance and carcass traits at market weight.Methods One hundred and sixty newly weaned pigs at 7.0±0.3 kg body weight(BW)were allotted in a 2×2 factorial with NSP sources and NSPases serving as factors.The 4 dietary treatments were:DDGS,corn distillers'dried grains with solubles as source of NSP;DDGS+NSPases(DDGS+),DDGS with xylanase at 0.01%,3,000 U/kg of feed andβ-mannanase at 0.05%,400 U/kg of feed;SHWB,soybean hulls and wheat bran replacing corn DDGS as the source of NSP;SHWB with NSPases(SHWB+),SHWB with xylanase at 0.01%,3,000 U/kg of feed andβ-mannanase at 0.05%,400 U/kg of feed.Pigs were fed for 37 d and housed in groups of 4 pigs per pen.At d 37,the median body weight pig in each pen was euthanized for sampling to analyze intestinal health parameters.Remaining pigs were fed a common diet for subsequent phases to evaluate the carryover effect on growth and carcass traits.Results The SHWB decreased(P<0.05)the relative abundance of Helicobacter,tended to increase(P=0.074)the relative abundance of Lactobacillus,increased(P<0.05)immunoglobulin G(IgG)in the jejunal mucosa,tended to increase(P=0.096)the villus height(VH)in the jejunum,and tended to improve ADG(P=0.099)and feed efficiency(P=0.068)during phase 1 compared to DDGS treatment.Supplementation of NSPases increased(P<0.05)Shannon index of diversity,increased the relative abundance of Streptococcus and Acinetobacter,and tended to increase(P=0.082)dry matter digestibility.The BW of pigs fed SHWB was more uniform(P<0.05)at the end of the 120 d study.Additionally,hot carcass weight of pigs fed SHWB tended to be more uniform(P=0.089)than DDGS treatment.Conclusion Soybean hulls and wheat bran replacing DDGS in nursery diets improved uniformity of pigs at market weight,which might be attributed to beneficial modulation of the mucosa-associated microbiota and enhanced intestinal morphology during the nursery phase.Supplementation of NSPases had beneficial effects on the intestinal mucosa-associated microbiota,digestibility,and intestinal immunity in SHWB treatment,whereas no carryover effects were overserved at market weight.展开更多
Global livestock production is a major driver of climate change.Lumping beef and pork together as red meat masks important differences in their carbon footprints,land uses,and social status.These two red meat choices ...Global livestock production is a major driver of climate change.Lumping beef and pork together as red meat masks important differences in their carbon footprints,land uses,and social status.These two red meat choices in Canada were compared by using a meta-model of the Unified Livestock Industry and Crop Emissions Estimation System(ULICEES).ULICEES calculated fossil CO_(2),N_(2)O and CH_(4) emissions for beef,dairy,pork,poultry,and sheep production in Canada,based on both the livestock and their supporting land base in 2001.The dynamic drivers of the meta-model were crop yields,breeding female populations,tillage practices,nitrogen fertilizer use,and the crop complex of each livestock industry.When the potential carbon sequestration in the land growing harvested perennial forage is credited to beef production,the CO_(2)e emissions offset does not reduce the carbon footprint of beef enough to match the lower carbon footprint of pork.Most of the land required to grow hay for beef would not be needed to feed a protein-equivalent pig population.In a hypothetical conversion of all beef production to pork production for 2021,4.5 Mha of land under perennial forage was freed and 10.0 MtCO_(2)e per year was mitigated when that area was re-cultivated for annual crops—a GHG mitigation equal to 12%of the GHG emissions budget of Canadian agriculture.Leaving that area under a perennial ground cover mitigated 19.8 MtCO_(2)e per year,the equivalent of 23%of the sector’s GHG emissions budget.展开更多
Background The protein sources in pig diets strongly rely on soybean meal,but its production has been associated with soil degradation,deforestation and loss of biodiversity.Microalga Spirulina can be a potentially mo...Background The protein sources in pig diets strongly rely on soybean meal,but its production has been associated with soil degradation,deforestation and loss of biodiversity.Microalga Spirulina can be a potentially more sustainable alternative to soybean meal,but comprehensive information about its use in growing pigs is still lacking.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of partial to full replacement of dietary soybean meal with Spirulina on the growth and carcass traits of growing pigs and on the chemical and physical attributes of the meat.Methods Eighty-eight pigs,gilts and barrows mixed together,with initial body weight of 52.4±4.2 kg,were allotted into 4 isoenergetic,isoproteic,and isoaminoacidic dietary treatments,which included a conventional control diet based on cereals and soybean meal and one of 3 diets formulated by replacing nearly 33%,66%or 100%soybean with Spirulina.Each treatment had 2 pens(11 pigs/pen),which were equipped with electronic feeders that were able to record individual feed intake.After 138 d on feed,at 174.9±6.4 kg body weight,the pigs were slaughtered,and the carcass traits and meat quality parameters from loin samples were assessed.Results The palatability of feeds was not depressed in pigs fed Spirulina,even when the soybean was completely replaced by the microalga.The incorporation of Spirulina in the diets in place of soybean did not impair the growth rate or feed efficiency,irrespective of the extent of replacement.The carcass traits and yield of commercial cuts were comparable for all Spirulina-included compared with those of the soybean-based groups,and the same was found for the chemical and physical attributes of loin meat.Conclusion The results obtained at the herd and slaughter levels revealed that the replacement of soybean meal with Spirulina did not negatively affect the growth or carcass traits of growing pigs or the main attributes of meat.Therefore,this study provides,for the first time,insights into the technical possibility of switching growing pig feeding systems toward more environmentally sustainable diets by including a microalga originating from landless feed production systems,which does not result in soil degradation or loss of biodiversity.展开更多
Background Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(E.coli)is a threat to humans and animals that causes intestinal dis-orders.Antimicrobial resistance has urged alternatives,including Lactobacillus postbiotics,to mitigate th...Background Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(E.coli)is a threat to humans and animals that causes intestinal dis-orders.Antimicrobial resistance has urged alternatives,including Lactobacillus postbiotics,to mitigate the effects of enterotoxigenic E.coli.Methods Forty-eight newly weaned pigs were allotted to NC:no challenge/no supplement;PC:F18^(+)E.coli chal-lenge/no supplement;ATB:F18^(+)E.coli challenge/bacitracin;and LPB:F18^(+)E.coli challenge/postbiotics and fed diets for 28 d.On d 7,pigs were orally inoculated withF18^(+)E.coli.At d 28,the mucosa-associated microbiota,immune and oxidative stress status,intestinal morphology,the gene expression of pattern recognition receptors(PRR),and intestinal barrier function were measured.Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS 9.4.Results PC increased(P<0.05)Helicobacter mastomyrinus whereas reduced(P<0.05)Prevotella copri and P.ster-corea compared to NC.The LPB increased(P<0.05)P.stercorea and Dialister succinatiphilus compared with PC.The ATB increased(P<0.05)Propionibacterium acnes,Corynebacterium glutamicum,and Sphingomonas pseudosanguinis compared to PC.The PC tended to reduce(P=0.054)PGLYRP4 and increased(P<0.05)TLR4,CD14,MDA,and crypt cell proliferation compared with NC.The ATB reduced(P<0.05)NOD1 compared with PC.The LPB increased(P<0.05)PGLYRP4,and interferon-γand reduced(P<0.05)NOD1 compared with PC.The ATB and LPB reduced(P<0.05)TNF-αand MDA compared with PC.Conclusions TheF18^(+)E.coli challenge compromised intestinal health.Bacitracin increased beneficial bacteria show-ing a trend towards increasing the intestinal barrier function,possibly by reducing the expression of PRR genes.Lac-tobacillus postbiotics enhanced the immunocompetence of nursery pigs by increasing the expression of interferon-γand PGLYRP4,and by reducing TLR4,NOD1,and CD14.展开更多
