Supplementation with alpha-glycerol monolaurate during late gestation and lactation enhances sow performance,ameliorates milk composition,and improves growth of suckling piglets

Background Physiological changes during lactation cause oxidative stress in sows,reduce immunity,and hamper the growth capacity of piglets.Alpha-glycerol monolaurate(α-GML)has potential for enhancing the antimicrobial activity of sows and the growth of suckling piglets.Methods Eighty sows were allocated randomly to four groups:basal diet and basal diets supplemented with 500,1000,or 2000 mg/kgα-GML.The experiment started on d 85 of gestation and lasted until piglets were weaned on d 21 of lactation.The number of live-born piglets was standardized to 12 tion,body weight of piglets was measured and milk samples±1 per sow on day of parturition.On d 0 and21 of lactawere obtained from sows,and serum samples and feces from piglets were obtained on d 21.Results Feed intake,backfat loss,and weaning estrus interval did not differ among the four groups of sows.Maternalα-GML supplementation increased(P<0.05)the body weight of piglets at weaning and the apparent total tract digestibility of crude fat of sows.The immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G levels were greater(P<0.05)in a quadratic manner in the milk of sows as dietaryα-GML increased.Concerning fatty acid profile,C12:0,C15:0,C17:0,C18:2n6c,C18:3n3,C24:0,and C22:6n3 were higher(P<0.05)in linear and quadratic manners in colostrum of sowsfedα-GML diets compared with the control sows.There was lower(P<0.05)n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio in milk than in the control sows.Maternalα-GML increased the abundance of Firmicutes(P<0.05)and decreased the abundance of Proteobacteria(P<0.05)of piglet fecal microbiota.Conclusions Dietary supplementation withα-GML improved milk immunoglobulins and altered fatty acids of sows,thereby improving the health of piglets.

Supplemental Clostridium butyricum modulates lipid metabolism by reshaping the gut microbiota composition and bile acid profile in IUGR suckling piglets

Background Intrauterine growth restriction(IUGR)can cause lipid disorders in infants and have long-term adverse effects on their growth and development.Clostridium butyricum(C.butyricum),a kind of emerging probiotics,has been reported to effectively attenuate lipid metabolism dysfunctions.Therefore,the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of C.butyricum supplementation on hepatic lipid disorders in IUGR suckling piglets.Methods Sixteen IUGR and eight normal birth weight(NBW)neonatal male piglets were used in this study.From d 3to d 24,in addition to drinking milk,the eight NBW piglets(NBW-CON group,n=8)and eight IUGR piglets(IUGR-CON group,n=8)were given 10 mL sterile saline once a day,while the remaining IUGR piglets(IUGR-CB group,n=8)were orally administered C.butyricum at a dose of 2×108colony-forming units(CFU)/kg body weight(suspended in 10 mL sterile saline)at the same frequency.Results The IUGR-CON piglets exhibited restricted growth,impaired hepatic morphology,disordered lipid metabolism,increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens and altered ileum and liver bile acid(BA)profiles.However,C.butyricum supplementation reshaped the gut microbiota of the IUGR-CB piglets,characterized by a decreased abundance of opportunistic pathogens in the ileum,including Streptococcus and Enterococcus.The decrease in these bile salt hydrolase(BSH)-producing microbes increased the content of conjugated BAs,which could be transported to the liver and function as signaling molecules to activate liver X receptorα(LXRα)and farnesoid X receptor(FXR).This activation effectively accelerated the synthesis and oxidation of fatty acids and down-regulated the total cholesterol level by decreasing the synthesis and promoting the efflux of cholesterol.As a result,the growth performance and morphological structure of the liver improved in the IUGR piglets.Conclusion These results indicate that C.butyricum supplementation in IUGR suckling piglets could decrease the abundance of BSH-producing microbes(Streptococcus and Enterococcus).This decrease altered the ileum and liver BA profiles and consequently activated the expression of hepatic LXRαand FXR.The activation of these two signaling molecules could effectively normalize the lipid metabolism and improve the growth performance of IUGR suckling piglets.

