Search Results (901)

Fish oil (FO) has been shown to confer beneficial effects on hepatic diseases in both humans and animals. This study aimed to investigate whether dietary fish oil (FO) supplementation alleviates deoxynivalenol (DON)-induced liver injury by modulating the ferroptosis signaling pathway in weaned piglets. Twenty-four weaned piglets were allocated to a 2 × 2 factorial design, with the main factors consisting of dietary treatment (5% corn oil or 5% FO supplementation) and DON exposure (basal diet or diet contaminated with 4 mg/kg DON). After 21 days of dietary treatment, piglets were euthanized for collection of blood and liver samples. Dietary FO significantly attenuated DON-induced hepatic structural damage and inflammatory infiltration. Specifically, FO supplementation reduced the activities of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), as well as the AST/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio following DON exposure. Dietary FO also decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in both the liver and serum, lowered hepatic 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) level and Fe²⁺ content, and increased hepatic glutathione (GSH) content. Moreover, dietary FO ameliorated ultrastructural liver damage induced by DON. Furthermore, DON significantly downregulated the mRNA levels of multiple genes associated with iron metabolism and ferroptosis, including heat shock protein beta-1 (HSPB1), acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4), and arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase (ALOX15), and upregulated the mRNA levels of transferrin (TF), ferritin heavy chain (FTH), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), and transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1). Dietary FO counteracted these alterations by decreasing the mRNA of SLC7A11, TFR1, FTH, and TF after DON exposure. Finally, FO significantly decreased the protein expression of SLC7A11, iron-responsive element-binding protein 2 (IREB2), and FHT1 and increased the GPX4 protein expression following DON exposure. These findings suggest that FO may ameliorate DON-induced liver injury in weaned piglets, possibly through suppressing the ferroptosis signaling pathway. Full article

Zearalenone (ZEA) is an estrogenic Fusarium mycotoxin widely contaminating feed and feedstuffs, and posing significant risks to animal health. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate the toxicological effects of dietary exposure to purified ZEA at doses ranging from below to above the Chinese regulatory limit (0.15 mg/kg) in weaned female piglets. Twenty piglets were randomly assigned to five groups (four piglets per group) receiving 0, 0.075, 0.15, 0.3, or 0.6 mg/kg ZEA for 42 days. Results suggested that ZEA promoted systemic oxidative stress, evidenced by decreased serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content in liver across all doses, and in jejunal mucosa at ≥ 0.15 mg/kg (p < 0.01). Growth performance declined only at 0.6 mg/kg during days 29–42 (p < 0.01), while hemoglobin (HGB) levels (p < 0.01) and ileal villus height (p < 0.05) were reduced at all doses. ZEA also caused inflammatory dysregulation, as evidenced by decreased interleukin-4 (IL-4) levels in serum, liver, and intestinal tissues across all doses (p < 0.01), and disrupted reproductive hormones even at 0.075 mg/kg, as indicated by suppressed serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels (p < 0.01), which progressed to histopathological damage in uterine and ovarian tissues at higher doses. These preliminary findings, together with significant correlations between oxidative stress markers and multi-organ parameters, suggest that low doses of purified ZEA may induce systemic oxidative stress and subclinical multi-organ toxicity in weaned female piglets, highlighting the need to incorporate redox status into risk assessment and to explore potential antioxidant-based mitigation strategies. However, given the small sample size, these results should be interpreted with caution and warrant validation in larger samples. Full article

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of low-protein (LP) diets and their associated nutritional interventions on growth performance and intestinal health in weaned piglets through a meta-analysis. Following the PRISMA guidelines, 21 studies were selected from an initial set of 1720 to construct a database. A random-effects model was employed to assess the growth performance and intestinal health of weaned piglets, comparing LP diet with control diet, and LP diet + additive with LP diet alone. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic, and its sources along with publication bias were explored through meta-regression, subgroup analysis, and Egger’s linear regression. The results show that LP diets (crude protein < 18%) reduced final body weight (p < 0.001), average daily gain (p < 0.001), and gain-to-feed ratio (p < 0.001) of weaned piglets. Additionally, forest plot data show that LP diet (crude protein < 18%) decreased villus height and crypt depth in the jejunum and ileum of weaned piglets (p < 0.05). To mitigate these adverse effects, plant extracts, amino acids (AAs), fatty acids, vitamins, enzymes, and carbohydrates are commonly used as additives. Among these, the results show that LP diets supplemented with AAs and plant extracts increased average daily feed intake (p < 0.001) and ileal crypt depth (p < 0.05). Network meta-analysis further identified AAs and plant extracts as the most effective additives for improving growth performance of weaned piglets. In conclusion, dietary protein levels below 18% negatively affect the growth performance of weaned piglets, and supplementation with AAs or plant extracts represents a promising strategy to counteract these adverse effects. Full article

