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The origin of penile metastases is in 70% of cases from primary pelvic cancers (genitourinary and recto-sigmoid primary tumors). The prognosis is poor and it is often associated with synchronous bone metastases at the time of diagnosis. We present the case of a 61-year-old patient who developed a penile induration 7 years after radical prostatectomy followed by adjuvant external beam radiation therapy for high-risk prostatic adenocarcinoma. Biopsies confirmed the metastatic localization and a detailed assessment failed to find any further remote lesions. Faced with this penile oligometastatic prostate cancer, we proposed an ablative treatment based on interstitial multi-catheter high-dose rate brachytherapy. At the six-month follow-up, clinical examination and 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET confirmed a complete response of the penile tumor without new lesion at a distance.

Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) represents a validated technique for low-risk breast cancer. Recently, ultra-APBI (uAPBI) using fewer than 5 fractions was described in the literature. We compared clinical outcomes and late toxicity after APBI or uAPBI in older patients.Two cohorts of older patients (aged ≥70 years) with low-risk breast cancer treated with APBI (interstitial brachytherapy) were analyzed retrospectively. A total dose of 34 Gy in10 fractions (APBI) or 16 Gy in 1 fraction (uAPBI) was delivered from 2004 to 2012 and from 2013 to 2018, respectively. Oncologic outcome analyzed the cumulative incidence of local relapse, regional relapse, and distant metastases with disease-free survival, cause-specific survival, and overall survival. Late toxicity and cosmetic results were investigated.One hundred fifty-seven patients (APBI, n = 109 patients; uAPBI, n = 48 patients) underwent APBI according to the same selection criteria. Apart from the median follow-up (97 vs 72 months for APBI and uAPBI; P.002), no significant difference was noted between the 2 groups. Regarding 6-year oncologic outcome, no significant difference was observed between APBI and uAPBI for local recurrence (1.3% vs 0%; P = .4), regional recurrence (2.5% vs 2.3%; P = .9), distant metastases (4.3% vs. 2.4%; P = .6), disease-free survival (85.2% vs. 82.2%; P = .8), cause-specific survival (96.7% vs. 96.2%; P = .9), and overall survival (86.7% vs. 82.2%; P = .7). Regarding late toxicity, no significant difference was observed between APBI and uAPBI (total complication number, 45 vs 33%; P = .173) with only grade 1 (88.4% vs. 95%) and grade 2 (11.6% vs. 5%) late toxicities (P = .677). Similarly, no significant difference was observed for excellent/good cosmetic results between the 2 cohorts (P = .98).We report the first study comparing APBI versus uAPBI in a cohort of older patients with low-risk breast cancer. No significant difference was found between the 2 treatment groups regarding oncologic outcome, late toxicity, and cosmetic result. uAPBI based on a single fraction of brachytherapy represents an attractive option for therapeutic de-escalation in older patients with breast cancer.

Highlights • Treatment initiation of T2-T3 rectal cancers with Contact (CXB) provides a fast clinical complete response. • In T2N0< 3 cm tumors, CXB first with chemoradiotherapy can achieve local control in more than 85%. • The Phase III OPERA trial should bring robust data in favor of CXB as initial treatment of T2N0< 3 cm., Introduction A neoadjuvant treatment aimed at rectal preservation should achieve a clinical complete response. This study comparing neoadjuvant treatment initiated with Contact X-ray (CXB) or External Beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is evaluating the influence of the time/dose parameter on clinical response during the first six months. Materials and methods This retrospective consecutive series included T2-3 rectal adenocarcinoma staged using digital examination (DRE), endoscopy, magnetic radiation imaging and/or endorectal ultrasound. All patients were treated with organ preservation intent. Treatment protocol combined CXB (80–110 Gy/3–4 fractions) and EBRT ± concurrent capecitabine. In tumor exceeding 3.5 cm treatment was often initiated using EBRT. Clinical response was assessed (DRE, proctoscopy ± imaging) at very close interval between 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment initiation. Results Between 2002 and 2017, 61 patients (T2: 31; T3: 30) M0 (median age: 76 years) were treated. Treatment was initiated in 40 patients (T2: 28, T3: 12) with contact X-ray and in 21 (T2: 4, T3: 17) with EBRT. Using contact X-ray or EBRT first treatment, clinical complete (or near complete) response at week 14(±1) was respectively 88% [95CI:74–96] and 33% [95CI:15–57]. In multivariate analysis the treatment chronology was the most significant factor influencing cCR (OR: 7.53). At 6 months, with contact X-ray first all patients were in clinical complete response and five with EBRT remained in partial response. With 61 months median follow-up time, the local recurrence rate was 10% [95% CI: 6–16] at 5 years. T3 and fungating tumors were at higher risk of local recurrence. Organ preservation with good function was achieved in 95% of cases. Conclusion This non randomized study tends to show that in early T2-3 tumors, a strategy using upfront contact therapy, which is reducing the overall treatment time, is an option allowing a more favorable outcome than EBRT first.

International audience; Feed intake and its daily pattern are regulated both at a short and a long term by several control pathways, including energy balance regulation. This trial aimed to determine the effect of dietary fibre (DB) (mix of wheat, soy and sugar beet pulp fibres) and aleurone supplementation and their interaction on energy and nitrogen balances in growing pigs with ad libitum access to feed. Forty pigs (BW: 35 kg) were fed diets differing by fibre concentration (NDF concentration: 10% or 14% DM) and aleurone supplementation (0, 2 or 4 g/kg) during 3 weeks. Pigs were housed individually in a respiration chamber during the last week to record feeding behaviour and measure energy and nitrogen balances (n = 36). Glucose oxidation was studied on the 6th day with an injection of [U-13C] glucose and measurement of 13CO2 production. There was no significant interaction between DB inclusion and aleurone supplementation on any variables characterizing feeding behaviour. Pigs had less but longer meals with high level of DB, with an increased interval between two meals without effect on daily feed intake. The meal frequency significantly decreased when aleurone supplementation increased. Total tract apparent digestibility coefficient of DM, organic matter, ash, nitrogen and gross energy decreased when pigs received high DB level. Dietary fibre level increased significantly faecal excreted nitrogen. Aleurone supplementation decreased nitrogen retention. Free access to the feed induced a great individual variability not only in feed intake level (from 784 to 2290 g/day) but also in feeding behaviour (from 5.5 to 21.5 meals per day). This variability can be linked with the importance of underlying feed intake regulation pathways and difference in energy balance and metabolism efficiency. Several profiles of metabolism efficiency can be discriminate, thanks to a clustering based on feeding behaviour and pre-prandial concentrations of metabolites and hormones. In conclusion, DB inclusion decreased meal frequency, increased average meal size, decreased total tract apparent faecal digestibility coefficient of nitrogen and gross energy. Supplementation of aleurone decreased average daily feed intake with a reduction of the meal number per day, without modification of average meal size. Aleurone supplementation decreased nitrogen retention and nutrient deposition. Independently of experimental diets, the high individual variability permitted discriminating different profiles with different metabolic strategies. Efficient pigs with a high energy retention as protein and lipid seem to be able to adapt their metabolism according to energy sources.

