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DAFF Ref: RSF 06 326

Research Stimulus Fund

Final Report

Nutrition of farm animals for improved health and performance

DAFF Project Ref No: RSF 06 326

Start date: 1/11/2006

End date: 30/09/2010

Principle Coordinator: Professor John O’Doherty (UCD)

Email: [email protected]

Other Principle Collaborating Researchers:

Professor Torres Sweeney, Dr Brendan Lynch, Dr John Egan

Please tick below the appropriate area on the research continuum where you feel this project

fits

BASIC/FUNDMENTAL APPLIED/PRE COMMERCIAL

X x

Key words: (max 4) pigs, calves, disease, health

DAFF Ref: RSF 06 326 2

1. Rationale for Undertaking the Research

Modern systems of animal production have been extremely successful in delivering large

volumes of low cost food to the human population. The combination of high productivity of

animals and high stocking rates inevitably mean that animals are exposed to considerable stress

during their productive period (post weaning diarrheoa in piglets and calves, salmonella in pigs

and emergence of new viral diseases in pigs). Modern animal production has traditionally dealt

with some of the problems of stress by use of antimicrobial growth promoters to improve

performance and (or) health. However the use of antibiotic growth-promoters was banned in

EU member states from 1st January 2006 and alternative systems to overcome stress and to

maintain efficient animal production must be sought. This project contributes to the needs of

the animal sector by researching the links between disease, health and nutrition and seeks to

demonstrate that diseases can be reduced without the use of pharmaceutical products.

2. Research Approach

This was a multidisciplinary project including animal nutritionists from UCD and TEAGASC,

molecular biologists from UCD and veterinarians from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries

and Food and Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland. The effect of an experimental

challenge with enterotoxigenic E.coli on health, performance and acute phase protein response

of newly weaned piglets offered lactose and laminarin was examined in Task 2 while an

experimental challenge with Salmonella Typhimurium was investigated in Task 4. This challenge

mimiced the effect of post weaning diarrhoea in piglets and salmonella infection in piglets post

weaning. Task 3 mimiced the effect of a viral challenge with PCV2 on piglets offered whey

protein isolate and laminarin and fucoidan in the diet. The viruses chosen (PCV2) represent the

most important primary pathogens of pigs currently circulating in Ireland. In task 5 and 6, we

investigated the enhancement of the immune system of the early neonatal pig through

maternal sources. We investigated the effect of feeding fish oils and sea weed extracts to sows

and how it enhances the piglet's immune response while suckling. In task 7 we investigated the

effect of feeding fish oils and sea weed extracts to newly weaned dairy calves on performance

and immunomodulatory immune responses.

3. Research Achievements

Task 2. The inclusion of either a high dietary concentration of lactose or a laminarin-fucoidan

extract improved performance parameters of weaner pigs, increased the nutrient digestibility

of diet components and reduced the counts of E. coli in the faeces. The laminarin-fucoidan


extract is now a real alternative to in feed antibiotics in pig diets. Two papers have been

published from this work in grade A peer reviewed journals.

Task 4: All pigs were experimentally challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium in Task4.

However Salmonella counts were not affected by consumption of either laminarin or fucoidan

extracts in either the distal gastro intestinal tract or ancillary tissues. Furthermore consumption

of laminarin or fucoidan-amended diets increased faecal shedding of Salmonella in post-

weaned piglets at selected sampling periods after a Salmonella Typhimurium oral challenge.

Even though the sea weed extracts had no beneficial effects on salmonella shedding, it gave us

a good understanding of how we can reduce salmonella shedding in the future and how to

extract the sea weed extracts in future in order to be more biologically active against

salmonella. One paper has been published from this work in a grade A peer reviewed journal.