Effects of galacto-oligosaccharides on growth and gut function of newborn suckling piglets

Background: Most research on galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS) has mainly focused on their prebiotic effects on the hindgut,but their beneficial effects on the small intestine(SI) have received little attention.Since jejunum is the important place to digest and absorb nutrients efficiently,optimal maturation of the jejunum is necessary for maintaining the high growth rate in the neonate.Therefore,this study investigates the effect of the early intervention with GOS on the intestinal development of the jejunum.Methods: A total of 6 litters of neonatal piglets(10 piglets per litter; Duroc × Landrace × Large White) with an average birth weight of 1.55 ± 0.05 kg received 1 of 2 treatments based on their assignment to either the control(CON) group or the GOS(GOS) group in each litter.Piglets in the GOS group were orally administrated 10 mL of a GOS solution(reaching 1 g GOS/kg body weight) per day from the age of 1 to 7 d; the piglets in the CON group were treated with the same dose of physiological saline.All piglets were weaned on d 21.On d 8 and 21 of the experimental trial,1 pig per group from each of the 6 litters was euthanized.Results: The early intervention with GOS increased the average daily gains in the third week(P < 0.05).Decreased crypt depth was also observed in the jejunum of the piglets on d 21(P < 0.05).The early intervention with GOS increased the jejunal lactase activity on d 8,maltase activity and sucrase activity on d 21(P < 0.05).In addition,the early intervention with GOS also facilitated the mRNA expression of Sodium glucose co-transporter 1(SGLT1) on d 8 and the m RNA expression of Glucose transporter type 2(GLUT2) on d 21(P < 0.05).It was further determined that GOS up-regulated the m RNA expression of preproglucagon(GCG),insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1),insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor(IGF-1 R) and epidermal growth factor(EGF).GOS also up-regulated the protein expression of glucagon-like peptide-2(GLP-2) and EGF in the jejunum of the piglets.Furthermore,it was also found that GOS enhanced the protein expression of ZO-1 and occludin on d 8(P < 0.05),as well as increased the mRNA expression of TGF-β and decrease the mRNA expression of IL-12(P < 0.05).Conclusions: These results indicate that GOS have a positive effect on piglet growth performance in addition to decreasing the crypt depth and enhancing functional development in jejunum of suckling piglets.

Dietary arginine supplementation in multiparous sows during lactation improves the weight gain of suckling piglets

This study investigated the effects of dietary arginine （Arg） supplementation, just during lactation, on sow and litter per- formance, plasma concentrations of metabolites and hormones, and milk yield and composition in multiparous sows. Thirty-one sows were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments supplemented with 0.0 （control, n=10）, 0.5% （n=10）, or 1.0% （n=11） L-Arg-HCI, respectively. Experimental diets were provided to the sows from d 3 to 21 of lactation. Plasma and milk samples were collected at d 14 and 21 of lactation. The average daily gain （ADG） of piglets from sows fed diets supplemented with 0.5 or 1.0% L-Arg-HCI at d 3 to 14 of lactation, were higher than that of controls （P〈0.05）. Maternal supplementation with 1.0% L-Arg-HCI also increased ADG of piglets between d 3 and 21 of lactation than that of the controls （P〈0.05）. There was no significant effect of supplementation on average daily feed intake （ADFI）, body weight loss, and backfat thickness loss of lactating sows. Supplementation with 0.5 or 1.0% L-Arg-HCI had a trend towards increasing milk yields and milk fat contents （0.05〈P〈0.10）; milk protein and lactose were unchanged. Supplementation with 1.0% L-Arg- HCI increased plasma concentrations of prolactin and insulin in sows at d 14 and 21 of lactation, and plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acid （NEFA）, insulin-like growth factor-1 （IGF-1）, and nitric oxide （NO） in sows at d 21 of lactation, when compared to the controls （P〈0.05）. Supplementation with 1.0% L-Arg-HCI increased IGF-1 and spermine in milk at d 14 of lactation, relative to the controls （P〈0.05）. Plasma Arg concentrations at d 14 and 21 of lactation, as well as plasma NO level and milk IGF-1 at d 21 of lactation, were increased, while plasma urea nitrogen （PUN） concentration at d 14 and 21 of lactation was decreased, by supplementation with 0.5 or 1.0% L-Arg-HCI when compared to the controls （P〈0.05）. Collectively, dietary supplementation of multiparous sows with Arg, just during lactation, is beneficial for enhancing litter weight gain but the complete mechanism remains to be determined and may involve in the maternal endocrine changes and milk polyamines contents.