Rectal adenocarcinoma is a quite radioresistant tumor. In order to achieve non-operative management (NOM) radiotherapy plays a major role. Targeted radiotherapy aiming at high precision 3D radiotherapy uses stereotactic image-guided external beam radiotherapy machines. To further safely increase the tumor dose, endocavitary brachytherapy (ECB) is an original approach. There are two different ways to perform such an ECB: contact X-ray brachytherapy (CXB) using a 50 kV X-ray generator with an X-ray tube positioned under eye guidance into the rectal cavity and high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDRB) using iridium-192 sources positioned into the rectal cavity under image guidance. This study focused on CXB. CXB uses a small mobile generator that produces 50 kV X-rays with limited penetration. This technique is well adapted to accessible tumors of limited size and especially needs a high dose rate (≥15 Gy/minutes) for rectal tumors. It is performed on an ambulatory basis. A total dose between 80–110 Gy is delivered in 3–4 fractions over 3 to 6 weeks into a small volume (5 cm3). CXB was pioneered in the 1970s by Papillon using the Philips RT 50TM. Since 2009, the Papillon P50TM has been used in 11 institutions in Europe. The OPERA Phase III trial tested the hypothesis that a CXB boost (90 Gy/3 fr) compared to an EBRT boost (9 Gy/5 fr) for T2–T3 ab < 5 cm and N0–N1 < 8 mm will increase the 3-year organ preservation (OP) rate when combined with 45 Gy/5 weeks with concomitant capecitabine. Out of more than 300 patients with tumors < 3 cm (1962–1992), Papillon reported a long-term local control close to 85%. Similar results were published in Europe and USA at that time. The Lyon R96-2 Phase III trial (2004) demonstrated that, when combined with preoperative EBRT, a CXB boost (90 Gy/3 fr) significantly increased the rate of clinical complete response (cCR) and sphincter preservation, with some patients having OP at 10 years. With more than 2000 patients treated in Europe (2010–2020) using the Papillon 50TM, organ preservation appears possible in close to 80% of cases in selected early T2–T3. The OPERA trial closed after 141 inclusions (2015–2020) after an independent data monitoring committee recommendation because of promising results. At the 2-year follow-up (blinded data), the rate of cCR and OP were 77% and 72%, respectively, for the 141 tumors, and for T < 3 cm (61 pts), they were 86% and 85%, respectively, with good bowel function. The final results should be available in 2022. Organ preservation using NOM appears to be a promising approach for rectal cancer. A CXB boost with chemoradiotherapy in selected early T2–T3 could become an attractive option to achieve a planned OP. This approach should be proposed to well-informed patients after discussion in an MDT.

International audience; Breeding efficient pigs is a way to reduce dietary costs and environmental waste. However, optimization of feed efficiency must not be linked to a decrease of the ability of animals to cope with stress, such as the weaning. This study characterizes the response after weaning of pigs from two lines divergently selected for residual feed intake (RFI) during growth. Animals of the low (L) RFI line are more efficient than animals from the high (H) RFI line. Thirty-six piglets from each line weaned at 28 days of age were individually housed and fed a conventional dietary sequence. Their performance, behaviour, health and oxidative status, immune and nutritional parameters were followed during three weeks. Daily feed intake and growth rate of pigs from the LRFI line were 35% and 40% lower compared with HRFI (p < 0.001). Pigs from the LRFI-line had lower total tract apparent digestibility (-6% for OM) and suffered more from undernutrition with a 167 and 55% higher plasmatic concentration of NEFA and urea compared with HRFI (p < 0.01). In the first week after the weaning, they had more diarrhoea and had a higher inflammatory status with concentration of haptoglobin 52% higher (p < 0.001). These piglets then seemed to adapt to the weaning conditions and to recover during the second and third weeks. Both lines had similar zootechnical performance and physiological characteristics at the end of the post-weaning period. To conclude, the physiological responses to the weaning differed between lines. Pigs from the LRFI line, selected for greater feed efficiency, were more sensitive to the weaning stress. They were also more resilient as they finally adapted to the new condition and recovered to show similar performance results as pigs of the HRFI line.

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International audience; With the collaboration of the students of the training education Science and Engineering in Animal Production. The young generation wants to play an active role in climate change mitigation and adaptation. They expect adjustments in their education and training. However, the question is what to change? How? Do the students and professionals have similar expectations about training and skills to develop? A survey on students’ and professionals’ opinions was performed in Jan. 2021 by 17 MSc students involved in animal sciences at the Institut Agro, a high education institution in agricultural sciences in France. A total of 141 professionals in animal sciences (from 6 mo. to 40 yr. after graduation), 142 students from the Institut Agro (BSc, MSc), and 170 undergraduate students intending to candidate to such curriculum (A level, higher national diploma, undergraduate intensive preparatory course) completed an online survey. The survey focussed on: expectations and feedback about the format and content of the training programme; skills required for an MSc student and optimal professional integration. One third of the students from the Institut Agro and the young professionals emphasized the importance of interdisciplinarity, good theoretical knowledge, methodology and soft skills developed during their training. Animal sciences is be attractive to undergraduate students (33%) particularly in the fields related to current agricultural issues such as animal health and welfare, environment and communication. Work-linked training (55% of the Institut Agro’s students), limited filed work or knowledge about the business world were the main shortcomings identified. Professional recruiters look mainly for: soft skills (57%) such as learning desire, interpersonal skills; methodology (43%) like organisation, information research; basic farm knowledge (40%); and teamwork (13%). Those skills mainly matched the ones wanted by the students and currently developed at the Institut Agro. This survey showed the high determination of students to be involved in their training, their willingness to take initiatives, and to link their education to the current and future agricultural issues and the demands of the professional sector.

Second ipsilateral breast tumor event (2ndIBTE) occurring after primary radio-surgical treatment can be treated by either salvage mastectomy or 2nd conservative treatment (2ndCT) including an accelerated partial breast re-irradiation (APBrI). We analyzed the impact of the GEC-ESTRO APBI classification (GAC) on the oncological outcome after APBrI. Between 2000 and 2016, 159 patients (pts) underwent a 2ndCT. After lumpectomy, APBrI was performed using either low-dose (30–55 Gy reference isodose) or high-dose rate brachytherapy (28–34 Gy). Oncological outcome including 3rdIBTE, regional (RFS) or metastasis-free survival (MFS), specific (SS) and overall survival (OS) was analyzed according to GAC. Univariate (UVA) and multivariate analyses (MVA) were conducted to identify significant prognostic factors for 3rdIBTE. With a median follow-up of 71 months (range 62–85 months), 60 pts (42%), 61 pts (42.7%) and 22 pts (15.4%) were classified as low-risk (LR), intermediate-risk (IR) and high-risk (HR), respectively. For the whole cohort, 6-year 3rdIBTE-free survival, RFS, MFS, SS and OS rates were 97.4, 96.4, 90.3, 92.9 and 91.2%, respectively. Six-year 3rdIBTE-free survival rates for LR, IR and HR were 100, 95.8 and 92.9%, respectively (p = 0.003), while no significant differences were found between the three GAC groups for RFS, MFS, SS. In UVA, lympho-vascular invasion (p = 0.009), positive margins (p = 0.0001) and GAC high-risk group (p = 0.001) were considered as significant prognostic factors for 3rdIBTE, while, in MVA, high-risk group (p = 0.009) was the only prognostic factor. In case of 2ndIBTE, GAC could be used as a decision helping tool to discuss conservative or radical treatment options. Patient information remains crucial in order to accurately define the salvage therapy modalities.