Task 5. The results from this task provide new insight on the effect of maternal sow nutrition on

phagocytic activity of piglet white blood cells at weaning. Dietary sea weed extracts

supplementation increased piglet lymphocyte phagocytosis while fish oil supplementation

increased leukocyte and lymphocyte phagocytosis at weaning. This increased phagocytic

activity against E. coli is an important observation as piglets are increasingly susceptible to

infectious disease immediately post-weaning. Compared with data in the literature, our work

demonstrates the long-term impact, i.e. after weaning, of maternal dietary supplementation

during lactation. Maternal dietary treatment improved small intestinal morphology and

reduced caecal E. coli populations in pigs 9 days after weaning. Collectively, these results

suggest that supplementation of the late maternal diet with sea weed extracts and fish oils

positively influenced gastrointestinal development in weanling pigs. Two papers have been

published from this work in grade A peer reviewed journals and this work formed part of a

patent filed in May 2010.

Task 6. The results from this task indicate that dietary sea weed extracts (SWE)supplementation

reduced faecal Enterobacteriaceae numbers in sows at parturition and was accompanied by a

reduced colonic E. coli population in piglets at weaning. Collectively, these results demonstrate

an important immunomodulatory role of maternal SWE supplementation on piglet immune

function and selected intestinal microflora at weaning that may help alleviate the negative

impact of a disease challenge at weaning. The results also demonstrate that SWE

supplementation during lactation and post-weaning influence growth performance of pigs. Pigs

weaned from SWE-supplemented sows had a greater ADG until slaughter at 90 kg compared

with pigs weaned from non-SWE supplemented sows. Two papers are in press from this work in

grade A peer reviewed journals and this work formed part of a patent filed in May 2010.


Task 7: Supplementation of calf milk replacer with fish oil and sea weed extracts did not

increase intake, live weight gain or feed to gain ratio. A paper has been submitted for

publication from this task.

4. Impact of the Research

Task 2: A 2 x 2 factorial experiment was conducted to investigate the interactions between 2

different lactose levels (150 vs. 250 g/kg) and seaweed extract (SWE): (0 vs. 2.8 g/kg; containing

laminarin and fucoidan) on growth performance, coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility

and faecal microbial populations in the weanling pig. The inclusion of either a high dietary

concentration of lactose or a laminarin-fucoidan extract improved performance parameters of

weaner pigs, increased the nutrient digestibility of diet components and reduced the counts of

E. coli in the faeces. The inclusion of laminarin-fucoidan extract will substitute for high levels of

lactose in the diet when added to low lactose diets, however, there is still a further response in

pig performance when the laminarin-fucoidan is added to high lactose diets. The laminarin-

fucoidan extract is an alternative to in feed antibiotics in pig diets.

Task 4; Twenty-four entire male pigs weaned at 24 days (7.9 kg) were assigned to one of four

dietary treatments: T1) basal diet (control); T2) basal diet + a commercial admixture containing

organic acids and herbs (positive control; 3.6g/kg); T3) basal diet + laminarin (300 mg/kg); (T4)

basal diet + fucoidan (240 mg/kg). All pigs were experimentally challenged with Salmonella

Typhimurium. Consumption of diets containing laminarin had no effect on selected microbial

genera in the gastro-intestinal tract or in ancillary tissues. Diets containing fucoidan elicited

increases in lactobacilli in the distal gastro-intestinal tract and stimulated production of butyric

acid. However Salmonella counts were disaffected by consumption of either seaweed-derived

extracts in either the distal GIT or ancillary tissues. Furthermore consumption of laminarin or

fucoidan-amended diets increased faecal shedding of Salmonella in post-weaned piglets at

selected sampling periods after a Salmonella Typhimurium oral challenge.