Following the publication of Liu et al.(2024),an error was identified in Figure 4B,in which the image representing the lung from the E529G group was inadvertently duplicated with the image of the lung from the WT grou...Following the publication of Liu et al.(2024),an error was identified in Figure 4B,in which the image representing the lung from the E529G group was inadvertently duplicated with the image of the lung from the WT group during figure preparation.展开更多
Background Backfat thickness(BFT)is a vital economic trait in pigs,reflecting subcutaneous fat levels that affect meat quality and production efficiency.As a complex trait shaped by multiple genetic factors,BFT has be...Background Backfat thickness(BFT)is a vital economic trait in pigs,reflecting subcutaneous fat levels that affect meat quality and production efficiency.As a complex trait shaped by multiple genetic factors,BFT has been studied using genome-wide association studies(GWAS)and linkage analyses to locate fat-related quantitative trait loci(QTLs),but pinpointing causal variants and genes is hindered by linkage disequilibrium and limited regulatory data.This study aimed to dissect the QTLs affecting BFT on Sus scrofa chromosome 1(SSC1),elucidating regulatory variants,effector genes,and the cell types involved.Results Using whole-genome genotyping data from 3,578 pigs and phenotypic data for five BFT traits,we identified a 630.6 kb QTL on SSC1 significantly associated with these traits via GWAS and fine-mapping,pinpointing 34 candidate causal variants.Using deep convolutional neural networks to predict regulatory activity from sequence data integrated with detailed pig epigenetic profiles,we identified five SNPs potentially affecting enhancer activity in specific tissues.Notably,rs342950505(SSC1:161,123,588)influences weak enhancer activity across multiple tissues,including the brain.High-throughput chromosome conformation capture(Hi-C)analysis identified that rs342950505 interacts with eight genes.Chromatin state annotations confirmed enhancer activity at this QTL in the cerebellum.Leveraging these insights,single-cell ATAC-seq revealed a chromatin accessibility peak encompassing rs342950505 that regulates PMAIP1 expression in inhibitory neurons via enhancer-mediated mechanisms,with an adjacent peak modulating CCBE1 expression in neuroblasts and granule cells.Transcriptome-wide association studies(TWAS)confirmed PMAIP1's role in the hypothalamus,and Mendelian randomization(MR)validated PMAIP1 and CCBE1 as key brain expression quantitative trait locus(eQTL)effectors.We propose that the variant rs342950505,located within a regulatory peak,modulates PMAIP1 expression in inhibitory neurons,potentially influencing energy homeostasis via hypothalamic regulation.Similarly,CCBE1 may contribute to this process.Conclusions Our results,through systematic dissection of pleiotropic BFT-associated loci,provide a framework to elucidate regulatory mechanisms of complex traits,offering insights into polygenic control through lipid metabolism and neural signaling pathways.展开更多
Background Traditional genomic analysis relies on a single reference genome,which struggles to effectively characterize the genetic diversity among populations.This is due to the substantial genetic differences betwee...Background Traditional genomic analysis relies on a single reference genome,which struggles to effectively characterize the genetic diversity among populations.This is due to the substantial genetic differences between the genome of the studied species and the reference genome,potentially introducing reference bias.Results In this study,we focused on Guanzhong Black pigs(GZB),Danish Large White pigs(DLW),and their hybrid offspring,Qinchuan Black pigs(QCB).We provided two high-quality parental genomes at the chromosomal level and constructed a parental genomic reference panel to detect SNPs(single nucleotide polymorphisms),INDELs(insertions and deletions),and SVs(structural variations).Compared with the single-reference method,the integrated parental genomic strategy identified 5.48%more SNPs and 67.84%more INDELs.The uniformity of variant distribution and genome functional annotation remained consistent before and after integration,while the ratio of nonreference/non-reference genotypes was also improved.In population genetic structure analysis,principal component analysis(PCA)of the three variant types(SNPs,INDELs,and SVs)exhibited good clustering effects,and ADMIXTURE analysis demonstrated consistent stratification.Selection signal analysis based on the integrated parental genomic strategy successfully identified more differentiated windows and positively selected genes.By leveraging multiple variant types and employing two selection signal methods,we jointly identified several novel intramuscular fat candidate genes(MSMO1,SMC6,CCDC158,KIT,CCNC,etc.),which could not be identified by the single-reference method alone.Functional validation of the gene MSMO1 revealed its role in promoting intramuscular adipocyte proliferation and inhibiting adipogenic differentiation.Conclusions This study is the first to construct a parental genomic reference panel specifically for pig hybrid populations,which significantly reduces reference bias and exhibits superior performance in downstream analyses.This strategy offers new possibilities for genomic selection breeding of livestock and establishes a methodological foundation for precisely dissecting complex traits in hybrid populations.展开更多
Background Fat is a key component of body composition in both humans and animals,with intramuscular fat(IMF)being a critical determinant of pork quality.Higher IMF level enhances meat qualities such as flavor,tenderne...Background Fat is a key component of body composition in both humans and animals,with intramuscular fat(IMF)being a critical determinant of pork quality.Higher IMF level enhances meat qualities such as flavor,tenderness,and juiciness,directly influencing consumer preference and market demand.Therefore,identifying microbial biomarkers associated with fat deposition is essential for improving meat quality in livestock and understanding how gut microbiota regulates host metabolism.Results In this study,we examined changes in meat quality,fat metabolism,and gut microbiota during the pig life cycle,from weaning to marketing.We found that Jinhua pig exhibited higher IMF content and marbling score,and higher α diversity of colonic microbial communities.Microbiome Multivariate Association with Linear Models was used to identify the core genera associated with age,breed,and feed,and Prevotella was found to respond to both age and breed factors.The correlation analysis of fat deposition indicators with microbial genera revealed that Prevotella was a potential biomarker in response to IMF.In addition,the P.stercorea DSM 18206(P.stercorea)was identified in porcine sample and administered to pseudo sterile mouse to examine the effect on IMF deposition.We found that the gavage of P.stercorea with alfalfa-enriched diet led to a significant increase in triglyceride(TG)and IMF contents in muscle.Metabolomic analysis further confirmed P.stercorea may potentially regulate fat deposition through the sphingolipid signaling pathway.Conclusions We identified P.stercorea as a potential biomarker linked to higher IMF deposition and validated their role in shaping the gut microbiota and promoting fat accumulation in a mouse model,which correlated with the sphingolipid signaling pathway.These findings provide valuable insights into the role of P.stercorea in regulating fat deposition and metabolic health,offering implications for improving both livestock meat quality and lipid metabolism in humans.展开更多
Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of regulated cell death(RCD)characterized by iron overload and excessive lipid peroxidation.To date,numerous studies in human and mouse models have shown that ferroptosis is clos...Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of regulated cell death(RCD)characterized by iron overload and excessive lipid peroxidation.To date,numerous studies in human and mouse models have shown that ferroptosis is closely related to tissue damage and various diseases.In recent years,ferroptosis has also been found to play an indispensable and multifaceted role in infection and tissue injury in pigs,and nutritional regulation strategies targeting ferroptosis show great potential.In this review,we summarize the research progress of ferroptosis and its role in infection and tissue injury in pigs.Furthermore,we discuss the existing evidence on ferroptosis regulation by nutrients,aiming to provide valuable insights for future investigation into ferroptosis in pigs and offer a novel perspective for the treatment of infection and injury in pigs.展开更多
Find It Why was the third pig the smartest?nee upon a time,three little pigs lived with their mother.One day,she told them,"You are big now.Go build homes and take care of yourselves."So,the three pigs left ...Find It Why was the third pig the smartest?nee upon a time,three little pigs lived with their mother.One day,she told them,"You are big now.Go build homes and take care of yourselves."So,the three pigs left and went to find places to live.The first little pig didn't like to work hard.He found some straw.展开更多
Pigs have emerged as valuable large-animal models for cardiac xenotransplantation;however,the temporal dynamics of myocardial development in this species remains insufficiently defined.This study analyzed gene express...Pigs have emerged as valuable large-animal models for cardiac xenotransplantation;however,the temporal dynamics of myocardial development in this species remains insufficiently defined.This study analyzed gene expression patterns across four key developmental stages(neonatal,juvenile,sexual maturity,and adulthood)to delineate the molecular mechanisms driving porcine myocardial development.Increases in heart weight were accompanied by proportional expansion of myocardial fiber area and chamber size,reflecting coordinated structural development.Transcriptomic profiling of myocardial tissue by RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)identified 2189 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)across stage comparisons.Short time-series expression miner(STEM)analysis classified these DEGs into four major expression clusters enriched in pathways associated with myocardial development,immune responses,cell proliferation,and metabolic processes.Among 359 DEGs conserved across all developmental stages,six candidate genes were strongly associated with myocardial development.Reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)confirmed a significant correlation between the expression of these candidate genes and myocardial development in porcine tissue.These findings establish a transcriptomic framework for porcine myocardial maturation and provide a molecular basis for advancing cardiac xenotransplantation.展开更多
Resilience traits in pig populations allow animals to deal better with infectious disease and suboptimal production environments.The data on daily weight,feed intake and feed behaviors in pigs are collected in test pe...Resilience traits in pig populations allow animals to deal better with infectious disease and suboptimal production environments.The data on daily weight,feed intake and feed behaviors in pigs are collected in test period by automated feeding stations,which facilitate to evaluate the resilience traits.In this study,we adopted the root mean square error(RMSE)of ordinary least squares(OLS)and the negative residuals of quantile regression(QR)to generate four different novel resilience traits using daily records of feed intake and feed duration between 90 and 180 days of age in a population of commercial Duroc pigs.The genome-wide association studies(GWAS)based on single-and two-trait mixed models were carried out on 550 pigs using 48,603 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)to identify genomic regions associated with resilience traits in growing pigs.We further focused on the GWAS signals to conduct gene annotation,colocalization with multi-tissue eQTL summary statistics of PigGTEx project and identification of enhancers and promoters using the publicly available data.The genomic heritabilities of four novel resilience traits ranged from 0.09 to 0.41.The pairwise genetic and phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.16 to 0.95 and from 0.05 to 0.36,respectively.Twenty-seven SNPs were identified to be significantly associated with these resilience traits.They were distributed on nine chromosomes(SSC1,SSC2,SSC6,SSC7,SSC8,SSC12,SSC14,SSC16 and SSC17).After annotation,39 QTLs and 49 candidate genes were identified.Several of these are functionally relevant candidate genes including OTUD4,TIFA and CARD14,which are involved in the host immune response,disease susceptibility and signal transduction.Eight unique SNPs were found to be causal in both GWAS and eQTL analyses across 15 tissues.Notably,one SNP(rs80794541)was associated with eQTLs identified concurrently across seven tissues/cell types,including the macrophage cell type.Furthermore,four significant SNPs(rs81467127,rs81356029,rs80794541 and rs81305085)were linked to the function of the primed enhancer,active element,and poised promoter in five pig tissues.Using the porcine fibroblast HiC dataset,SNP(rs81356029)on SSC2 regulates the CARNS1 and SSH3,while SNP(rs80794541)on SSC7 regulates the H2AC6.In this study,we generated four novel resilience traits and identified SNPs significantly associated with these resilience traits in a Duroc pig population.GWAS signals were associated with candidate genes involving in the immune traits,and were linked to the crucial regulatory elements as well.Our findings will contribute to elucidating the genetic mechanism that can enhance genome-enabled breeding and inform further research on resilience in domestic pigs.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program(No.2021YFD1300201)Jilin Provincial Department of Science and Technology Innovation Platform and Talent Special Project(No.20230508090RC).