Variations in feeding behaviour between animals result from individual variations in their metabolism as affected by diet composition. The study aimed to link the within-day dynamics of voluntary feed intake and those of blood metabolites and insulin in growing pigs havingad libitumaccess to feed and receiving diets differing in dietary fibre levels and aleurone supplementation. A total of forty pigs (body weight: 35 kg) had access to diets providedad libitum, which differed by fibre content (13 or 18 % neutral-detergent fibre) and aleurone supplementation (0, 2 or 4 g/kg). Feeding behaviour was individually recorded for 1 week. The kinetic of plasma metabolites and insulin was followed for 1 h after a voluntary test meal. Dietary fibre level did not affect the daily feed intake but increased meal size and meal duration. Aleurone supplementation (4 g/kg) decreased the daily feed intake and number of meals. Dietary fibre level only decreased insulin concentration measured 15 min after meal beginning. Aleurone supplementation (4 g/kg) decreased glycaemia in the first hour after the meal and insulinaemia 15 min after the meal. Free access to feed led to high variability in pre-prandial metabolites and insulin concentrations, resulting in different test meal size irrespective of diet composition. Animals were then spread over different profiles combining feeding behaviour and fasted status to explain different profiles of regulation of feed intake. Plasma metabolites and insulin kinetics were affected by diet composition but also by animal characteristics. Individual variability should be considered when diet composition is used to modulate feeding behaviour.

To view supplementary material for this article, please visit https:/doi.org/10.1017/S175173111600286X; This review summarizes the results from the INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) divergent selection experiment on residual feed intake (RFI) in growing Large White pigs during nine generations of selection. It discusses the remaining challenges and perspectives for the improvement of feed efficiency in growing pigs. The impacts on growing pigs raised under standard conditions and in alternative situations such as heat stress, inflammatory challenges or lactation have been studied. After nine generations of selection, the divergent selection for RFI led to highly significant ( P

Aim To address the different partial breast re-irradiation techniques available in the context of second conservative treatment (SCT), as an alternative to salvage mastectomy, for 2nd ipsilateral breast tumor event (IBTE) and summarize their respective oncological and toxicity outcomes. Material and methods A literature search was made based on MeSH/PubMed, including papers from 1995 to 2019. Each article was described according to the main irradiation technique, fractionation, oncological results and grade 3 toxicities related to the salvage conservative treatment. Results Twenty-two articles were identified, reporting the outcomes of over 1 000 patients. MIB Brachytherapy was the most used re-irradiation technique in case of SCT, with a median 3rdIBTE-FS rate of 88% and summed up grade 3 toxicities of 6%. As for IORT, the average rate of 3rdIBTE-FS was about Finally, external beam partial re-irradiation was recently tested in this indication with encouraging results in terms of tolerance. Conclusion When presenting a 2ndIBTE, a SCT can safely be proposed to carefully selected and well-informed patients, as an alternative to salvage mastectomy. MIB appears to be the first intention and most robust choice. IORT, external beam radiotherapy and balloon brachytherapy are interesting alternatives but have only been tested in small series. Further investigations are required and their use should be limited to clinical trial only., Highlights • For breast cancer recurrence, salvage mastectomy is challenged by 2nd conservative approach for selected patients. • For 2nd conservative treatment, a re-irradiation of the tumor bed is warranted in an adjuvant setting. • Multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy is the most popular re-irradiation technique described in the literature. • New re-irradiation procedures are investigated: Intra-operative, external beam radiation therapy, balloon based brachytherapy. • The aim of this review was to describe and report the oncological outcome and toxicity profile of the different re-irradiation techniques currently available/explored in order to save the patient from a mutilating treatment.

International audience; One of the most debated topics in pig production is the need to study, understand and change the production system in order to improve nutrient efficiency, becoming more environmentally friendly. The nitrogen excretion has highly deleterious effects on the environment, and it is necessary to develop tools that help to reduce the excretion of this compound without compromising productivity. Therefore, two models were generated to estimate the efficiency of weight gain in relation to excreted nitrogen in postweaning piglets. Data for testing these models were obtained from previous master and PhD studies carried out at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Animal Science Laboratory using piglets in the post-weaning phase with results for performance and digestibility. The database that was constructed was composed of raw data from 10 studies carried out between 2000 and 2016, on a total of 726 piglets weaned at ages between 17 and 28 days, and to which 62 different treatments were applied. An exploratory analysis of the data was done by evaluating scatter plots and histograms, and variables representing different treatments were used in a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, with the F-test used as the selection criterion. Two models were generated that either considered the nitrogen retained or not, to estimate the ratio between weight gain and excreted nitrogen using generalized linear model procedure. The authors analyzed the behavior of each variable to evaluate whether the equation generated was biologically coherent. Weight gain, dry matter intake, nitrogen intake, metabolizable energy intake, retained nitrogen and urinary nitrogen were all significant (P

International audience; The choice of animal-based traits to identify and deal with production diseases is often a challenge for pig farmers, researchers and other related professionals. This systematic review focused on production diseases, that is, the diseases that arise from management practices, affecting the digestive, locomotory and respiratory system of pigs. The aim was to classify all traits that have been measured and conduct a meta-analysis to quantify the impact of diseases on these traits so that these can be used as indicators for intervention. Data were extracted from 67 peer-reviewed publications selected from 2339 records. Traits were classified as productive (performance and carcass composition), behavioural, biochemical and molecular traits. A meta-analysis based on mixed models was performed on traits assessed more than five times across studies, using the package metafor of the R software. A total of 524 unique traits were recorded 1 to 31 times in a variety of sample material including blood, muscle, articular cartilage, bone or at the level of whole animal. No behavioural traits were recorded from the included experiments. Only 14 traits were measured on more than five occasions across studies. Traits within the biochemical, molecular and productive trait groups were reported most frequently in the published literature and were most affected by production diseases; among these were some cytokines (interleukin (IL) 1-beta, IL6, IL8 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha), acute phase proteins (haptoglobin) and daily weight gain. Quantification of the influence of factors relating to animal characteristics or husbandry practices was not possible, due to the low frequency of reporting throughout the literature. To conclude, this study has permitted a holistic assessment of traits measured in the published literature to study production diseases occurring in various stages of the production cycle of pigs. It shows the lack of consensus and common measurements of traits to characterise production diseases within the scientific literature. Specific traits, most of them relating to performance characteristics or immunological response of pigs, are proposed for further study as potential tools for the prognosis and study of production diseases.