Task 5; A 2 x 2 factorial experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal dietary

supplementation with seaweed extract (SWE) and fish oil (FO) inclusion from d 109 of gestation

until weaning (26 d) on sow colostrum and milk composition, humoral immune response on day

5 and 12 of lactation, suckling piglet performance and post weaning performance. SWE dietary

supplementation to sows from d 109 of gestation until weaning (26 d) increased colostrum IgG

concentrations. Furthermore, piglets suckling SWE-supplemented sows had greater serum IgG

on day 5 and 12 suggesting an enhanced humoral immune function which can improve host

defence against invading pathogens. These results provide new insight on the effect of

maternal SWE and FO supplementation on phagocytic activity of piglet white blood cells at

weaning. Dietary SWE supplementation increased piglet lymphocyte phagocytosis while FO


supplementation increased leukocyte and lymphocyte phagocytosis at weaning. This increased

phagocytic activity against E. coli is an important observation as piglets are increasingly

susceptible to infectious disease immediately post-weaning. Maternal SWE and FO

supplementation from d 109 of gestation until weaning stimulates growth performance and

starter feed intake in weaning pigs. Compared with data in the literature, our work

demonstrates the long-term impact, i.e. after weaning, of maternal dietary supplementation

during lactation. Maternal dietary treatment improved small intestinal morphology and

reduced caecal E. coli populations in pigs 9 days after weaning. Interestingly, maternal SWE and

FO supplementation up-regulated intestinal pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, however no

deleterious effect was observed on performance. Collectively, these results suggest that

supplementation of the late maternal diet with SWE and FO positively influenced

gastrointestinal development in weanling pigs.

Task 6: The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal dietary

supplementation (n = 10 sows/treatment) with seaweed extract from day 107 of gestation until

weaning (d 26) on neonatal piglet growth, humoral immunity, intestinal morphology, selected

intestinal microflora, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations and post weaning

performance. Furthermore, this study examined the effect of dietary treatment on the immune

response following an ex vivo Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) tissue challenge at

weaning in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. In summary, our results indicate that SWE

supplementation from d 107 of gestation until weaning (d 26) increased colostral IgA and IgG

concentrations, circulatory IgG concentrations in piglets on d 14 of lactation, and enhanced pro-

inflammatory TNF-α mRNA expression in LPS stimulated ileum tissue at weaning. This

enhancement of immune function could improve host defence against presenting pathogens

commonly encountered during the immediate post-weaning period. Furthermore, these results

indicate that dietary SWE supplementation reduced faecal Enterobacteriaceae numbers in sows

at parturition and was accompanied by a reduced colonic E. coli population in piglets at

weaning. Collectively, these results demonstrate an important immunomodulatory role of

maternal SWE supplementation on piglet immune function and selected intestinal microflora at

weaning that may help alleviate the negative impact of a disease challenge at weaning. The

enhanced TNF-α mRNA expression in response to LPS stimulated ileum tissue may result in a

more prominent immune response to an acute bacterial challenge immediately post-weaning.

Pigs weaned from SWE-supplemented sows had a greater daily gain between d 0-21 post-

weaning compared with pigs weaned from non-SWE supplemented sows. Dietary SWE

supplementation post-weaning decreased E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae numbers in the colon

on day 11 and 117, respectively, post-weaning indicating an antimicrobial property of the

extract. Dietary SWE supplementation during lactation tended to suppress pro-inflammatory Il-

1α mRNA expression in the ileum of pigs 11 d after weaning. Furthermore, dietary SWE

supplementation post-weaning induced an up-regulation of colonic MUC2 mRNA expression in

pigs 11 d after weaning. Collectively these results demonstrate that SWE supplementation post-

weaning provides nutritionists a dietary means to improve gut health and growth performance


in starter pigs. However, there was no growth performance response to SWE inclusion in the

GF diet when the pigs were weaned from SWE-supplemented sows.

Task 7: Forty-four Holstein Friesian male calves were used in this experiment. Animals were

blocked by age and within block randomly allocated to one of the following four treatments: (i)

Control; (ii) 40g n-3 PUFA/day (+FO) (iii) 1 g of laminarin /day (+BG) (iv) 40g n-3 PUFA /day and

1g/day laminarin in a 2 x 2 factorial design. Calves on the -FO diet had greater (P = 0.01)

concentrate intake and total energy intake than calves on the +FO diet. Calves on the –βG diet

had significantly greater milk, concentrate and total energy intake than calves on the +βG diet.