文摘Background There is a growing focus on using various plant-derived agricultural by-products to increase the benefits of pig farming,but these feedstuffs are fibrous in nature.This study investigated the relationship between dietary fiber physicochemical properties and feedstuff fermentation characteristics and their effects on nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,and gut microbiota in growing pigs.Methods Thirty-six growing barrows(47.2±1.5 kg)were randomly allotted to 6 dietary treatments with 2 apparent viscosity levels and 3β-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios.In the experiment,nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,fecal microbial community,and production and absorption of short-chain fatty acid(SCFA)of pigs were investigated.In vitro digestion and fermentation models were used to compare the fermentation characteristics of feedstuffs and ileal digesta in the pig’s hindgut.Results The production dynamics of SCFA and dry matter corrected gas production of different feedstuffs during in vitro fermentation were different and closely related to the physical properties and chemical structure of the fiber.In animal experiments,increasing the dietary apparent viscosity and theβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased the apparent ileal digestibility(AID),apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD),and hindgut digestibility of fiber components while decreasing the AID and ATTD of dry matter and organic matter(P<0.05).In addition,increasing dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased gas exchange,heat production,and protein oxidation,and decreased energy deposition(P<0.05).The dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucanto-arabinoxylan ratios had linear interaction effects on the digestible energy,metabolizable energy,retained energy(RE),and net energy(NE)of the diets(P<0.05).At the same time,the increase of dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased SCFA production and absorption(P<0.05).Increasing the dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios increased the diversity and abundance of bacteria(P<0.05)and the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria.Furthermore,increasing the dietaryβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios led to a linear increase in SCFA production during the in vitro fermentation of ileal digesta(P<0.001).Finally,the prediction equations for RE and NE were established.Conclusion Dietary fiber physicochemical properties alter dietary fermentation patterns and regulate nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,and pig gut microbiota composition and metabolites.
基金supported by Animal Nutrition,Eastman Chemical Company,Kingsport,TN,USA.
文摘Background The emergence of antibiotic resistant microorganisms associated with conventional swine production practices has increased interest in acid-based compounds having antimicrobial properties and other biological functions as nutritional interventions.Despite the interest in organic acids and monoglycerides,few studies have examined the effects of the combination of these acid-based additives in weaned pigs under disease challenge conditions.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with blend of organic acids and/or medium-chain fatty acid monoglycerides on intestinal health and systemic immunity of weaned pigs experimentally infected with an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)F18 at 4-week of age.Results Dietary supplementation of organic acids,monoglycerides,or both organic acids and monoglycerides(combination)reduced(P<0.05)the diarrhea frequency of ETEC F18-infected pigs throughout the experimental period(d−7 to 21 post-inoculation).This is consistent with the reduced(P<0.05)proportion ofβ-hemolytic coliforms in feces observed for the organic acid and combination treatments on d 10 post-inoculation.Supplementation of organic acids,monoglycerides,or combination also reduced(P<0.05)bacterial translocation in mesenteric lymph nodes on d 21 post-inoculation.Pigs fed with monoglycerides or combination had lower(P<0.05)white blood cells on d 5 post-inoculation,and pigs fed the combination also had lower(P<0.05)lymphocytes than pigs in control group.Monoglyceride supplementation increased(P<0.05)white blood cells and neutrophils compared with control group on d 14 post-inoculation.However,supplementation with organic acid blend,monoglyceride blend,or combination did not affect growth performance in this experiment.Conclusions Supplementation with monoglycerides or organic acids alone or in combination improves the detrimental effects of ETEC F18 infection in weaned pigs,as indicated by reduced diarrhea,fecal shedding ofβ-hemolytic coliforms,and bacterial translocation,and thus enhancing disease resistance.Monoglycerides reduced the inflammatory response during peak infection,but their immunomodulatory and possible synergistic effects with organic acids need to be further investigated.
基金financial support for this research by AB Vista,Marlborough,UK,is greatly appreciated.
文摘Background Exogenous xylanase can increase utilization of fiber and energy when included in diets for pigs,and xylo-oligosaccharides(XOS)may improve growth performance of pigs by modulating intestinal fermentation.However,it is unclear if a stimbiotic(i.e.,a combination of xylanase and XOS)has superior effects compared with a xylanase alone,and there is a lack of data demonstrating if xylanase fed to lactating sows influences growth performance of weanling pigs.Therefore,two hypotheses were tested:1)xylanase and stimbiotic improve growth performance,apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD)of gross energy(GE)and total dietary fiber(TDF),digestible energy(DE),and intestinal health of weanling pigs and 2)offspring of sows fed xylanase in lactation have greater growth performance after weaning than offspring of sows fed no xylanase during lactation.Methods One hundred and twenty pigs were weaned from sows fed a diet without xylanase,and 120 pigs were weaned from sows fed a lactation diet containing 16,000 beechwood xylanase units per kg(initial weight:5.81±0.50 kg).Pigs were allotted to a 2×3 factorial with two sow groups(lactation diet without or with xylanase)and three dietary treatments(i.e.,control,control plus xylanase,or control plus stimbiotic).Results There were no interactions between sow treatment and post-weaning pig treatment,and sow treatment did not impact post-weaning growth or ATTD of GE and TDF in weaned pigs.From d 15 to 28 post-weaning,the ADG,G:F,ATTD of GE and TDF,and concentration of DE were greater(P<0.05)for pigs fed the diet with stimbiotic than if fed the xylanase diet or the control diet,and pigs fed the xylanase diet had greater(P<0.05)ADG,G:F,ATTD of GE and TDF,and concentration of DE than pigs fed the control diet.From d 29 to 42 post-weaning,pigs fed the diets with xylanase or stimbiotic had greater(P<0.05)ADG,ATTD of GE and TDF,and DE than pigs fed the control diet.Conclusions Pigs fed xylanase or stimbiotic had greater ATTD of GE and TDF,greater DE,and greater overall ADG,G:F,and final body weight on d 42 post-weaning than pigs fed the control diet,but feeding sows xylanase in lactation did not influence post-weaning growth performance.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32372907)State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products(No.10417000023 CE0601G/004/002)。
文摘Background The composition and relative abundances of intestinal microbiota are closely related to animal growth,development and health.This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of intestinal fungi in pigs,with a focus on fungal alterations associated with diarrhea.Methods Intestinal digesta from duodenum,jejunum,ileum,cecum,colon and feces of 8 finishing pigs(180 days old)were collected.Fecal samples were also collected from 18 pigs across different growth stages,including lactation(3 d),nursery(26 d,35 d,49 d),growing(120 d)and finishing(180 d).Additionally,feces were collected from 32 diarrheal and 32 healthy piglets at 28 days old.Fungal community profiling in these samples was performed using internal transcribed spacer(ITS)sequencing.Results A total of 9,224 amplicon sequence variants(ASVs)were detected in all of 220 samples.Intestinal fungal diversity exhibited clear biogeographic patterns,with significantly lower richness and Shannon index in the ileum(P<0.05)and significantly higher richness in the large intestine and feces(P<0.05).The fungal community structure also varied significantly across intestinal segments,with Kazachstania dominating in the ileum and Geotrichum in the duodenum and jejunum.Across growth stages,fecal fungal diversity increased after weaning.PCoA results revealed that fungal structure exhibited significant temporal changes(R=0.7313,P=0.001),with the core fungal taxa dominated by Diutina catenulata,Aspergillus restrictus and Tahromyces munnarensis.In addition,by comparing the fungal community of piglets with and without diarrhea,the richness and Shannon index were significantly higher in the diarrheal piglets than those in healthy piglets(P<0.05)with Kazachstania,Diutina and Aspergillus enriched in diarrheal piglets and Geotrichum,Tahromyces and Piromyces in healthy piglets.Conclusions The intestinal fungal community in pigs shows distinct spatial variation,with greater diversity in the large intestine.Fungal composition shifts dynamically with age,particularly around the weaning transition.This study highlights specific fungal taxa associated with diarrhea caused by weaning stress,offering new insights into the interplay between gut fungi and pig health.
