Micro-encapsulated essential oils and organic acids combination improves intestinal barrier function,inflammatory responses and microbiota of weaned piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F4(K88^+)

This study evaluated the effects of micro-encapsulated(protected)organic acids(OA)and essential oils(EO)combination,P(OA+EO),and effects of a regular blend of free acids(FA)on the growth,immune responses,intestinal barrier and microbiota of weaned piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)F4(K88^+).A total of 30 crossbred(Duroc×Landrace×Large White)weaned barrows(7.41±0.06 kg,28 d old)were assigned randomly to 5 treatments:1)non-challenged positive control(PC),2)ETEC F4(K88^+)-challenged negative control(NC),3)NC+kitasamycin at 50 mg/kg+olaquindox at 100 mg/kg+free acidifier(FA)at 5 g/kg,4)NC+kitasamycin at 50 mg/kg+olaquindox at 100 mg/kg+P(OA+EO)at 1 g/kg(P1),5)NC+kitasamycin at 50 mg/kg+olaquindox at 100 mg/kg+P(OA+EO)at 2 g/kg(P2).Each dietary treatment had 6 replicates of one piglet each and the study lasted for 3 wk.On d 7,pigs in NC,FA,P1 and P2 were orally dosed with 10 mL of ETEC F4(K88^+)culture(1×10^9 CFU/mL).From d 7 to 14 after the ETEC F4(K88^+)challenge,P1 increased gain-to-feed ratio(G:F)significantly(P<0.05)compared with NC and FA groups.From d 14 to 21,P2 increased the average daily gain of pigs(P<0.05)compared with NC and FA groups.Compared with NC,P2 reduced tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-6 and IL-10 concentrations(P<0.05)in sera collected at 4 h later after ETEC F4(K88^+)challenge.On d 21,P1 increased occludin and zonula occludens-1 protein expression in ileum compared with NC(P<0.05).After this 3-wk experiment,alpha diversity of gut microbiota was decreased by P2 compared with PC,and P1 increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in ileum,cecum and colon(P<0.05).In co nclusio n,dietary P(OA+EO)additive at 2 g/kg combined with antibiotics could improve piglet performance and attenuate inflammation,and P(OA+EO)additive at 1 g/kg combined with antibiotics improved intestinal barrier and increased beneficial microbiota composition after an F4(K88^+)challenge.