Weaning stress is frequently associated with intestinal oxidative stress, inflammatory activation, and epithelial apoptosis in piglets. This study investigated whether dietary supplementation with Chinese yam (Dioscorea oppositifolia L., YAM) alleviates weaning-induced intestinal injury by modulating the oxidative stress-inflammation-apoptosis axis. 48 weaned piglets were assigned to a control diet or diets supplemented with low (1%)/high (2%) doses of YAM. Intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity, inflammatory signaling, and apoptosis-related markers were assessed, and jejunal transcriptomic profiling was also performed. Supplementing with YAM improved villus architecture and enhanced intestinal antioxidant properties, manifested as increased total antioxidant capacity and reduced malondialdehyde levels. At the molecular level, YAM activated the Keap-1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and upregulated the expression of antioxidant-related genes, including superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), catalase (CAT), and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), and suppressed NF-κB signaling by reducing Myd88 and p-p65 protein levels. In addition, YAM modulated mitochondrial apoptosis by upregulating Bcl-2 and reducing the expression of Bax and Cleaved caspase-3. Transcriptomic analysis identified 1227 differentially expressed genes between the control and high-dose groups (784 upregulated and 443 downregulated). Mechanism-oriented module analysis further confirmed coordinated enhancement of antioxidant pathways alongside suppression of inflammatory and apoptotic gene signatures. These findings demonstrate that dietary YAM supplementation attenuates weaning-associated intestinal injury by rebalancing oxidative stress, inflammatory signaling, and apoptosis-related pathways, thereby supporting its potential application as a functional feed additive in swine production. Full article

Background/Objectives: L-glutamate (Glu) and L-aspartate (Asp) are key intermediates in nitrogen metabolism and tricarboxylic acid cycle activity, linking intestinal energy metabolism with immune function. This study investigated how dietary Glu and Asp supplementation modulates immune responses and metabolic reprogramming in weaned pigs challenged with F18 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Methods: Forty-nine piglets (24 d old; 8.18 ± 1.54 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to seven treatments (n = 7/treatment): unchallenged control (NC), ETEC-challenged control (PC), 1% or 2% Glu, 1% or 2% Asp, and an antibiotic control. The experiment was conducted from d −7 to d 14 post-inoculation (PI). Hematological indices, serum biomarkers, intestinal cytokine gene expression, and untargeted metabolomic profiling of serum, ileal mucosa, and ileal digesta were evaluated. Results: On day 2 PI, 1% Glu reduced the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, whereas 2% Asp showed an elevated ratio. Supplementation of 1% Asp increased serum total protein on d 2 and d 5 PI. On d 14 PI, 1% Glu enhanced jejunal IL-17A and IL-22 expression, while 2% Asp reduced jejunal IL-6 expression compared with PC. Ileal IL-12 expression increased with 1% Glu and 2% Asp, whereas jejunal IL-12 expression decreased with 2% Glu and 2% Asp. Untargeted metabolomics revealed distinct treatment-dependent separations. Differential metabolite profiling and pathway enrichment analyses demonstrated coordinated alterations in amino acid metabolism, purine metabolism, lipid metabolism, and energy-related pathways across serum and intestinal compartments. Conclusions: Collectively, Glu and Asp supplementation reshaped host metabolic networks during ETEC challenge, indicating their roles in modulating metabolic adaptation and intestinal immune–metabolic crosstalk under enteric stress. Full article