International audience; Weaning is a stress every piglet has to face. It is a main cause of antibiotic uses due to digestive disorders. In this study, response to weaning was analyzed in pigs from two lines divergently selected for residual feed intake (RFI) during growth. A total of 132 pigs from each line, housed per line and diet in conventional postweaning units of 12 castrated males and 12 females, were fed either a conventional control (two successive diets) or a complex (three successive diets) dietary sequence during the postweaning period (4 to 10 wk of age). BWs were recorded at weaning (days 0 and 28 of age), days 1, 2, 6, 12, 19, 26, and 42 (10 wk of age), and at 23 wk of age. Feces texture was examined before weaning (day −1), at day 1, 2, 6, 12, and 19. Feed intake was recorded at pen level from days 0 to 42 after weaning, and individually thereafter. Plasma was collected after blood samplings at days −1, 6, 19, and 42 on half of the piglets: all piglets of a given sex in each pen were sampled, to achieve a balanced number across factors. Pigs of the low RFI (LRFI) line were heavier at weaning, had greater glucose concentration, and lower levels of diarrhea at days 1 and 2 than pigs from the high RFI (HRFI) line (P < 0.01). At day 42, there was no BW difference between lines, and G:F ratio did not differ between lines (P = 0.40). The LRFI pigs had lower feed intake and growth rate from day 0 to day 19 (P < 0.005), and greater plasma concentration of non-esterified fatty acid (P < 0.001), indicating an increased mobilization of body lipids and proteins immediately after weaning compared with HRFI pigs. They also had greater levels of diarrhea at day 6 (22% for LRFI vs. 14% for HRFI, P = 0.002), but the concentration of plasma haptoglobin did not indicate acute inflammation. The complex diet sequence improved feed intake and growth, and reduced diarrhea, mainly in the LRFI line (P < 0.001). To conclude, pigs from the LRFI line were more negatively affected by weaning stress, but managed to recover afterwards. The complex diet sequence ameliorated some of the negative effects that weaning had on the LRFI pigs, but limited effects of nursery period feeding sequence on growth performance were observed during the growing-finishing period.

International audience; The incidence and severity of production diseases (PD) are influenced by environmental conditions and animal predisposition. The control of PD requires the identification of risk and predisposing factors at several levels from epidemiological to infra animal studies. The identification of pigs affected by diseases, and at risk to be, is one of the objectives of the PROHEALTH project. Firstly, we present the results of a literature review aiming at identifying animal-based traits characterizing the physiological and health status of pigs. Those traits are potential indicators of diseases. This review aimed also at quantifying the influence of factors relating to animal or husbandry practices on these traits. In a second time, pigs were experimentally challenged to enhance the risk of leg, digestive and respiratory diseases and some of these indicators were used to evaluate animal health status. The literature analysis showed that indicators relating to performance characteristics or immunological response are potential tools to prognosis diseases. Accordingly, experimental studies showed that immune indicators such as acute phase proteins are associated with depressed growth performance and feed efficiency in challenged pigs. The influence of genetic background and sex was not evaluated by the meta-analysis, this information often lacking in the literature. Yet, experimental trials clearly revealed that different lines of pigs (French Large White or Finish Landrace) had different susceptibility of lameness and osteochondrosis, respiratory and inflammatory disorders, and digestive disorders at weaning. Moreover, osteochondrosis lesions were more severe in boars than in gilts. Altogether our results showed that some of these indicators could help to identify production diseases or to test practice limiting the disease. This work has received funding from the EU-FP7 PROHEALTH project (grant agreement no. 613574).

Since microbiota may influence the physiology of its host including body weight increase, growth rate or feed intake, in this study we determined the microbiota composition in high or low residual feed intake (HRFI and LRFI) pig lines, of different age and/or subjected to sanitary stress by sequencing the V3/V4 variable region of 16S rRNA genes. Allisonella, Megasphaera, Mitsuokella, Acidaminococcus (all belonging to Firmicutes/class Negativicutes), Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, Catenibacterium, Butyrivibrio, Erysipelotrichaceae, Holdemania, Olsenella and Collinsella were more abundant in HRFI pigs. On the other hand, 26 genera including Bacteroides, Clostridium sensu stricto, Oscillibacter, Paludibacter, Elusimicrobium, Bilophila, Pyramidobacter and TM7 genera, and Clostridium XI and Clostridium XIVa clusters were more abundant in LRFI than HRFI pigs. Adaptation of microbiota to new diet after weaning was slower in LRFI than in HRFI pigs. Sanitary stress was of relatively minor influence on pig microbiota composition in both tested lines although abundance of Helicobacter increased in LRFI pigs subjected to stress. Selection for residual feed intake thus resulted in a selection of fecal microbiota of different composition. However, we cannot conclude whether residual feed intake was directly affected by different microbiota composition or whether the residual feed intake and microbiota composition are two independent consequences of yet unknown genetic traits differentially selected in the pigs of the two lines.

Weaning is a stress every piglet has to face. It is a main cause of antibiotic uses due to digestive disorders. In this study, response to weaning was analyzed in pigs from two lines divergently selected for residual feed intake (RFI) during growth. A total of 132 pigs from each line, housed per line and diet in conventional postweaning units of 12 castrated males and 12 females, were fed either a conventional control (two successive diets) or a complex (three successive diets) dietary sequence during the postweaning period (4 to 10 wk of age). BWs were recorded at weaning (days 0 and 28 of age), days 1, 2, 6, 12, 19, 26, and 42 (10 wk of age), and at 23 wk of age. Feces texture was examined before weaning (day −1), at day 1, 2, 6, 12, and 19. Feed intake was recorded at pen level from days 0 to 42 after weaning, and individually thereafter. Plasma was collected after blood samplings at days −1, 6, 19, and 42 on half of the piglets: all piglets of a given sex in each pen were sampled, to achieve a balanced number across factors. Pigs of the low RFI (LRFI) line were heavier at weaning, had greater glucose concentration, and lower levels of diarrhea at days 1 and 2 than pigs from the high RFI (HRFI) line (P < 0.01). At day 42, there was no BW difference between lines, and G:F ratio did not differ between lines (P = 0.40). The LRFI pigs had lower feed intake and growth rate from day 0 to day 19 (P < 0.005), and greater plasma concentration of non-esterified fatty acid (P < 0.001), indicating an increased mobilization of body lipids and proteins immediately after weaning compared with HRFI pigs. They also had greater levels of diarrhea at day 6 (22% for LRFI vs. 14% for HRFI, P = 0.002), but the concentration of plasma haptoglobin did not indicate acute inflammation. The complex diet sequence improved feed intake and growth, and reduced diarrhea, mainly in the LRFI line (P < 0.001). To conclude, pigs from the LRFI line were more negatively affected by weaning stress, but managed to recover afterwards. The complex diet sequence ameliorated some of the negative effects that weaning had on the LRFI pigs, but limited effects of nursery period feeding sequence on growth performance were observed during the growing-finishing period.

Background To analyze the clinical outcome of elderly women with early breast cancer who underwent accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) based on a post-operative single fraction of multicatheter interstitial high dose–rate brachytherapy (MIB). Methods A single institution retrospective cohort study was performed focusing on elderly patients (≥ 65 years old) presenting a low-risk breast carcinoma treated by lumpectomy plus axillary evaluation followed by MIB. A single fraction of 16 Gy was prescribed on the 100% isodose. Clinical outcome at 3 years was reported based on local relapse free survival (3-y LRFS), specific survival (SS) and overall survival (OS). Acute (