基金supported by National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFD1800300 and 2022YFD1800800)National Natural Science Foundation of China(32072841).
文摘Dear Editor,Swinepox virus(SWPV)belongs to the family Poxviridae,subfamily Chordopoxvirinae,and genus Varicellovirus(Lefkowitz et al.,2018).It exhibits the typical brick-shaped morphology and envelope structure characteristic of poxviruses.Its genome is a 146 kbp linear double-stranded DNA encoding approximately 150 genes(Moorkamp et al.,2008;Schwarz et al.,2024).SWPV is highly host-specific,infecting only domestic pigs and wild boars.Transmission occurs through direct contact with infectious scabs,congenital transmission,or mechanical transmission by arthropods such as pig lice and house flies.The disease is more likely to occur in pig farms with poor sanitation conditions(Borst et al.,1990;Jindal,2015;Kaiser et al.,2021;Kumar et al.,2023;Riyesh et al.,2016).
文摘Background Monoglycerides have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional practices due to their biolog-ical activities,including antimicrobial properties.However,few studies have assessed the efficacy of monoglyceride blend on weaned pigs and their impacts on performance,immune response,and gut health using a disease chal-lenge model.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary monoglycerides of short-and medium-chain fatty acids on the immunity and gut health of weaned pigs experimentally infected with an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18.Results Pigs supplemented with high-dose zinc oxide(ZNO)had greater(P<0.05)growth performance than other treatments,but no difference was observed in average daily feed intake between ZNO and monoglycerides groups during the post-challenge period.Pigs in ZNO and antibiotic groups had lower(P<0.05)severity of diarrhea than control,but the severity of diarrhea was not different between antibiotic and monoglycerides groups.Pigs fed with monoglycerides or ZNO had lower(P<0.05)serum haptoglobin on d 2 or 5 post-inoculation than control.Pigs in ZNO had greater(P<0.05)goblet cell numbers per villus,villus area and height,and villus height:crypt depth ratio(VH:CD)in duodenum on d 5 post-inoculation than pigs in other treatments.Pigs supplemented with monoglyc-erides,ZNO,or antibiotics had reduced(P<0.05)ileal crypt depth compared with control on d 5 post-inoculation,contributing to the increase(P=0.06)in VH:CD.Consistently,pigs in ZNO expressed the lowest(P<0.05)TNFa,IL6,IL10,IL12,IL1A,IL1B,and PTGS2 in ileal mucosa on d 5 post-inoculation,and no difference was observed in the expres-sion of those genes between ZNO and monoglycerides.Supplementation of ZNO and antibiotic had significant impacts on metabolic pathways in the serum compared with control,particularly on carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism,while limited impacts on serum metabolites were observed in monoglycerides group when compared with control.Conclusions The results suggest that supplementation of monoglyceride blend may enhance disease resist-ance of weaned pigs by alleviating the severity of diarrhea and mitigating intestinal and systemic inflammation,although the effectiveness may not be comparable to high-dose zinc oxide.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFE0114400).
文摘Toxoplasma gondii(T.gondii)is a globally distributed parasite that can infect a diversity of warm-blooded animals,including swine and humans.Infection in swine poses a considerable threat to food safety and public health.The aim of this meta-analysis was to estimate the seroprevalence of T.gondii infection in the swine population in China from 2000 to 2023 and to examine potential factors associated with infection.A total of 112 studies were included,collectively involving 145,152 swine samples originating from 26 provinces.The pooled seroprevalence was 26.0%(95%CI:23.3%–28.7%).Stratified analysis based on diagnostic methods revealed that studies using the indirect hemagglutination assay(IHA)reported a seroprevalence of 19.7%(95%CI:17.2%–22.2%),whereas those utilizing the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)reported a higher seroprevalence of 35.5%(95%CI:29.1%–41.8%).Geographical analysis indicated higher seroprevalence in the South Central and Southwest regions,whereas the East and Northwest areas reported the lowest seroprevalence.Chongqing Province reported the highest seroprevalence,reaching 44.9%(95%CI:43.4%–46.0%),followed by Xinjiang,Hainan,and Guizhou,whereas the lowest was observed in Shandong Province(3.5%,95%CI:1.7%–6.1%).These findings provide important epidemiological evidence that can inform strategies for the prevention and control of T.gondii infection in swine populations,with a focus on high-risk populations and geographical areas.This imperative contributes substantially to the improvement of both food safety and public health.
基金Financial support for this research from Minnesota Corn Growers Association(Burnsville,MN,USA)Green Plains Energy(Omaha,NE,USA)is greatly appreciated.