Dietary fibre enrichment of supplemental feed modulates the development of the intestinal tract in suckling piglets

Background:Commercial pre-weaning diets are formulated to be highly digestible and nutrient-dense and contain low levels of dietary fibre.In contrast,pigs in a natural setting are manipulating fibre-rich plant material from a young age.Moreover,dietary fibre affects gastrointestinal tract(GIT)development and health in older pigs.We hypothesised that supplemental diets that contain vegetal fibres are accelerating GIT development in suckling piglets in terms of size and functionality.From d 2 of life,sow-suckled piglets had access to a low fibre diet(CON),a diet with a fermentable long-chain arabinoxylan(lc-AXOS),a diet with a largely non-fermentable purified cellulose(CELL),or a diet containing both fibres.During the initial 2 weeks,the control diet was a high-density milk replacer,followed by a dry and highly digestible creep meal.Upon weaning at 25 d,15 piglets from each treatment group,identified as eaters and originating from six or seven litters,were sacrificed for post-mortem examination of GIT morphology,small intestinal permeability and metabolic profile of the digesta.The microbiota composition of the mid-colon was evaluated in a sub-set of ten piglets.Results:No major statistical interactions between the fibre sources were observed.Piglets consumed the fibrecontaining milk supplements and creep diets well.Stomach size and small intestinal permeability was not affected.Large intestinal fill was increased with lc-AXOS only,while relative large intestinal weight was increased with both fibre sources(P<0.050).Also,CELL decreased ileal pH and tended to increase ileal DM content compared to CON(P<0.050).Moreover,the concentration of volatile fatty acids was increased in the caecum(P<0.100)and midcolon(P<0.050)by addition of CELL.lc-AXOS only stimulated caecal propionate(P<0.050).The microbiota composition showed a high individual variation and limited dietary impact.Nonetheless,CELL induced minor shifts in specific genera,with notable reductions of Escherichia-Shigella.Conclusions:Adding dietary fibres to the supplemental diet of suckling piglets altered large intestinal morphology but not small intestinal permeability.Moreover,dietary fibre showed effects on fermentation and modest changes of microbial populations in the hindgut,with more prominent effects from the low-fermentable cellulose.

The Prevalence of Mycoplasma Hyopneumoniae in Commercial Suckling Pigs in Thailand

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of M. hyopneumoniae infection in suckling pigs. Nasal swabs were collected from 300 suckling pigs originating from five farrow-to-finishing farms. One farm had a confirmed PRDC problem (farm A) and four other farms previously had a PRDC problem (farms B, C, D and E). Thirty (30) lactating sows in parity 1, 2 and 3 were selected from each farm (Ten sows per parity). Two piglets from each sow were randomly sampled for nasal swab at 3 weeks of age. The samples were analyzed by the nested PCR technique. Forty five per cent (27/60) of nasal swabs from farm A were found positive. On the other hand, a total of 2.08 per cent were found positive (5/240) from farm B, C, D and E. The tendency of piglet infection per sow by parity showed that first parity had more prevalence than the second and the third parity (60%, 55%, 20%), respectively. We have found a correction between M. hyopneumoniae early infection in suckling pigs and a confirmed PRDC problem (farm A) as oppose to farms that did not have a PRDC problem. The strategies to prevent M. hyopneumoniae early infection are to maintain good lactation, antibiotic prevention program and early M. hyopneumoniae