Inulin has been reported to improve the homeostasis in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of pigs by modulating the intestinal microbiota and fermentation. The present study aimed to quantify the relationship between dietary inulin and microbial response variables in digesta from the GIT and feces of weaned, growing and finishing pigs using a meta-analytical approach. We further examined the effect of dietary inulin on the coefficients of ileal (CIAD) and total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients and ADG. Pig's starting body weight was considered the main inclusion criterion. Missing information about explanatory variables and few values available for response variables reduced the number of studies included. From the 33 included articles published between 2000 and 2016, individual sub-datasets for fermentation metabolites, bacterial abundances, CIAD, CTTAD and performance were built. Prediction models on the effect on inulin were computed accounting for inter- and intra-study variability. Dietary inulin levels ranged from 0.1 to 25.8%, whereby the median and mean inulin levels were 0.1–2% and 3–4%, respectively. Few of the investigated fermentation response variables were influenced by dietary inulin. Strong negative relationships were found between dietary inulin and gastric pH in weaned pigs (R2= 0.81; P < 0.001; n = 12), colonic enterobacteria (R2= 0.50; P < 0.001; n = 19) and fecal lactobacilli (R2= 0.41; P < 0.001; n = 26) throughout all production phases, whereas observed negative relationships between inulin and colonic bifidobacteria and fecal enterobacteria and Escherichia coli were of minor physiological relevance (P < 0.05). Moreover, increasing inulin levels negatively correlated with the CTTAD of crude protein (R2= 0.83; P < 0.001; n = 15), but they did not influence average daily gain of pigs. Best-fit models indicated that dietary crude protein amplified the effect of inulin on CTTAD of crude protein and gastric pH, but counteracted the inulin effect on fecal E. coli (P < 0.05). Accordingly, both pig's body weight and inulin decreased gastric pH and fecal lactobacilli but counteracted the inulin effect on colonic bifidobacteria and fecal E. coli (P < 0.05). In conclusion, this study supported a stimulatory effect of dietary inulin on gastric acid secretion, which may be favorable GIT health in weaned pigs. However, due to limiting information provided in the original studies, like dietary fructans or fibers, low numbers of observation and low inulin levels, relationships should be regarded as trends.

Residual feed intake (RFI), defined as the difference between observed and predicted feed intakes, has been explored as a relevant selection criterion to improve feed efficiency in growing pigs. Previous studies exploring the genetic and physiological bases of RFI have been focused on pigs fed a regular diet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of RFI selection on pigs' ability to digest and metabolize a diet enriched in fiber. After 11 wk of age, pigs of 2 lines divergently selected for RFI (low or high; n = 7 pairs of littermates in each line) were fed either a control diet (133 g NDF and 9.69 MJ NE/kg) or a high-fiber diet (244 g NDF and 8.36 MJ NE/kg) for 3 wk. Irrespective of diet, ADFI and water consumption were lower (P < 0.001) in the low RFI line, whereas G:F over the test period was 16% greater (P < 0.001) in that line compared with the high RFI line. There was no line-associated difference in the digestibility of nutrients and energy, despite a lighter digestive tract (-6.4%, P = 0.04) and a lower colon weight (-8.6%, P = 0.03) in the low RFI pigs than in the high RFI pigs. As compared with the control diet, ADFI was reduced (-7.5%, P < 0.001) in both lines when fed a high-fiber diet, but ADG and G:F were lowered for the high RFI line only (P < 0.05). The high-fiber diet decreased (P < 0.01) the digestibility values of nutrients and energy similarly in both lines. However, it increased the ratio of acetate to propionate concentrations in the distal part of the gastrointestinal tract for the high RFI line only (P < 0.07). The pattern of response of plasma metabolites and hormones to a meal test was altered by RFI selection, but it was not affected by the diet. The increase in glucose concentration after meal ingestion was more pronounced (P < 0.05) in the low RFI line, and long-lasting plasma concentrations of lactate tended to be lower (P < 0.10) in the low RFI line than in high RFI line. Plasma NEFA concentrations were greater in that line compared with the high RFI line. The activity levels of catabolic enzymes in muscle and the liver did not differ between lines and diets. In conclusion, the low RFI pigs seem to better utilize a high-fiber diet than high RFI pigs. This was not associated with marked changes in digestion, and the underlying metabolic mechanisms remain to be clarified.

Feed restriction may be a strategy used by farmers to limit digestive disorders after weaning. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of feed restriction applied 1 wk after weaning on growth performance and health of pigs reared in 2 different sanitary conditions (Good vs. Poor; managed in opposite ways with respect to cleaning, animal density, and preventive antibiotic use) and confronted with stressful common farming practices (i.e., diet transition and building transfer). At weaning at 4 wk of age, 48 pigs were assigned to 1 of the 4 experimental treatments consisting of 2 sanitary conditions and 2 feeding levels (ad libitum vs. restricted). At 2 d after weaning, restricted pigs received 20% of the feed quantity consumed by ad libitum pigs. The feeding level of the restricted pigs was gradually increased to attain ad libitum feeding on d 8. Imposed stressful conditions occurred at d 12 (the weaner diet replaced the starter diet), d 33 (transfer of pigs from the weaner unit to the grower unit), and d 47 (the grower diet replaced the weaner diet). This allowed 4 distinguishing phases: I, from 0 to 11 d; II, from 12 to 32 d; III, from 33 to 46 d; and IV, from 47 to 60 d after weaning. Poor sanitary conditions resulted in decreased growth performance during phase I (P < 0.001) and III (P < 0.01), and the final BW of pigs kept in Poor sanitary conditions was 4 kg less (P = 0.02) than those kept in Good sanitary conditions. Plasma haptoglobin concentration was increased on d 12 after weaning (P = 0.001) as was the occurrence of soft feces during phases II and III (P ≤ 0.05) in Poor sanitary conditions. In both sanitary conditions, the restricted feeding level resulted in decreased ADG (P < 0.001), increased plasma haptoglobin and salivary cortisol concentrations, and feeding-associated behaviors (P < 0.05) during phase I. In Poor sanitary conditions, feed restriction was very detrimental and differences in ADFI and ADG between restricted and ad libitum pigs increased with time (P = 0.05). Conversely, in Good sanitary conditions, restricted pigs attained the BW of ad libitum pigs before the end of the experiment. In conclusion, imposing feed restriction on pigs during the first days after weaning does not seem to be an effective strategy to decrease the negative effects of Poor sanitary conditions; rather, it reinforces these effects.

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There are conflicting results on the growth and health of weanling pigs (Sus scrofa) fed high-fiber diets, and responses may differ according to sanitary conditions. This study was conducted to explore the growth, health, and fecal microbiota of weanling pigs fed either low- or high-fiber diets in 2 different sanitary conditions. Forty-eight pigs weaned at 28 d of age were individually housed in "good" (clean) or "poor" (unclean) sanitary conditions. During 2 consecutive phases, pigs were fed 2 diets containing a low (control) or high level of fiber: 121 or 169 g/kg total dietary fiber (TDF) for Phase I and 146 or 217 g/kg for Phase II, which lasted 15 and 20 d, respectively. This led to 4 experimental treatments in Phase I in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (2 sanitary conditions × 2 diets) and 8 experimental treatments in Phase II in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (2 sanitary conditions × 2 diets in Phase I × 2 diets in Phase II). The poor sanitary conditions led to a reduced G:F (0.617 vs. 0.680 for poor and good sanitary conditions, respectively; P = 0.01) over the entire experimental period. The number of pigs with diarrhea in Phase I tended to be greater in the poor sanitary conditions with the high-fiber diet than the control diet (7 vs. 3 pigs, P = 0.07). Enteroccocus was prominent in feces of these diarrheic pigs. At 5 wk after weaning, compared with good sanitary conditions, the fecal microbiota of pigs housed in poor sanitary conditions was characterized by more Lactobacillus (9.24 vs. 8.34 log cfu/g, P < 0.001), more Enterobacteria (6.69 vs. 5.58 log cfu/g, P < 0.001), and less anaerobic sulfite bacteria (3.72 vs. 5.87 log cfu/g; P < 0.001). The feces of pigs in poor sanitary conditions contained more total VFA and proportionally more butyrate (9.7 vs. 5.7% for poor and good conditions, respectively, independently of dietary treatment, P < 0.001). At 5 wk after weaning, feces of pigs fed the high-fiber diet during Phase II contained less Enterococcus bacteria than pigs fed the control diet (4.06 vs. 4.56 log cfu/g; P = 0.05), and more total VFA with a decreased proportion of branched-chain fatty acids (5.0 vs. 6.1%; P = 0.006). To conclude, feeding pigs a high-fiber diet in the immediate period after weaning is probably an additional risk factor for slower BW gain, especially in poor sanitary conditions.