文摘Background Diets with high inclusion of corn co-products such as corn fermented protein(CFP)may contain excess Leu,which has a negative impact on feed intake and growth performance of pigs due to increased catabolism of Val and Ile and reduced availability of Trp in the brain for serotonin synthesis.However,we hypothesized that the negative effect of using CFP in diets for weanling pigs may be overcome if diets are fortified with crystalline sources of Val,Trp,and(or)Ile.Methods Three hundred and twenty weanling pigs were randomly allotted to one of 10 dietary treatments in a com-pletely randomized design,with 4 pigs per pen and 8 replicate pens per treatment.A corn-soybean meal diet and 2 basal diets based on corn and 10%CFP or corn and 20%CFP were formulated.Seven additional diets were formu-lated by fortifying the basal diet with 20%CFP with Ile,Trp,Val,Ile and Val,Ile and Trp,Trp and Val,or Ile,Trp and Val.A two-phase feeding program was used,with d 1 to 14 being phase 1 and d 15 to 28 being phase 2.Fecal scores were recorded every other day.Blood samples were collected on d 14 and 28 from one pig per pen.On d 14,fecal samples were collected from one pig per pen in 3 of the 10 treatments to determine volatile fatty acids,ammonium concen-tration,and microbial protein.These pigs were also euthanized and ileal tissue was collected.Results There were no effects of dietary treatments on any of the parameters evaluated in phase 1.Inclusion of 10%or 20%CFP in diets reduced(P<0.05)final body weight on d 28,and average daily gain(ADG)and average daily feed intake(ADFI)in phase 2 and for the entire experimental period.However,pigs fed the CFP diet supplemented with Val,Ile,and Trp had final body weight,ADFI,ADG and gain to feed ratio in phase 2 and for the entire experiment that was not different from pigs fed the control diet.Fecal scores in phase 2 were reduced(P<0.05)if CFP was used.Conclusions Corn fermented protein may be included by up to 20%in diets for weanling pigs without affecting growth performance,gut health,or hindgut fermentation,if diets are fortified with extra Val,Trp,and Ile.Inclusion of CFP also improved fecal consistency of pigs.
基金funded by North Carolina Agricultural Foundation(Raleigh,NC,USA)USDA-NIFA(Hatch#02893 and National Needs Fellowship#2019-38420-28970,Washington DC,USA)+1 种基金CJ Bio(Seoul,Korea)CTC Bio(Seoul,Korea)。
文摘Background This study investigated the effects of different non-starch polysaccharide(NSP)sources with NSP degrading enzymes(NSPases)and the influence on the mucosa-associated microbiota and intestinal immunity of nursery pigs,on growth performance and carcass traits at market weight.Methods One hundred and sixty newly weaned pigs at 7.0±0.3 kg body weight(BW)were allotted in a 2×2 factorial with NSP sources and NSPases serving as factors.The 4 dietary treatments were:DDGS,corn distillers'dried grains with solubles as source of NSP;DDGS+NSPases(DDGS+),DDGS with xylanase at 0.01%,3,000 U/kg of feed andβ-mannanase at 0.05%,400 U/kg of feed;SHWB,soybean hulls and wheat bran replacing corn DDGS as the source of NSP;SHWB with NSPases(SHWB+),SHWB with xylanase at 0.01%,3,000 U/kg of feed andβ-mannanase at 0.05%,400 U/kg of feed.Pigs were fed for 37 d and housed in groups of 4 pigs per pen.At d 37,the median body weight pig in each pen was euthanized for sampling to analyze intestinal health parameters.Remaining pigs were fed a common diet for subsequent phases to evaluate the carryover effect on growth and carcass traits.Results The SHWB decreased(P<0.05)the relative abundance of Helicobacter,tended to increase(P=0.074)the relative abundance of Lactobacillus,increased(P<0.05)immunoglobulin G(IgG)in the jejunal mucosa,tended to increase(P=0.096)the villus height(VH)in the jejunum,and tended to improve ADG(P=0.099)and feed efficiency(P=0.068)during phase 1 compared to DDGS treatment.Supplementation of NSPases increased(P<0.05)Shannon index of diversity,increased the relative abundance of Streptococcus and Acinetobacter,and tended to increase(P=0.082)dry matter digestibility.The BW of pigs fed SHWB was more uniform(P<0.05)at the end of the 120 d study.Additionally,hot carcass weight of pigs fed SHWB tended to be more uniform(P=0.089)than DDGS treatment.Conclusion Soybean hulls and wheat bran replacing DDGS in nursery diets improved uniformity of pigs at market weight,which might be attributed to beneficial modulation of the mucosa-associated microbiota and enhanced intestinal morphology during the nursery phase.Supplementation of NSPases had beneficial effects on the intestinal mucosa-associated microbiota,digestibility,and intestinal immunity in SHWB treatment,whereas no carryover effects were overserved at market weight.
文摘Global livestock production is a major driver of climate change.Lumping beef and pork together as red meat masks important differences in their carbon footprints,land uses,and social status.These two red meat choices in Canada were compared by using a meta-model of the Unified Livestock Industry and Crop Emissions Estimation System(ULICEES).ULICEES calculated fossil CO_(2),N_(2)O and CH_(4) emissions for beef,dairy,pork,poultry,and sheep production in Canada,based on both the livestock and their supporting land base in 2001.The dynamic drivers of the meta-model were crop yields,breeding female populations,tillage practices,nitrogen fertilizer use,and the crop complex of each livestock industry.When the potential carbon sequestration in the land growing harvested perennial forage is credited to beef production,the CO_(2)e emissions offset does not reduce the carbon footprint of beef enough to match the lower carbon footprint of pork.Most of the land required to grow hay for beef would not be needed to feed a protein-equivalent pig population.In a hypothetical conversion of all beef production to pork production for 2021,4.5 Mha of land under perennial forage was freed and 10.0 MtCO_(2)e per year was mitigated when that area was re-cultivated for annual crops—a GHG mitigation equal to 12%of the GHG emissions budget of Canadian agriculture.Leaving that area under a perennial ground cover mitigated 19.8 MtCO_(2)e per year,the equivalent of 23%of the sector’s GHG emissions budget.
基金funding from the European Union Next Generation EU(PIANO NAZION-ALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA—PNRR–MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2,CUP C93C22002790001)from University of Padova(2024DAFNAE1SIDPRO-GETTI-00004)。
文摘Background The protein sources in pig diets strongly rely on soybean meal,but its production has been associated with soil degradation,deforestation and loss of biodiversity.Microalga Spirulina can be a potentially more sustainable alternative to soybean meal,but comprehensive information about its use in growing pigs is still lacking.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of partial to full replacement of dietary soybean meal with Spirulina on the growth and carcass traits of growing pigs and on the chemical and physical attributes of the meat.Methods Eighty-eight pigs,gilts and barrows mixed together,with initial body weight of 52.4±4.2 kg,were allotted into 4 isoenergetic,isoproteic,and isoaminoacidic dietary treatments,which included a conventional control diet based on cereals and soybean meal and one of 3 diets formulated by replacing nearly 33%,66%or 100%soybean with Spirulina.Each treatment had 2 pens(11 pigs/pen),which were equipped with electronic feeders that were able to record individual feed intake.After 138 d on feed,at 174.9±6.4 kg body weight,the pigs were slaughtered,and the carcass traits and meat quality parameters from loin samples were assessed.Results The palatability of feeds was not depressed in pigs fed Spirulina,even when the soybean was completely replaced by the microalga.The incorporation of Spirulina in the diets in place of soybean did not impair the growth rate or feed efficiency,irrespective of the extent of replacement.The carcass traits and yield of commercial cuts were comparable for all Spirulina-included compared with those of the soybean-based groups,and the same was found for the chemical and physical attributes of loin meat.Conclusion The results obtained at the herd and slaughter levels revealed that the replacement of soybean meal with Spirulina did not negatively affect the growth or carcass traits of growing pigs or the main attributes of meat.Therefore,this study provides,for the first time,insights into the technical possibility of switching growing pig feeding systems toward more environmentally sustainable diets by including a microalga originating from landless feed production systems,which does not result in soil degradation or loss of biodiversity.