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is a long-established biotechnological approach gaining renewed interest for its ability to enhance nutrient availability and improve the functional properties of agro-industrial by-products. This strategy is particularly relevant for early post-weaning piglets, which are highly susceptible to weaning stress due to an immature digestive system and a gut microbiota not yet adapted to solid feed. In this study, the fermentation parameters of flaxseed cake were optimized using a Plackett–Burman experimental design. Protease activity was selected as the response variable due to its relevance for improving protein degradation and potential digestibility in fermented feed ingredients. Accordingly, based on the statistical analysis, the conditions selected for the in vivo trial were 1% molasses, 0.5% yeast extract, 0.05% CaCl₂, 0.5% NaCl, 7.5% inoculum (4.12 × 10⁹ CFU/mL), 60% moisture, and 72 h fermentation. Fermentation time was identified as the main factor positively influencing protease production, while higher CaCl₂ concentrations and inoculum levels negatively affected enzyme activity. Optimization increased protease activity, microbial viability and free amino acid content. In addition, SSF reorganizes the carbohydrate profile by reducing structural fiber fractions, with neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber decreasing by 27% and 29%, respectively, while simultaneously increasing soluble carbohydrates by 14.67%. Phytic acid content being also reduced by 23.81%. A pilot nutritional trial on post-weaned piglets (35 days old) showed that including 8% fermented flaxseed cakes (FFSC group) improved body weight, average daily gain, feed conversion ratio, and diarrhea score, without affecting average daily feed intake, compared with 8% unfermented flaxseed cakes (FSC group). These performance improvements were accompanied by changes in fermentation metabolites and gut microbial composition. Lower isovalerate concentrations suggested reduced proteolysis, while higher propionate levels may contribute to increased blood glucose availability in the FFSC group. These changes coincided with a shift in microbial composition, characterized by a reduced abundance of methanogenic archaea and increased abundances of taxa such as Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and members of the Lachnospiraceae and Eubacteriaceae families. Full article

Accidental crushing by sows is the primary cause of pre-weaning piglet mortality in intensive production, often due to the spatiotemporal lag of manual inspection. While Internet of Things (IoT) solutions exist, they frequently face challenges such as vision occlusion, high hardware costs, and latency. To address these, this study developed a low-cost multi-modal edge computing system based on TinyML. Using an ESP32-S3 microcontroller, the system employs a “Motion-Gated Acoustic Detection” strategy, activating a lightweight 1D-CNN model to identify piglet screams only when an IMU detects high-risk postural transitions of the sow. Results show the quantized model (5.1 KB) achieves 95.56% accuracy and 2 ms inference latency. The total end-to-end response latency is within 179 ms, ensuring intervention within the early “golden rescue window.” The low-power design enables the battery life to cover the entire lactation period. Field tests demonstrated that the system intercepted identified crushing risks within the monitored cohort, supporting its potential for significantly improving piglet survival probability. This research overcomes the limitations of single-modal monitoring and provides a scalable, cost-effective engineering intervention for enhancing animal welfare and achieving intelligent, unattended supervision in precision livestock farming. Full article

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a widely distributed estrogenic mycotoxin that compromises intestinal health in pigs, but its spatial difference ZEN and niche-specific regulatory effects on the intestinal microbiota remain largely unelucidated. In this study, 12 healthy three-way crossbred weaned piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) were randomly divided into two treatments. The control group (CON) was fed with the basal diet, and the treatment group (ZEN) was supplemented with 1.5 mg ZEA/kg of the basal diet for 28 days. Chyme and mucosal microorganisms in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and cecum were profiled by using 16S rDNA sequencing. The results indicated that ZEN significantly reduced the α-diversity of ileal chyme, while the abnormal increase in α-diversity of ileal and cecal mucosa represented a pathological signature of intestinal mucosal barrier damage induced by ZEN, which was detrimental to intestinal health. β-Diversity analysis revealed ZEN altered the microbial community composition of the cecal chyme. LEfSe analysis revealed gut segment-specific and niche-specific biomarker taxa among the groups, and functional prediction further indicated that ZEN exposure significantly perturbed key metabolic pathways: it downregulated nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism as well as the citrate cycle in ileal chyme and upregulated the pentose and glucuronate interconversions pathway in cecal chyme. Collectively, this study demonstrated the effects of ZEN on the intestinal microbiota across spatial difference and ecological niches in weaned piglets, providing a basis for elucidating the microecological mechanisms underlying ZEN-induced intestinal injury in pigs. Full article