A murine model of dengue virus infection in suckling C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice

Dengue is a significant public health concern across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide,principally causing disease in children.Very young children are at increased risk of severe manifestations of dengue infection.The mechanism of dengue disease in this population is not fully understood.In this study,we present a murine model of dengue virus primary infection in suckling C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice in order to investigate disease pathogenesis.Three-day-old C57BL/6 mice intraperitoneally infected with DENV-2 NGC were more susceptible to infection than BALB/c mice,showing increased liver enzymes,extended viremia,dissemination to organs and histological alterations in liver and small intestine.Furthermore,the immune response in DENV-infected C57BL/6 mice exhibited a marked Th1 bias compared to BALB/c mice.These findings highlight the possibility of establishing an immunocompetent mouse model of DENV-2 infection in suckling mice that reproduces certain signs of disease observed in humans and that could be used to further study agerelated mechanisms of dengue pathogenesis.

Early-life galacto-oligosaccharides supplementation alleviates the small intestinal oxidative stress and dysfunction of lipopolysaccharide-challenged suckling piglets

Background:Galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS)are non-digestible food ingredients that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.This study investigated the protective effect of the early-life GOS supplement on the piglets’gut function against the oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-challenge.Methods:Eighteen neonatal piglets were assigned to three groups including CON,LPS and LPS+GOS groups.The piglets in CON group and LPS group received physiological saline,while those in LPS+GOS group received GOS solution for 13 d after birth.On d 14,the piglets in LPS group and LPS+GOS group were injected with LPS solutions,while the piglets in CON group were injected with the same volume of physiological saline.Results:The results showed that the early-life GOS supplement blocked the LPS-induced reactive oxygen species(ROS)secretion,malondialdehyde(MDA)production and the increase of pro-apoptotic factor expression.Meanwhile,the early-life GOS supplement improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes,disaccharidase enzymes activities,and digestive enzymes activities,and increased the mRNA abundance of the gene related to nutrient digestion and absorption and the relative protein expression of tight junction.The study also showed that the early-life GOS supplement improved the expression of Hemeoxygenase-1(HO-1)and NAD(P)H/quinone acceptor oxidoreductase-1(NQO-1),and activated the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK).Conclusions:These results suggested that GOS enhanced the gut function,reduced the ROS production and proapoptotic factors gene expression,and activated the AMPK signaling pathway in LPS-challenged piglets.

Tracing of the viral antigens by gold－labelled antibodies in the experimentally infected suckling mice with Chen strain hemor

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Synthesis and Metabolism of 5-hydroxytryptamine in Peripheral Circulatory System of Suckling Piglets

[ Objective] To find the rule of 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） synthesis and metabolism in peripheral blood of suckling piglets with aging. [ Method ] All of 15 British Large White pigs at 0, 5 and 15 d of age were selected as experimental animals, and their serumal concentrations of L- tryptophan （L-Trp）, 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid （5-HIAA） in peripheral circulatory system were determined synchronously by reversed- phase high-performance liquid chromatography method with UV. [ Result] The concentration of L-Trp was （16. 92 ± 1.74） iJmol/L at birth, （59.94 ±10.88） iJmol/L at 5 d of age and （70.42± 6.48） μmol/L at 15 d of age. The concentration of 5-HT was （ 12.85 ± 1.79） iJmol/L at birth, （4.81 ±2.05） ijmol/L at 5 d of age and （5.49±1.09） μmol/L at 15 d of age. While 5-HIAA, the metabolic product of 5-HT, was not detected at all the samples selected. [ Conclusion] The L-Trp concentration of suckling piglets increase significantly with aging （ P 〈0. 05）. While the concentra- tion of 5-HT and the conversion ratio of L-Trp to 5-HT are both highest at birth （P〈0.05） and keep stable at 5 and 15 d of age.