Calves on the –FO diet and –βG had greater (P<0.001) weaning, final and grass weights than

calves on the +FO and +βG diets. Average daily gain was greater in calves on the –FO and –βG

than calves on the +FO and +βG diets. Calves on the –FO had greater (P<0.01) insulin, IGF-1,

glucose and urea concentrations than calves on the +FO diet. There was no difference in the

number of visits per day where feed was consumed or was not consumed between calves on

the –FO and +FO diets. The rate at which milk was consumed was greater (P=0.02) in calves on

the +FO diet than calves on the –FO diet, however calves on the –FO diet spent more time per

day in the concentrate feeder. Supplementation of calf milk replacer with fish oil and laminarin

did not increase intake, live weight gain or feed.

5. Exploitation of the Research

Modern systems of animal production have been extremely successful in delivering large

volumes of low cost food to the human population. The combination of high productivity of

animals and high stocking rates inevitably mean that animals are exposed to considerable stress

during their productive period (post weaning diarrheoa in piglets and calves, salmonella in pigs

and emergence of new viral diseases in pigs). Modern animal production has traditionally dealt

with some of the problems of stress by use of antimicrobial growth promoters to improve

performance and (or) health. However the use of antibiotic growth-promoters was banned in

EU member states from 1st January 2006 and the results of this project provides alternative

means to overcome this stress and to maintain efficient animal production. This project

contributes to the needs of the animal sector by researching the links between disease, health

and nutrition and demonstrates that diseases can be reduced without the use of

pharmaceutical products.

A patent has been sought from the results of this work entitled “Improvement of

gastrointestinal health, immunity and performance by dietary”. European Patent Application

Number: 06809743.5, US Patent Application Number 12094383, PCT 2506 May 2009.

International PCT filed in May 2010.

This work on sea weed extracts has been licenced by UCD to Bioatlantis Ltd, Tralee, Co Kerry.

These extracts are now classified as feed materials under EU guidelines and are approved for


sale in the EU. Bioatlantis has begun marketing these feed ingredients to pig producers/millers

across Europe.

6. Summary of Research Outputs

(a) Intellectual Property applications/licences/patents

1. Improvement of gastrointestinal health, immunity and performance by dietary. European

Patent Application Number: 06809743.5, US

International PCT filed in May 2010. Based on the work from task 3, 5 and 6

2.

(b) Innovations adopted by industry

1. NOVA UCD have licenced this material to Bioatlantis Ltd, Tralee, Co Kerry

2. Bioatlantis are now marketing these sea weed extracts as feed ingredients.

(c) Number of companies in receipt of information

Nutec Ltd, Devenish Nutrition, Kiernan Milling, Irish Grain and Feed Association, DSM. IFA

(d) Outcomes with economic potential

1. We have discovered a replacement for in feed antibiotics in pigs

2. We have discovered a preventative for PMWS in pigs

(e) Outcomes with national/ policy/social/environmental potential

1. We have discovered a replacement for in feed antibiotics in pigs

2.

(f) Peer-reviewed publications, International Journal/Book chapters.

1. J.V. O’Doherty, S. Dillon, S. Figat, J.J. Callan and T. Sweeney (2010) The effects of lactose

inclusion and seaweed extract derived from Laminaria spp. on performance, nutrient

digestibility and microbial populations in newly weaned piglets. Animal Feed Science and

Technology 157, 173-180

2. S.Dillon, T. Sweeney, S. Figat, J.J. Callan and J.V. O’ Doherty (2010) The effects of

lactose inclusion and laminarin-fucoidan extract on performance, nutrient digestibility

and microbial populations in newly weaned piglets. Livestock Science 134, 205-274


3. S.G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, K.M. Pierce, B. Bahar, B.P. Lynch and J.V. O’Doherty (2010)

The effects of supplementing the diet of the sow with seaweed extracts and fish oil on

aspects of gastrointestinal health and performance of the weaned piglet. Livestock