The impact of dietary fiber on fecal digestion is well-known and provides a comprehensive approach toward nutrient digestibility and availability. Little quantitative information is available on digestion of fiber in the different segments of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The objectives of this study were to obtain a method allowing the quantification of the digestive process in different segments of the GIT and to study the impact of dietary fiber on nutrient digestibility. Six barrows (average initial BW of 30 kg and fitted with a simple T-cannula at the proximal duodenum and caudal ileum) were used in a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square design. In each period, pigs were offered 1 of 3 diets differing in fiber content (low, medium, and high). Differences in fiber content were created by replacing wheat and barley with wheat bran. Titanium dioxide was included in the diet as an indigestible marker to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients in different segments of the GIT. The apparent digestibility of ash, CP, DM, and OM increased in the different segments of the GIT. Duodenal digestibility coefficients were negative for ash (e.g., -39.9% for the medium- and high-fiber diets), indicating important endogenous mineral secretions by the stomach and digestive glands. The duodenal digestibility of other nutrients and OM were positive but close to zero and numerically lower in the diets with the greater fiber contents. The fiber content in the diet did not affect the apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients. Increasing the fiber content in the diet affected the fecal digestibility of CP, ether extract, and energy (P < 0.01). The method used for studying sites of digestion in the digestive tract provides promising results, but it is limited due to the high variability that is likely caused by sampling limitations and variation between animals.

Intestinal mucin, a family of glycoproteins secreted by goblet cells, is the main constituent of the mucus protecting the gastrointestinal tract. For optimal mucosal protection, both the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of mucin are essential. To evaluate how viscosity influences ileal apparent digestibility and mucin biology, a highly viscous nonfermentable soluble polysaccharide, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), was fed to weaned piglets for 15 d. The ileal crude mucin concentration was determined by ethanol precipitation, and changes in goblet cell subtypes were analyzed by the histochemistry of ileal and colonic tissues. As expected, CMC increased the viscosity of ileal digesta and the moisture of feces (P < 0.001). The crude mucin concentration and output at the ileum were higher (P < 0.05) in pigs fed CMC than those fed the control diet. Increasing intestinal content viscosity in pigs fed CMC had no significant effects on the ileal apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, nitrogen, and minerals. The number of total ileal goblet cells per villus also was higher (+30%, P < 0.05) in pigs fed the CMC diet compared with controls. This increase was essentially accounted for by increased numbers of acidic and acidic sulfated mucin-containing cells (+30%, P < 0.05). Trends (P = 0.06) toward decreased numbers of neutral and acidic mucin-containing cells in ileal crypts were also noted. In conclusion, increasing intestinal content viscosity in weaned piglets fed CMC increased the ileal mucin output and numbers and maturation of goblet cells in ileal villi without effects on the apparent digestibility of the diet.

The weaning of piglets is often associated with digestive disorders, particularly diarrhea--postweaning colibacillosis (PWC)--which is caused by infection with enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli. It has been shown previously that a diet for newly weaned pigs based on cooked white rice and animal protein decreases the occurrence of PWC, whereas the addition of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to this diet enhances PWC. The aims of the current work were to 1) determine whether substitution of animal protein with plant proteins in the cooked-white-rice diet influenced its protective effects on PWC and 2) confirm that an increase in viscosity of the digesta by adding CMC to the diet favors the development of PWC--with (Exp. 1) or without (Exp. 2) experimental infection of piglets with E. coli. The diets were 1) cooked white rice and animal protein sources (RAP), 2) RAP + CMC added at 40 g of CMC/kg (air-dry basis) of diet, 3) cooked white rice and plant protein sources (RPP), and 4) wheat and plant protein sources (WPP). Experiments 1 and 2 were conducted using 32 and 24 piglets (eight and six per treatment), respectively. Piglets were weaned at 21 d (d 1), and fed ad libitum until slaughter on d 9. In Exp. 1, piglets were orally infected with enterotoxigenic E. coli on d 4, 5, 6, and 7. On d 8 of Exp. 1, the E. coli scores in feces of pigs fed RAP + CMC were higher than with RAP (P < 0.01). On d 9 after weaning, feces from pigs fed diet RAP were normal or moist, whereas feces from pigs fed RAP + CMC were wet to diarrheic. On d 7 of Exp. 2, pigs fed diets RAP + CMC and WPP had wetter feces than pigs fed diets RAP or RPP (P < 0.05). On d 8, the E. coli scores in feces were higher (P < 0.01) with pigs fed RAP + CMC than with all other diets. The E. coli scores in the digesta were also higher with pigs fed RAP + CMC, and to a lesser extent with diet WPP, than with pigs fed RAP or RPP (P < 0.01). The large intestine was heavier in pigs fed diets RPP and WPP, and the digesta were more acidic (P < 0.05). This study confirmed that diet RAP was protective against PWC, and that substitution of animal proteins with plant protein in a rice-based diet did not diminish its protective effects. The addition of CMC to cooked white rice increased digesta viscosity and enhanced PWC. Consequently, this diet represents a useful model for studying this condition.

The maintenance of gut health is complex and relies on a delicate balance between the diet, the commensal microflora and the mucosa, including the digestive epithelium and the overlying mucus layer. Superimposed on this balance is the frequent presence of enteric bacteria with pathogenic potential, the proliferation and metabolic activity of which may perturb digestive function, and lead to diarrhoea, poor growth rates and even death. Such enteric infections with pathogenic bacteria are common in young animals and children. Diet has an important influence on gut health, including effects on proliferation of pathogenic bacteria, and it can provide either beneficial or harmful input. Dietary fibre (DF) is a dietary component that has a major influence in this regard. DF is a heterogeneous class of components that are not hydrolysed by digestive enzymes of non-ruminant animals, and consequently are the main substrates for bacterial fermentation in the distal part of the gut. This review presents evidence that some components of dietary fibre may improve gut health, or alternatively enhance gut perturbation and subsequent diarrhoea in young animals (including piglets, chickens and children). This review reports and discusses how DF interacts with the gut epithelium and mucus, directly or by the way of the microflora, and consequently can protect against or enhance enteric infections.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of dietary protein source on the morphology and enzyme activities in the small intestinal mucosa and digesta of preruminant calves. The control diet contained skim milk powder. Plant proteins from soy concentrate (unhydrolysed or partially hydrolysed) and potato concentrate were incorporated into experimental diets. Duodenal, jejunal and ileal mucosal biopsies and digesta were collected from calves fitted with simple cannulae and continuously infused with milk replacers into the abomasum. Biopsies were used for morphology measurements. The activity of dipeptidylpeptidase IV, aminopeptidases, lactase and alkaline phosphatase was estimated in biopsies and digesta. Incorporating plant protein had a limited effect on the intestinal mucosa. A partial villus atrophy and crypt hyperplasia were noted with the soy concentrate only. Decreases in the activity of dipeptidylpeptidase IV with the potato concentrate diet and of aminopeptidase N and lactase with the hydrolysed soy concentrate diet, were also observed in ileal biopsies. Mucosal enzymes were released in the lumen and most of them accumulated in digesta of the distal small intestine. The activity of aminopeptidase N and lactase in ileal digesta was higher in calves fed the soy and potato concentrate diets than in those fed the control diet.