Intermittent suckling with or without comingling of non-littermate piglets before weaning improves piglet performance in the immediate post-weaning period when compared with conventional weaning

Background： In this experiment, intermittent suckling（IS） with or without the co-mingling（Co M） of piglets was studied as a method to stimulate solid feed intake and reduce post-weaning stress.Methods： Three weaning regimes using 30 multiparous sows were compared：（1） conventional weaning（CW）（n = 10 litters）, where piglets had continuous access to the sow until weaning（d 0, farrowing = d-25 relative to weaning）;（2） intermittent suckling（IS）（n = 10 litters）, where piglets were separated from the sow for 8 h/d starting at d-7（relative to weaning）; and（3） intermittent suckling with co-mingling（ISCo）（n = 10 litters） where IS started at d-7 and two litters were housed together during separation and then returned to their original sow. Ad libitum creep feed was available from d-17. At weaning pigs were housed in pens of 11 pigs, 27 pens in total. The ISCo treatment was divided in half to examine effects of different mixing strategies after weaning. Half of the ISCo litters were kept in familiar groups（ISCo F, familiar, n = 4） and the other half were mixed within treatment resulting in groups of unfamiliar pigs（ISCo NF, not familiar, n = 5）, the same as IS（n = 9） and CW（n = 9） treatments.Results： The ISCo piglets ate more creep feed in the week before weaning（P 〈 0.01）, but also showed more aggressive and manipulative behaviour on first day of Co M compared with CW piglets（P 〈 0.05）. IS with or without Co M increased exploratory and play behaviour on the first day of treatment intervention（P 〈 0.001） and increased sleeping behaviour on the last day of treatment intervention compared with CW（P 〈 0.001）. Mixing strategy at weaning had an effect on performance data with the highest growth and feed intake seen in ISCo F pigs 2 to 8 d after weaning（P 〈0.001）. IS and ISCo NF pigs also grew faster and ate more than CW pigs 2 to 8 d after weaning（P 〈 0.001）. Post-weaning injury scores suggested reduced aggression in ISCo as evidenced by reduced redness（skin irritation）（P 〈 0.05）, and a tendency for ISCo to have less scratches than CW（P 〈 0.1）. The IS pigs slept the most and displayed less manipulative behaviours on the day of weaning and plasma haptoglobin levels remained low in IS pigs after weaning（P ≤ 0.01）.Conclusions： Both intermittent suckling techniques improved production indices in the immediate post-weaning period. However, the addition of co-mingling before weaning in combination with grouping familiar pigs together after weaning improved performance in an additive manner.

Mechanism of iron on the intestinal epithelium development in suckling piglets

This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of iron on intestinal epithelium development of suckling piglets. Compared with newborn piglets, 7-day-old and 21-day-old piglets showed changes in the morphology of the jejunum, increased proliferation,differentiated epithelial cells, and expanded enteroids. Intestinal epithelium maturation markers and iron metabolism genes were significantly changed. These results suggest that lactation is a critical stage in intestinal epithelial development, accompanied by changes in iron metabolism. In addition, deferoxamine(DFO) treatment inhibited the activity of intestinal organoids at passage 4(P4) of 0-day-old piglets, but no significant difference was observed in epithelial maturation markers at passage 1(P1) and P4,and only argininosuccinate synthetase 1(Ass1) and β-galactosidase(Gleb) were up-regulated at passage 7(P7). These results in vitro show that iron deficiency may not directly affect intestinal epithelium development through intestinal stem cells(ISCs). The iron supplementation significantly down-regulated the m RNA expression of interleukin-22 receptor subunit alpha-2(IL-22RA2)in the jejunum of piglets. Furthermore, the m RNA expression of IL-22 in 7-day-old piglets was significantly higher than that in0-day-old piglets. Adult epithelial markers were significantly up-regulated in organoids treated with recombinant murine cytokine IL-22. Thus, IL-22 may play a key role in iron-affecting intestinal epithelium development.