Science 134, 135-138

4. S.G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, B. Bahar, K.M. Pierce, B.P. Lynch and J.V. O’Doherty (2010)

The effects of maternal dietary supplementation with seaweed extract and fish oil on

the humoral immune response and performance of suckling piglets. Livestock Science

134, 211-214

5. S.G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, B. Bahar, B.P. Lynch and J.V. O’Doherty (2011) Effect of

dietary seaweed extract and fish oil supplementation in sows on performance, intestinal

microflora, morphology, volatile fatty acid concentrations and immune status of weaned

piglets. British Journal of Nutrition 105, 549-560

6. T. Sweeney, S. Dillon, J. Fanning, J. Egan, C. O’Shea, S. Figat, M. Gutierrez, C.

Mannion, F. Leonard and J.V. O’ Doherty (2011) Evaluation of seaweed-derived

polysaccharides on indices of gastrointestinal fermentation and selected populations of

microbiota in newly weaned pigs challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium. Animal

Feed Science and Technology 165, 85-94

7. S.G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, B. Bahar, K.M. Pierce, B.P. Lynch and J.V. O’Doherty (2010)

Effect of maternal fish oil and seaweed extract supplementation on colostum and milk

composition, humoral immune response and performance of suckled piglets. Journal of

Animal Science 88, 2988-2997

8. S. G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, B. Bahar, B. P. Lynch and J. V. O’Doherty (2011) E ffect of dietary

seaweed extract supplementation in sows and post weaned pigs on performance,

intestinal morphology, intestinal microflora and immune status. British Journal of Nutrition,

doi:10.1017/S000711451000997

9. S. G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, B. Bahar, B. P. Lynch and J. V. O’Doherty (2011) Effect of

maternal seaweed extract supplementation on suckling piglet growth, humoral immunity,

intestinal morphology, selected microflora and immune response after an ex vivo

Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide challenge. Accepted in Journal of Animal Science

(g) Scientific abstracts or articles including those presented at conferences

1. S.Dillon, T. Sweeney, S. Figat, J.J. Callan and J.V. O’ Doherty The effects of lactose

inclusion and seaweed extract on performance, nutrient digestibility and microbial


populations in newly weaned piglets. Presented at the digestive physiology in pigs

meeting, Barcelona, Spain (19-22 May, 2009)

2. S.G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, K.M. Pierce, B. Bahar, B.P. Lynch and J.V. O’Doherty The

effects of supplementing the diet of the sow with seaweed extracts and fish oil on

aspects of gastrointestinal health and performance of the weaned piglet. Presented at

the digestive physiology in pigs meeting, Barcelona, Spain (19-22 May, 2009)

3. S.G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, B. Bahar, B.P. Lynch and J.V. O’Doherty Effect of dietary

seaweed extract and fish oil supplementation in sows on performance, intestinal

microflora, morphology, volatile fatty acid concentrations and immune status of weaned

piglets. Presented at the British Society for Immunology annual meeting 8 - 9 June 2009,

Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), UK

4. S.G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, B. Bahar, K.M. Pierce, B.P. Lynch and J.V. O’Doherty The

effects of maternal dietary supplementation with seaweed extract and fish oil on the

humoral immune response and performance of suckling piglets. Presented at the

digestive physiology in pigs meeting, Barcelona, Spain (19-22 May, 2009)

5. J. V. O'Doherty, S. Dillon, J. J. Callan The effects of lactose inclusion and seaweed sugars

on performance, nutrient digestibility and microbial populations in newly weaned

piglets Presented at American Society of Animal Science Meeting, Montreal, Canada,

July 2009

6. JV. O’Doherty, S. Leonard, T. Sweeney (2010) Effect of dietary fish oil and seaweed

extract supplementation in lactating sow diets on sow colostum and milk composition

and on intestinal microflora, intestinal morphology and pig performance post weaning.