Feed restriction could be a relevant strategy to preserve gut health, reduce systemic inflammatory response and finally limit antibiotic use. This study assessed the effect of feed restriction on growing pigs submitted to a moderate inflammatory challenge induced by the degradation of the environmental hygiene that is known to alter growth rate. The experiment was run on 80 pigs selected at 7 weeks of age according to a 2×2 factorial design: two feeding levels, ad libitum (AL) and feed restricted (FR) at 60% of AL, and two conditions of environmental hygiene, clean and dirty. Pigs were housed individually throughout the experiment. From 61 to 68 days of age (day 0 to 7), pigs were housed in a post weaning unit and feed restriction was applied to half of the pigs from day 0 to day 29. At 68 days of age (day 7 of the experiment), pigs were transferred in a growing unit where half of FR and half of AL pigs were housed in a dirty environment (poor hygiene) and the other half in a clean environment (good hygiene) until day 42. Growth performance was recorded weekly. Blood and faeces samples were collected to measure indicators of inflammation, nutrient digestibility and microbiota composition. Faecal consistency was monitored daily to detect diarrhoeas. Feed restriction decreased daily weight gain (-35% to -50%, P

The aim of this study was to develop a specific ELISA for calf intestinal mucin to quantify its contribution to ileal endogenous losses. Mucin was isolated from intestinal scrapings by cesium chloride density gradient ultracentrifugation. The isolated mucin had a high concentration of glutamic and aspartic acids, threonine, and serine (13.2, 11.2, 9.6, and 9.2 mol % of total amino acids assayed, respectively). The carbohydrates present were (mol % of total hexoses): galactose 42.1, N-acetylglucosamine 24.1, N-acetylgalactosamine 23.6, fucose 4.7, mannose 3.1, and sialic acids 2.4. Amino acids and carbohydrates represented 52.6 and 47.4% of the mucin by weight, respectively. A rabbit hyperimmune plasma was raised against purified mucin and used to set up an ELISA. The linear range of this assay was 20 to 640 ng/ml. The plasma cross-reacted with calf abomasal and colonic mucin. It showed no cross-reactivity with nonmucin components and no reactivity with intestinal mucin from other animal species except for the rat. Mucin accounted for approximately 3.5% of the dry matter output at the ileum of calves fed a substitute milk based on skim milk powder. This represented a flow of 3.4 g of mucin/kg of dry matter intake. Mucin flow increased when dietary protein was provided by cow's colostrum. Finally, the developed assay is a suitable tool to investigate the impact of dietary factors on the flow of mucin along the gut of preruminant calves.

Development of mechanistic models of digestion is a means to account for interactions between different nutrients, and between nutrients and the animal. Although some digestion models for pigs have been proposed, quantitative information concerning the underlying processes is extremely limiting. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of dietary fibre on the transit of the solid and liquid phases of digesta in different segments of the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) in growing pigs. Six barrows (initial BW 30 kg and fitted with two simple T-cannulas at the proximal duodenum and distal ileum) were used in a double 3×3 Latin square design. Pigs were offered diets differing in total dietary fibre content (17, 22 and 27%) at 4 h intervals. A single meal marked with YbO2 and Cr-EDTA was used to determine the passage kinetics of respectively the solid and liquid phases of digesta in different segments of the GIT. The mean retention time (MRT) averaged 1 h from the mouth to the proximal duodenum (stomach), 4 h from the proximal duodenum to the distal ileum (small intestine), and 35 h from the distal ileum to the faecal excretion (large intestine). Increase in dietary fibre content had no effect on MRT in the stomach, tended to decrease MRT of solid phase in the small intestine (P=0.07), and decreased MRT of both phases in the large intestine (43 to 29 h, P=0.06). For all diets, transit of the liquid phase in the large intestine was 4–8 h less than transit of the solid phase. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mucus plays an important role in gut health by favouring colonisation resistance. The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of fibre and protein on mucin recovery in ileal digesta and on goblet cell histochemistry in the proximal colon. A control diet with highly digestible protein and low fibre and three complex diets containing indigestible protein associated with low, soluble or insoluble fibre sources were tested for 14 days in piglets weaned at 28 days of age. Mucin concentration was determined by ethanol precipitation. Goblet cell subtypes in colonic crypts were analysed by histochemistry. The ileal mucin output was higher with the complex diets than with the control diet (31.6 on average vs 21.7 g/kg DM intake). Increases observed with the low and soluble fibre diets were similar (34 g/kg DM intake). This suggests a limited effect of soluble fibre in presence of indigestible protein. Surprisingly, the observed increase was lower with insoluble fibre (27.2 g/kg DM intake). DM and N output and digestibility were not affected by the diets, but a linear relationship was found between DM and mucin output. In proximal colon, crypt depth, goblet cell numbers per crypt and glycosylation subtypes were not affected by the diet suggesting no change in the capacity of mucus to protect the gut. To conclude, introducing highly indigestible protein in the diet increased ileal mucin output, without effects of these factors on crypt goblet cell patterns in the proximal colon. Introducing fibre in a diet containing highly indigestible protein had a marginal effect.

Pigs are confronted with changes in farming practices that may affect performance and animal well-being. The sanitary conditions of the farm can have an impact on the ability of pigs to adapt to these changes. This study aimed to analyse how weaned pigs respond to common farming practices of changes in diet and housing in terms of performance, health and behaviour, and how these responses are affected by the sanitary housing conditions, qualified here as good or poor. At weaning at 4 weeks of age, 20 piglets were assigned to 10 blocks of two littermates and each pig within a litter was randomly assigned to one of two sanitary conditions. Pigs were housed individually and received a starter diet. A diet change occurred on day 12 post weaning (starter to weaner diets) and pigs were transferred to the grower unit on day 33 post weaning and continued to receive the weaner diet. From 43 days post weaning, pigs were offered a grower diet and were vaccinated against swine influenza on day 47 and 61 post weaning. On the basis of this design, three post-weaning phases were identified: phase I from day 1 to 11 (post weaning), phase II from day 12 to 32 (after the diet change) and phase III from day 33 to 42 (after the housing change). Individual BW was measured every 3 days, and feed refusals and faecal scores were recorded on a daily basis. Behavioural observations were performed during 28 days by using the instantaneous scan sampling method. Individual blood samples were collected at the end of each phase to analyse the plasma concentration of haptoglobin and on day 68 post weaning to analyse the anti-influenza immunoglobulins G (IgG). Poor sanitary conditions resulted in a decrease in daily gain, feed intake and gain to feed ratio of, respectively, 11%, 5% and 7% (P < 0.05). Pigs in poor sanitary conditions had higher faecal scores (P < 0.05), tended to have higher plasma haptoglobin concentration in phase II (P = 0.06) and had a higher anti-influenza IgG titre (P = 0.11). The diet change affected performance and behavioural responses of pigs in poor but not in good sanitary conditions. Housing change resulted in a 30% decrease in growth and an increase in behaviour oriented towards exploration and excitement. The results of this study show an effect of sanitary conditions on the responses of pigs to a diet change, whereas those to a housing change were little affected by the sanitary conditions.