Oxidative stress contributes to reproductive disorders, immune dysfunction, and reduced productivity in livestock during periods of high metabolic demand and environmental challenge. Selenium supports antioxidant defense systems because it is incorporated as selenocysteine into selenoproteins, including glutathione peroxidases and thioredoxin reductases that detoxify peroxides and sustain redox balance. The review summarizes selenium occurrence and chemical forms in feeds, as well as its absorption, transportation, and storage. The review also outlines the major features of selenoprotein biosynthesis and its prioritized allocation, with an emphasis on cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. Evidence from multiple sources indicates that selenium status and supplementation interacts with antioxidant capacity, immune competence, thyroid hormone metabolism, reproductive performance, and the transfer of selenium to milk and offspring. In ruminants, rumen microbial transformations can reduce the bioavailability of inorganic selenium salts, and organic sources, such as selenium-enriched yeast, hydroxy-selenomethionine, and selenitetriglycerides, often increase blood and milk selenium more effectively. In pigs, organic selenium is commonly associated with enhanced antioxidant and immune indices in sows and piglets during late gestation, lactation, and weaning, whereas effects on growth performance are inconsistent. The review emphasizes the narrow margin between adequacy and excess and outlines practical considerations for supplementation and monitoring, alongside research needs for emerging selenium forms and functional biomarkers. Full article

Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) in piglets is a common multifactorial disease in global swine production. Traditional prevention and control strategies relying on high-dose zinc oxide and antibiotics face limitations due to antimicrobial resistance and environmental concerns. This review systematically elucidates the mechanisms of action of plant extracts as alternative interventions against PWD, focusing primarily on categories such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, essential oils, and alkaloids. This review discusses how plant extracts exert their effects through various mechanisms, including improving feed intake, enhancing antioxidant and immune capacities, modulating gut microbiota, repairing intestinal barrier function, and inhibiting pathogens—to alleviate diarrhea induced by weaning stress and pathogenic infections. The findings indicate that plant extracts offer advantages such as multi-target effects, natural origin, and a low propensity for inducing resistance, highlighting their promising potential as alternatives to conventional additives. However, challenges related to compositional complexity, stability, and bioavailability require further investigation and optimization. Full article

This study investigated the effects of compound microbial fermented feed on the growth performance, intestinal architecture, microbiota composition, and metabolic profiles of weaned piglets. Fifty-four weaned piglets were randomly allocated to three dietary treatment groups: a control group (basal diet), a 50% fermented feed group (T1), and a 100% fermented feed group (T2), for a 33-day feeding period. The results indicated that both T1 and T2 diets significantly improved final body weight and average daily gain (ADG), while decreasing the feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) compared with the control (p < 0.05). Morphological assessment revealed that the T1 group significantly elevated the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in the jejunum and increased the density of goblet cells in the cecum and colon (p < 0.05). Multi-omics analysis indicated that fermented feed significantly reshaped the gut microbiota structure (p < 0.05), characterized by the enrichment of beneficial taxa, including Oscillospiraceae and Lachnospiraceae (p < 0.05), and the modulation of nucleotide and bile acid metabolism. Furthermore, correlation analysis identified significant linkages between the abundance of jejunal Oscillospiraceae and colonic/cecal Lactobacillus with growth performance, intestinal morphology, and key metabolites. This finding systematically elucidates the mechanisms by which compound microbial fermented feed promotes growth and intestinal health in weaned piglets via microbiota-mediated pathways, offering a robust scientific framework for the development of antibiotic-free nutritional strategies. Full article

Weaning introduces a variety of health-related challenges in piglets, but the relative contributions of the weaning event itself versus biological age at weaning remain unclear. During this period, the gastrointestinal tract has not yet fully developed, adding to the obstacles faced by piglets during this transitory phase in their life, which includes stress from a switch in diet and environment, in addition to potential exposure to pathogens. We investigated the intestinal morphology, expression of genes related to intestinal function and inflammation, and the gut microbiota in 40 piglets weaned at either 3 or 5 weeks of age through complementary analyses: age-matched comparisons (22, 25, 32, 36, and 39 days old) assessed developmental trajectories, while days post-weaning (DPW) comparisons (1 and 4 days post-weaning) isolated acute weaning responses independent of biological age. Animals weaned at 3 weeks of age were divided into five pens of four piglets, while the other group remained with the sow until weaning. At each timepoint, we measured the small intestine length, villus length, crypt depth and mucosal CD3⁺ T-cell infiltration in mid-jejunal tissue. The gene expression of inflammatory markers, tight junction proteins and functional markers was quantified from duodenal and mid-jejunal tissue. The colonic microbiota composition was characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Both weaning groups showed similar acute morphological responses. However, adaptive gene expression patterns differed significantly. The DPW analysis revealed compensatory mechanisms: at DPW4, the early-weaned piglets exhibited 4-fold higher duodenal IAP than the late-weaned piglets (p < 0.001), while the late-weaned piglets maintained higher antimicrobial defenses (IL-8, p = 0.031; lysozyme, p = 0.027). Additionally, microbiota analysis revealed distinct succession patterns between the two groups. These findings demonstrate that acute physiological responses to weaning are age-independent, but biological maturity fundamentally shapes adaptive mechanisms and recovery trajectories. Early weaning requires compensatory physiological adjustments, while late weaning confers resilience through more stable microbiota and sustained innate defenses. Full article