文摘Background Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(E.coli)is a threat to humans and animals that causes intestinal dis-orders.Antimicrobial resistance has urged alternatives,including Lactobacillus postbiotics,to mitigate the effects of enterotoxigenic E.coli.Methods Forty-eight newly weaned pigs were allotted to NC:no challenge/no supplement;PC:F18^(+)E.coli chal-lenge/no supplement;ATB:F18^(+)E.coli challenge/bacitracin;and LPB:F18^(+)E.coli challenge/postbiotics and fed diets for 28 d.On d 7,pigs were orally inoculated withF18^(+)E.coli.At d 28,the mucosa-associated microbiota,immune and oxidative stress status,intestinal morphology,the gene expression of pattern recognition receptors(PRR),and intestinal barrier function were measured.Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS 9.4.Results PC increased(P<0.05)Helicobacter mastomyrinus whereas reduced(P<0.05)Prevotella copri and P.ster-corea compared to NC.The LPB increased(P<0.05)P.stercorea and Dialister succinatiphilus compared with PC.The ATB increased(P<0.05)Propionibacterium acnes,Corynebacterium glutamicum,and Sphingomonas pseudosanguinis compared to PC.The PC tended to reduce(P=0.054)PGLYRP4 and increased(P<0.05)TLR4,CD14,MDA,and crypt cell proliferation compared with NC.The ATB reduced(P<0.05)NOD1 compared with PC.The LPB increased(P<0.05)PGLYRP4,and interferon-γand reduced(P<0.05)NOD1 compared with PC.The ATB and LPB reduced(P<0.05)TNF-αand MDA compared with PC.Conclusions TheF18^(+)E.coli challenge compromised intestinal health.Bacitracin increased beneficial bacteria show-ing a trend towards increasing the intestinal barrier function,possibly by reducing the expression of PRR genes.Lac-tobacillus postbiotics enhanced the immunocompetence of nursery pigs by increasing the expression of interferon-γand PGLYRP4,and by reducing TLR4,NOD1,and CD14.
文摘Following the publication of Liu et al.(2024),an error was identified in Figure 4B,in which the image representing the lung from the E529G group was inadvertently duplicated with the image of the lung from the WT group during figure preparation.
基金supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation[Grant Number BX20240146 and 2024M761230]Key Project of Research and Development Plan in Jiangxi Province[Grant Number 20243BCC31001].
文摘Background Backfat thickness(BFT)is a vital economic trait in pigs,reflecting subcutaneous fat levels that affect meat quality and production efficiency.As a complex trait shaped by multiple genetic factors,BFT has been studied using genome-wide association studies(GWAS)and linkage analyses to locate fat-related quantitative trait loci(QTLs),but pinpointing causal variants and genes is hindered by linkage disequilibrium and limited regulatory data.This study aimed to dissect the QTLs affecting BFT on Sus scrofa chromosome 1(SSC1),elucidating regulatory variants,effector genes,and the cell types involved.Results Using whole-genome genotyping data from 3,578 pigs and phenotypic data for five BFT traits,we identified a 630.6 kb QTL on SSC1 significantly associated with these traits via GWAS and fine-mapping,pinpointing 34 candidate causal variants.Using deep convolutional neural networks to predict regulatory activity from sequence data integrated with detailed pig epigenetic profiles,we identified five SNPs potentially affecting enhancer activity in specific tissues.Notably,rs342950505(SSC1:161,123,588)influences weak enhancer activity across multiple tissues,including the brain.High-throughput chromosome conformation capture(Hi-C)analysis identified that rs342950505 interacts with eight genes.Chromatin state annotations confirmed enhancer activity at this QTL in the cerebellum.Leveraging these insights,single-cell ATAC-seq revealed a chromatin accessibility peak encompassing rs342950505 that regulates PMAIP1 expression in inhibitory neurons via enhancer-mediated mechanisms,with an adjacent peak modulating CCBE1 expression in neuroblasts and granule cells.Transcriptome-wide association studies(TWAS)confirmed PMAIP1's role in the hypothalamus,and Mendelian randomization(MR)validated PMAIP1 and CCBE1 as key brain expression quantitative trait locus(eQTL)effectors.We propose that the variant rs342950505,located within a regulatory peak,modulates PMAIP1 expression in inhibitory neurons,potentially influencing energy homeostasis via hypothalamic regulation.Similarly,CCBE1 may contribute to this process.Conclusions Our results,through systematic dissection of pleiotropic BFT-associated loci,provide a framework to elucidate regulatory mechanisms of complex traits,offering insights into polygenic control through lipid metabolism and neural signaling pathways.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program(2021YFD1301200 and 2021YFF1000602).
文摘Background Traditional genomic analysis relies on a single reference genome,which struggles to effectively characterize the genetic diversity among populations.This is due to the substantial genetic differences between the genome of the studied species and the reference genome,potentially introducing reference bias.Results In this study,we focused on Guanzhong Black pigs(GZB),Danish Large White pigs(DLW),and their hybrid offspring,Qinchuan Black pigs(QCB).We provided two high-quality parental genomes at the chromosomal level and constructed a parental genomic reference panel to detect SNPs(single nucleotide polymorphisms),INDELs(insertions and deletions),and SVs(structural variations).Compared with the single-reference method,the integrated parental genomic strategy identified 5.48%more SNPs and 67.84%more INDELs.The uniformity of variant distribution and genome functional annotation remained consistent before and after integration,while the ratio of nonreference/non-reference genotypes was also improved.In population genetic structure analysis,principal component analysis(PCA)of the three variant types(SNPs,INDELs,and SVs)exhibited good clustering effects,and ADMIXTURE analysis demonstrated consistent stratification.Selection signal analysis based on the integrated parental genomic strategy successfully identified more differentiated windows and positively selected genes.By leveraging multiple variant types and employing two selection signal methods,we jointly identified several novel intramuscular fat candidate genes(MSMO1,SMC6,CCDC158,KIT,CCNC,etc.),which could not be identified by the single-reference method alone.Functional validation of the gene MSMO1 revealed its role in promoting intramuscular adipocyte proliferation and inhibiting adipogenic differentiation.Conclusions This study is the first to construct a parental genomic reference panel specifically for pig hybrid populations,which significantly reduces reference bias and exhibits superior performance in downstream analyses.This strategy offers new possibilities for genomic selection breeding of livestock and establishes a methodological foundation for precisely dissecting complex traits in hybrid populations.