COST Meeting, Tromso, Norway (14-16 June 2010)

7. S. G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, B. Bahar, B. P. Lynch and J. V. O’Doherty E ffect of dietary

seaweed extract supplementation in sows and post weaned pigs on performance,

intestinal morphology, intestinal microflora and immune status. To be presented at

American Animal Science, 2011, New Orleans, July 2011.

8. S. G. Leonard, T. Sweeney, B. Bahar, B. P. Lynch and J. V. O’Doherty (2011) Effect of

maternal seaweed extract supplementation on suckling piglet growth, humoral immunity,

intestinal morphology, selected microflora and immune response after an ex vivo


Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide challenge. To be presented at American Animal Science,

2011, New Orleans, July 2011.

(h) National Report

1.

2.

(i) Popular non-scientific publications

J.V. O’Doherty (2010) The effects of lactose inclusion and seaweed extracts derived

from Laminaria spp. on performance, digestibility of diet components and microbial

populations in newly weaned pigs. http://www.feedinfo.com

(j) Workshops/seminars/ open days at which results were presented (excluding those in

(g))

1. O’Doherty, S Leonard, T Sweeney (2010) Influence of sow nutrition on lifetime

performance and health of the pig. DSM conference, March 2010. Jurys. Dublin

Two pig industry meetings in July, organised through the pigs committee of the IFA

19th July, 2010 Fermoy, Co Cork

21st July, 2010 Cavan

7. Permanent Researchers

Institution Name Number of

Permanent staff

contributing to

project

Total Time

contribution (months)

Average time

contribution per

permanent staff

member

UCD 5 27 5.4

Total 5 27 5.4

http://www.feedinfo.com/


8. Researchers Funded by RSF

Type of Researcher Number Total Time

contribution (months)

Average time

Post Doctorates

Contract Researchers 5 25.9 5.18

PhD postgraduates 1 39 39

Masters postgraduates 1 23.2 23.2

Temporary researcher

Other

Total 7 88.1 67.38

9. Postgraduate Research

Total Number of PhD theses: ___1_

Please include authors, institutions and titles of theses and submission dates. If not submitted

please give the anticipated submission date

Title: Effect of sow nutrition on the immune modulating effects of suckling piglets

Author: Stephen Leonard

Submitted: August 2010

Graduated: December 2010.

Total Number of Masters theses: __1__

Please include authors, institutions and titles of theses and submission dates. If not submitted

please give the anticipated submission date

Title: Studies related to the use of sea weed extracts in post weaned piglet diets

Author: Sinead Dillon

Submitted: November 2008

Graduated: June 2009.

10. Project Expenditure

Total expenditure of the project: €549,317.79

Total Award by RSF €533,845.00


Other sources of funding (specify) €

1.

2.

Breakdown of Total Expenditure

11. Future Strategies

Outline development plans for the results of the research.

We do intend to hold another information day on the results of this project in the future. This

will be done in conjunction with the Irish Grain and Feed Association (June 2011).

12. Industry Collaboration

Granted an Enterprise Ireland innovation partnership grant with Bioatlantis Ltd as a follow up

to this project. This grant is to further develop and commercialise the sea weed extracts in

animal and human nutrition.

Category UCD Teagasc

Moorepark DAFF Total

Contract staff 42862.65 42862.65

Temporary staff 776.92 776.92

Post doctorates

Post graduates 51990.01 63000 114990.01

Consumables 123202.1 12529.21 18519.40 154250.71

Travel and

subsistence 4881.75 231.09 5112.84

Sub total 223713.43 75760.30 18,519.40 317993.13

Durable

equipment 943.99 943.99

Animal Costs 501.7 501.7

Subcontracting

work to Queens 139575.73 139575.73

Overheads 62019.22 22728.19 5555.83 90303.24

Total 426754.07 98488.49 24075.23 549,317.79


Involed in an FP7 SME grant with Bioatlantis Ltd and five other European partners. This

application is based on the research from this project.

research stimulus fund nutrition of farm animals for ... · nutrition of farm animals for improved...

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