This study aims to systematically assess the comprehensive, dose-dependent effects of substituting soybean meal with cottonseed protein at various ratios on weaned piglets. In total, 28-day-old weaned piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Large White crossbred; n = 45) were selected and then randomly categorized into three groups: 100% soybean meal (CON), 50% soybean meal +50% cottonseed protein (CSP50), and 100% CSP (CSP100) groups. After a 7-day adaptation period, the experiment continued for an additional 28 days. The results showed no significant differences among groups in growth performance, organ indices, most carcass traits, or meat quality indicators. The CSP50 group showed significantly reduced levels of diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactate and increased complexity of the colonic microbial network, with improved abundance of beneficial bacterial genera such as g_Blautia and g_Eubacterium. The CSP100 group showed elevated intestinal permeability, a decreased villus height, a villus-to-crypt ratio, specific digestive enzymes, a reduced Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio and abundant inflammation-associated bacteria, including g_Streptococcus. Furthermore, correlation analysis suggested that specific gut microorganisms and metabolic pathways may be potentially related to average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), the feed conversion ratio (F/G), DAO, and D-lactic acid. These findings suggest that dietary inclusion of 50% cottonseed protein (CSP50) is associated with sustained growth performance and enhanced gut health in weaned piglets, concurrent with shifts in the composition and predicted function of the gut microbiota. Full article

Post-weaning piglets are vulnerable to intestinal barrier disruption and microbiota imbalance, which can be exacerbated by bacterial endotoxin; this study assessed whether a synbiotic diet based on grape seed and camelina meals plus Lactobacillus probiotics can attenuate an Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Twenty weaned piglets were randomized (n = 5/group) to control, LPS, synbiotic (SYN), or SYN+LPS diets for 21 days. The control diet consisted of a complete standard corn–soybean-based feed. The SYN diet contained a basal diet with 5% prebiotic mix (grape seed meal–camelina meal) and 0.1% probiotic mix including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus; on day 21, the LPS and SYN+LPS animals received an LPS challenge and were sampled 3 h later. The expression of colonic genes coding for proteins like tight junctions, mucus/epithelial function, Toll-like receptors and signaling molecules involved in innate response was quantified by quantitative PCR arrays, and the microbiota composition was profiled by 16S rRNA sequencing. The LPS challenge reduced the expression of barrier- and mucus-associated genes and increased that of Toll-like receptors and signaling pathway markers, accompanied by microbial shifts, with reduced beneficial taxa and increased Megasphaera elsdenii. The synbiotic diet counteracted these transcriptional and microbial changes. Overall, the synbiotic supported epithelial integrity and moderated innate immune activation during acute endotoxin stress after weaning. Full article

Zinc-L-selenomethionine (Zn-L-SeMet), a novel organic selenium (Se) source, shows great potential in alleviating oxidative stress. This study first evaluated the potential of Zn-L-SeMet to improve the health of weaned piglets and investigated underlying molecular mechanisms. In vivo, 240 weaned piglets were assigned to five dietary groups, namely, a control group (basal diet without Se) and four groups supplemented with Zn-L-SeMet (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, or 0.4 mg Se/kg in basal diet) for 42 days. In vitro, an oxidative stress model was established using hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) to investigate the mechanisms of Zn-L-SeMet against oxidative damage. The results showed that Zn-L-SeMet improved growth performance, enhanced antioxidant and immune function, stimulated thyroid hormone secretion, and upregulated expression of selenoprotein genes. In vitro, Zn-L-SeMet reduced H₂O₂-induced apoptosis, promoted IPEC-J2 viability, and enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes, while reducing lactate dehydrogenase release, malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species levels. Furthermore, Zn-L-SeMet significantly increased the expression levels of Keap1, NQO1, HO-1, ARE, p-Nrf2, p-PI3K, and p-AKT, and protein ratio of p-Nrf2/Nrf2, PI3K/PI3K, and p-AKT/AKT compared to the H₂O₂ group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, Zn-L-SeMet improves health status with antioxidant potential in weaned piglets, and the mechanism is associated with activation of PI3K/AKT and Nrf2/Keap1 pathways. Full article