基金supported by the specialized research fund from National Natural Science Foundation of China,Joint Fund for Regional Innovation Development(U21 A20249)National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs,China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA(CARS-35)National Key R&D Program of China(YFD1300702).
文摘Background Fat is a key component of body composition in both humans and animals,with intramuscular fat(IMF)being a critical determinant of pork quality.Higher IMF level enhances meat qualities such as flavor,tenderness,and juiciness,directly influencing consumer preference and market demand.Therefore,identifying microbial biomarkers associated with fat deposition is essential for improving meat quality in livestock and understanding how gut microbiota regulates host metabolism.Results In this study,we examined changes in meat quality,fat metabolism,and gut microbiota during the pig life cycle,from weaning to marketing.We found that Jinhua pig exhibited higher IMF content and marbling score,and higher α diversity of colonic microbial communities.Microbiome Multivariate Association with Linear Models was used to identify the core genera associated with age,breed,and feed,and Prevotella was found to respond to both age and breed factors.The correlation analysis of fat deposition indicators with microbial genera revealed that Prevotella was a potential biomarker in response to IMF.In addition,the P.stercorea DSM 18206(P.stercorea)was identified in porcine sample and administered to pseudo sterile mouse to examine the effect on IMF deposition.We found that the gavage of P.stercorea with alfalfa-enriched diet led to a significant increase in triglyceride(TG)and IMF contents in muscle.Metabolomic analysis further confirmed P.stercorea may potentially regulate fat deposition through the sphingolipid signaling pathway.Conclusions We identified P.stercorea as a potential biomarker linked to higher IMF deposition and validated their role in shaping the gut microbiota and promoting fat accumulation in a mouse model,which correlated with the sphingolipid signaling pathway.These findings provide valuable insights into the role of P.stercorea in regulating fat deposition and metabolic health,offering implications for improving both livestock meat quality and lipid metabolism in humans.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(U22A20517).
文摘Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of regulated cell death(RCD)characterized by iron overload and excessive lipid peroxidation.To date,numerous studies in human and mouse models have shown that ferroptosis is closely related to tissue damage and various diseases.In recent years,ferroptosis has also been found to play an indispensable and multifaceted role in infection and tissue injury in pigs,and nutritional regulation strategies targeting ferroptosis show great potential.In this review,we summarize the research progress of ferroptosis and its role in infection and tissue injury in pigs.Furthermore,we discuss the existing evidence on ferroptosis regulation by nutrients,aiming to provide valuable insights for future investigation into ferroptosis in pigs and offer a novel perspective for the treatment of infection and injury in pigs.
文摘Find It Why was the third pig the smartest?nee upon a time,three little pigs lived with their mother.One day,she told them,"You are big now.Go build homes and take care of yourselves."So,the three pigs left and went to find places to live.The first little pig didn't like to work hard.He found some straw.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32222079 to L.J.and 32202621 to D.D.W.)。
文摘Pigs have emerged as valuable large-animal models for cardiac xenotransplantation;however,the temporal dynamics of myocardial development in this species remains insufficiently defined.This study analyzed gene expression patterns across four key developmental stages(neonatal,juvenile,sexual maturity,and adulthood)to delineate the molecular mechanisms driving porcine myocardial development.Increases in heart weight were accompanied by proportional expansion of myocardial fiber area and chamber size,reflecting coordinated structural development.Transcriptomic profiling of myocardial tissue by RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)identified 2189 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)across stage comparisons.Short time-series expression miner(STEM)analysis classified these DEGs into four major expression clusters enriched in pathways associated with myocardial development,immune responses,cell proliferation,and metabolic processes.Among 359 DEGs conserved across all developmental stages,six candidate genes were strongly associated with myocardial development.Reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)confirmed a significant correlation between the expression of these candidate genes and myocardial development in porcine tissue.These findings establish a transcriptomic framework for porcine myocardial maturation and provide a molecular basis for advancing cardiac xenotransplantation.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2024YFF1000100 and 2021YFD1301102)the National Natural Science Foundations of China(32172702)the National Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(ASTIP-IAS02).
文摘Resilience traits in pig populations allow animals to deal better with infectious disease and suboptimal production environments.The data on daily weight,feed intake and feed behaviors in pigs are collected in test period by automated feeding stations,which facilitate to evaluate the resilience traits.In this study,we adopted the root mean square error(RMSE)of ordinary least squares(OLS)and the negative residuals of quantile regression(QR)to generate four different novel resilience traits using daily records of feed intake and feed duration between 90 and 180 days of age in a population of commercial Duroc pigs.The genome-wide association studies(GWAS)based on single-and two-trait mixed models were carried out on 550 pigs using 48,603 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)to identify genomic regions associated with resilience traits in growing pigs.We further focused on the GWAS signals to conduct gene annotation,colocalization with multi-tissue eQTL summary statistics of PigGTEx project and identification of enhancers and promoters using the publicly available data.The genomic heritabilities of four novel resilience traits ranged from 0.09 to 0.41.The pairwise genetic and phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.16 to 0.95 and from 0.05 to 0.36,respectively.Twenty-seven SNPs were identified to be significantly associated with these resilience traits.They were distributed on nine chromosomes(SSC1,SSC2,SSC6,SSC7,SSC8,SSC12,SSC14,SSC16 and SSC17).After annotation,39 QTLs and 49 candidate genes were identified.Several of these are functionally relevant candidate genes including OTUD4,TIFA and CARD14,which are involved in the host immune response,disease susceptibility and signal transduction.Eight unique SNPs were found to be causal in both GWAS and eQTL analyses across 15 tissues.Notably,one SNP(rs80794541)was associated with eQTLs identified concurrently across seven tissues/cell types,including the macrophage cell type.Furthermore,four significant SNPs(rs81467127,rs81356029,rs80794541 and rs81305085)were linked to the function of the primed enhancer,active element,and poised promoter in five pig tissues.Using the porcine fibroblast HiC dataset,SNP(rs81356029)on SSC2 regulates the CARNS1 and SSH3,while SNP(rs80794541)on SSC7 regulates the H2AC6.In this study,we generated four novel resilience traits and identified SNPs significantly associated with these resilience traits in a Duroc pig population.GWAS signals were associated with candidate genes involving in the immune traits,and were linked to the crucial regulatory elements as well.Our findings will contribute to elucidating the genetic mechanism that can enhance genome-enabled breeding and inform further research on resilience in domestic pigs.