Supplementing oat hulls to the diet of suckling piglets altered their intestinal tract and colonic microbiota development

Current study evaluated the effect of a fine and coarsely ground insoluble dietary fibre source on the gastrointestinal development of suckling pigs.Oat hulls(OH)were selected as a model feedstuff,rich in cellulose,lignin,and insoluble dietary fibre.Three experimental supplemental diets were formulated:a finely ground,low fibre and nutrient dense diet served as control(CON).For the 2 high fibre diets,15%heat-treated starch in CON was exchanged with OH,either finely(OH-f)or coarsely ground(OH-c).Litters of 10 primi-and multiparous sows(mean litter size 14.6±0.84)were used.Within a litter,experimental diets were allotted to triplets of 4 piglets.From approximately 12 d of age,piglets’individual feed intakes were recorded 2 times per day when separated from their dam for 70 min.Piglets could suckle with their dam for the remainder of the day.On d 24 and 25,from the total pool of 120 piglets,seven healthy well-eating piglets per treatment were selected for post-mortem evaluation,resulting in 14 replicates per treatment.Consumption of OH-c and OH-f did not impede clinical health and production performance of piglets.The full stomach weights tended to be greater for OH-c compared to OH-f whereas CON was intermediate(P=0.083).Supplementing OH significantly increased ileal villus height and caecal dry matter concentration(P<0.05).For the colon,OH increased its length,contents weight,short-chain fatty acid concentration and reduced total bacterial count as well asγ-proteobacteria count and proportion(P<0.05).The OH-c treatment specifically increased full gastrointestinal tract weight and caecum contents weight compared to piglets fed CON and OH-f.Furthermore,OH-c reduced colonic crypt depth when compared to OH-f(P=0.018).In conclusion,supplementing OH to a diet for suckling piglets exerted subtle developmental effects on gastrointestinal morphology and colonic microbial community.These effects were largely independent from the particle size of the OH.

THE SUMERIAN TERM u_(8)/ud_(5)/ab_(2)/eme_(3)/_(6)sila_(4)/maš_(2)/amar du_(3)(-a)

The aim of the present article is twofold:firstly,to prove that the expression animal+young du_(3)(-a),which is basically documented in texts from the 3rd millennium BC,refers to a dam that has just given birth,and secondly,to show the information concerning female animals and their newborns available in the texts.

Galacto-oligosaccharides improve barrier function and relieve colonic inflammation via modulating mucosa-associated microbiota composition in lipopolysaccharides-challenged piglets

Background:Galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS)have been shown to modulate the intestinal microbiota of suckling piglets to exert beneficial effects on intestinal function.However,the modulation of intestinal microbiota and intestinal function by GOS in intestinal inflammation injury models has rarely been reported.In this study,we investigated the effects of GOS on the colonic mucosal microbiota composition,barrier function and inflammatory response of lipopolysaccharides(LPS)-challenged suckling piglets.Methods:A total of 18 newborn suckling piglets were divided into three groups,the CON group,the LPS-CON group and the LPS-GOS group.Piglets in the LPS-GOS group were orally fed with 1 g/kg body weight of GOS solution every day.On the d 14,piglets in the LPS-CON and LPS-GOS group were challenged intraperitoneally with LPS solution.All piglets were slaughtered 2 h after intraperitoneal injection and sampled.Results:We found that the colonic mucosa of LPS-challenged piglets was significantly injured and shedding,while the colonic mucosa of the LPS-GOS group piglets maintained its structure.Moreover,GOS significantly reduced the concentration of malondialdehyde(MDA)and the activity of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in the LPS-challenged suckling piglets,and significantly increased the activity of total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC).GOS significantly increased the relative abundance of norank_f_Muribaculaceae and Romboutsia,and significantly decreased the relative abundance of Alloprevotella,Campylobacter and Helicobacter in the colonic mucosa of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.In addition,GOS increased the concentrations of acetate,butyrate and total short chain fatty acids(SCFAs)in the colonic digesta of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.GOS significantly reduced the concentrations of interleukin 1β(IL-1β),interleukin 6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and cluster of differentiation 14(CD14),and the relative mRNA expression of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)and myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MyD88)in the LPS-challenged suckling piglets.In addition,GOS significantly reduced the relative mRNA expression of mucin2(MUC2),and significantly increased the protein expression of Claudin-1 and zonula occluden-1(ZO-1)in LPS-challenged suckling piglets.Conclusions:These results suggested that GOS can modulate the colonic mucosa-associated microbiota composition and improve the intestinal function of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.

Artificial rearing influences the morphology,permeability and redox state of the gastrointestinal tract of low and normal birth weight piglets

Background： In this study the physiological implications of artificial rearing were investigated. Low（LBW） and normal birth weight（NBW） piglets were compared as they might react differently to stressors caused by artificial rearing. In total, 42 pairs of LBW and NBW piglets from 16 litters suckled the sow until d19 of age or were artificially reared starting at d3 until d19 of age. Blood and tissue samples that were collected after euthanasia at 0, 3, 5, 8 and 19 d of age. Histology, ELISA, and Ussing chamber analysis were used to study proximal and distal small intestine histomorphology, proliferation, apoptosis, tight junction protein expression, and permeability. Furthermore, small intestine,liver and systemic redox parameters（GSH, GSSG, GSH-Px and MDA） were investigated using HPLC.Results： LBW and NBW artificially reared piglets weighed respectively 40 and 33% more than LBW and NBW sowreared piglets at d19（P 〈 0.01）. Transferring piglets to a nursery at d3 resulted in villus atrophy, increased intestinal FD-4 and HRP permeability and elevated GSSG/GSH ratio in the distal small intestine at d5（P 〈 0.05）. GSH concentrations in the proximal small intestine remained stable, while they decreased in the liver（P 〈 0.05）. From d5 until d19, villus width and crypt depth increased, whereas PCNA, caspase-3, occludin and claudin-3 protein expressions were reduced. GSH,GSSG and permeability recovered in artificially reared piglets（P 〈 0.05）.Conclusion： The results suggest that artificial rearing altered the morphology, permeability and redox state without compromising piglet performance. The observed effects were not depending on birth weight.

Maternal Behavior Their Adjustments and Implicated Factors

The maternal behavior in mammals is one of the most stable and highly conserved motivated species-specific behaviors and crucial for reproductive functions. During maternal behavior nursing and feeding are associated factors with survival of mammalian offspring, mammals nurse their newborn in a wide diversity in the behavioral. In the mother relationship the suckling is the behavioral patterns that identified and unified mammals and showed several selected evolutionary conserved behavior. The milk is an important reward for the pups, it ensure the surviving. The quality of maternal behavior is transmitted between generations;the inadequate maternal care has harmful effects in the adulthood individual. The specific maternal pattern modalities differ greatly between species;the human bonding has underlying biological mechanisms similar in mammals. Maternal brain is modified in order to prepare the mother-pup relationship, being crucial for the adequate behavioral display in the mother-pup relationship. A bulk of surrounding factor such as sensorial stimulus, temperature, ultrasonic communication, and reinforcing stimulus determines the quality of the nursing and care of the progeny. Mother care and nursing quality have long lasting effects in adulthood, determining cognitive and behavioral development and some specific psychiatric and psychological condition in human populations.

The effect of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside (AICAR) on fatty acid oxidation in hepatocytes isolated from neonatal piglets

In the present study, the effect of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside （AICAR） on long-chain fatty acid oxidation by hepatocytes isolated from suckled neonatal pig liver （a low ketogenic and lipogenic tissue） was tested Incubation of hepatocytes with AICAR （0.5 raM） in the presence of ] mM of carnitine and 10 mM of glucose for 1 hour at 37℃ had no significant effect on total [1-14C]-palrnitate （0.5 mM） oxidation （14CO2 and 14C-Acid soluble products （ASP））. Consistent with the fatty acid oxidation, carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity and inhibition of its activity by malonyI-CoA （10 MM） assayed in cell homogenate also remained constant. However, addition of AICAR to the hepatocytes decreased 14CO2 production by 18% compared to control （p 〈 0.06）. The reduction of labeled carboxylic carbon accumulated in C02 caused a significant difference in distribution of oxidative products between 14C02 and 14C-ASP （p 〈 0.03） compared with the control. It was also noticed that acetyI-CoA carboxylase （ACC） was increased by AICAR （p 〈 0.03）, indicating that ACC might drive acetyI-CoA toward fatty acid synthesis pathway and induce an increase in distribution of fatty acid carbon to 14C-ASP. Addition of insulin to hepatocyte incubations with AICAR did not change the oxidative product distribution between CO2 and ASP, but further promoted ACC activity. The increased ACC activity was 70% higher than in the control group when citrate was absent in the reaction medium and was 30% higher when citrate was present in the medium. Our results suggest that AICAR may affect the distribution of metabolic products from fatty acid oxidation by changing ACC activity in hepatocyte isolated from suckled neonatal piglets; however, the basis for the increase in ACC activity elicited by AICAR is not apparent.

Identification of microRNA transcriptome reveals that miR-100 is involved in the renewal of porcine intestinal epithelial cells

MicroRNAs play important roles in various cellular processes, including differentiation, proliferation and survival. Using a pig model, this study sought to identify the miRNAs responsible for crypt-villus axis renewal of the small intestinal epithelium.Compared to the villus upper cells, there were 15 up-regulated and 41 down-regulated miRNAs in the crypt cells of the jejunum.Notably, we found that miR-100 was expressed more in the villus upper cells than in the crypt cells, suggesting an effect on intestinal epithelium differentiation. Overexpression of miR-100 increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase, confirming that miR-100 promoted IPEC-J2 cell differentiation. MiR-100 can inhibit cell proliferation as evidenced by CCK-8 and cell cycle assay results. We also showed that miR-100 significantly inhibited the migration of IPEC-J2 cells and promoted cell apoptosis through caspase-3-dependent cleavage of Bcl-2. Furthermore, FGFR3 was identified as a potential target of miR-100 by bioinformatics analysis. We confirmed that overexpression of miR-100 suppressed FGFR3 expression in IPEC-J2 cells by directly targeting the FGFR3 3′-UTR. This is the first report of miRNAs acting on the renewal of the intestinal crypt-villus axis.Our results also showed that miR-100 promotes the differentiation and apoptosis, and inhibits the proliferation and migration of enterocytes of pigs.

Okara as a protein supplement affects feed intake and milk composition of ewes and growth performance of lambs

Evaluating the feeding value of wet okara as a protein supplement for lactating ewes with twin lambs was the objective. A 4 x 4 Latin square replicated 2 x(4 sheep, 4 treatments, 4 periods per square; 2 squares) was conducted to examine the influence of concentrate mix(okara or not) and type of forage(silage or hay) on ewe milk composition and growth of their lactating lambs. Treatment periods were 14 days(7 days adaptation and 7 days collection). Ewes(55 to 74.8 kg BW) were fed 1 of 4 diets: wheat middling and corn concentrate with mixed grass hay(TSH), okara and corn with mixed grass hay(OSH),soybean and wheat middlings with hay crop silage(TSS), and okara and corn with hay crop silage(OSS).Ewes fed hay diets had lower forage dry matter intakes than ewes fed silage. Intake of okara supplement was higher(P < 0.05) with OSH(3.64 kg/d) than with OSS(1.70 kg/d). There was no difference in supplement intake between TSH and TSS. There were no differences among diets for lamb daily gains or in ewe milk compositions among the diets. Okara is an effective source of protein for lactating ewes and their twin lambs.