Sanitary challenges negatively affect feed intake and growth, leading to a negative impact on animal well-being and economic losses. The aim of this study was to carry out a meta-analysis to quantify the dynamic feed intake and growth responses of growing pigs after a sanitary challenge. A database was constructed using 122 published experiments reporting the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and the average daily gain (ADG) of pigs subjected to one of six sanitary challenges: digestive bacterial infections, poor housing conditions, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenges, mycotoxicoses, parasitic infections and respiratory diseases. The responses to experimental challenges were calculated relative to that of a control group. Statistical analyses were carried out for each challenge to quantify the mean and the dynamic responses in feed intake and growth and to identify the basis of the reduction in growth (i.e. reduction in feed intake or reduction in feed efficiency related to changes in maintenance requirements). All challenges resulted in a reduction in ADFI and ADG, with the strongest responses for mycotoxicoses, respiratory diseases and digestive bacterial infections (8% to 23% reduction in ADFI and 16% to 29% reduction in ADG). The reduction in ADG was linearly related to the reduction in ADFI for digestive bacterial infections, LPS challenge, parasitic infections and respiratory diseases. For poor housing conditions and mycotoxicoses, the relationship was curvilinear. A 10% reduction in ADFI resulted in a reduction in ADG varying from 10% for mycotoxicoses to 43% for digestive bacterial infections. More than 70% of the reduction in ADG could be explained by the reduction in ADFI for mycotoxicoses, LPS challenge and respiratory diseases. For challenges associated with the gastrointestinal tract, a large part of the reduction in ADG was due to an increase in maintenance requirements, suggesting digestive and metabolic changes. A dynamic pattern in the reduction in feed intake and growth rate could be identified for digestive bacterial infections, mycotoxicoses and respiratory diseases. For digestive bacterial infections and mycotoxicoses, pigs did not fully recover from the challenge during the experimental period. The results of this study can be used to quantify the effects of a sanitary challenge in growth models of pigs.

International audience; At weaning, the intestinal microbial ecosystem has to adapt to new feeds and to a new environment. The diverse and abundant commensal microbiota and its production of volatile fatty acids (VFA), especially butyrate, are involved in the prevention of diarrhoea and defence against pathogens. This study investigated the effects of the level of dietary fibre (DF) and sanitary housing conditions on the microbiota of weaned pigs. Forty-eight piglets, weaned at 28 days of age. were housed in clean or poor conditions. They were fed during two consecutive phases, two diets containing a high level (16.9 then 21.7% total dietary fibre-TDF, mainly soluble) or a low level DF (control, 12.1 then 14.6% TDF). Five weeks after weaning, microbiota was analysed using counting techniques and VFA profiles were determined by gas chromatography in faeces collected from the rectum. When compared with the clean conditions, the faeces of piglets housed in the poor environment contained significantly more Lactobacillus and Enterobacteria and less anaerobic sulphite-reducing bacteria (+0.9, +1.1, -2.1 Log(10) CFU/g faeces), 60% more total VFA, with proportionally less acetate and more butyrate (-3%, +4%). The introduction of DF did not affect the composition of the microbiota, tended to increase total VFA (25%), and decreased the level of branched-chain VFA (-1.4%). To conclude, the degraded sanitary housing conditions and to a lesser degree DF, stimulated the bacterial ecosystem in a way that could be beneficial for digestive balance, despite their negative impact on animal performances. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Poor sanitary conditions can affect technical and economical results of pig production. The aim of this work is to quantify the impact of sanitary challenges (SC) on the average daily feed intake (ADFI) in pigs. A database was built using information from 87 papers published in peer-reviewed journals. It contains results from in vivo experiments realised on 11136 pigs to test the impact of a SC during the post-weaning, growing and finishing periods. The origin of the SC was either bacterial, viral, parasitic, intoxication by mycotoxins, and poor hygienic housing. Across studies, ADFI was related to body weight using polynomial or exponential models. On average, ADFI was 8% lower in challenged animals compared with controls. The most important reduction in feed intake was observed for viral challenges during the post-weaning period (−30%; corresponding to a difference of about 0.26 kg/d). During the growing phase, reduction in feed intake was most important in pigs fed diets contaminated with mycotoxins or housed in poor conditions (−14%; 0.24 kg/d). During the finishing period, intoxication with mycotoxins and parasitic infestations reduced feed intake by 16 and 6%, respectively. These differences reflect the diversity of the mechanism of action (i.e., systemic or local) and target (organ or function) of the challenges. A meta-analysis appeared to be a powerful tool to better understand and to generalize the relationship between SC, nutrition and performance.

Le terme fibres alimentaires regroupe l’ensemble des polysaccharides non amylacés qui résistent à l’hydrolyse par les enzymes digestives des animaux monogastriques. Elles correspondent principalement aux constituants des parois cellulaires des végétaux associés ou non à la lignine. L’introduction de fibres dans les aliments des porcs diminue leur valeur nutritive mais peut aussi avoir des conséquences non-nutritives intéressantes dans le contexte actuel de la production porcine. Ainsi, les fibres interagissent avec le bon fonctionnement du tube digestif et donc sa santé, le bien-être de l’animal en situation de restriction alimentaire. Cette revue présente les mécanismes associés, fournissant ainsi des bases de réflexion pour l’introduction de fibres dans les formules pour porcelets, truie et porc charcutier., Dietary fibre is defined as a heterogeneous mixture of structural and non-structural polysaccharides together or not with lignin, which are resistant to hydrolysis by endogenous digestive enzymes. Dietary fibre introduction in pig feeds decreases their nutritional values but could also be potentially interesting for non-nutritive aspects in the current context of pig production. Thus, dietary fibre introduction may interact with gut health and welfare in feed-restricted sows. This text reviews the physiological mechanisms of dietary fibre digestion and their consequences on metabolism. Impacts on gut health and welfare are illustrated for piglets and sows, respectively.

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Nutritional feed values are currently based on aggregate criteria such as the ileal or faecal digestibility. Digestibility is the result of several processes including hydrolysis, absorption, secretion and passage. In order to develop mechanistic models of digestion to be used for feed evaluation, these processes have to be quantified. The aim of the current study was to determine the enzymatic hydrolysis (or: in vitro digestion) kinetics of main constituents (organic matter, nitrogen and starch) in wheat, barley, wheat bran and soybean meal, using a three-step, enzymatic in vitro method that mimics digestion in the stomach, small and large intestine of pigs. The in vitro results were compared with in vivo results. Hydrolysis kinetics (i.e., solubilisation of feed constituents) was modelled using an exponential segmented model estimating the extent and rate of digestion for each enzymatic digestion step. In vitro digestion of organic matter of soybean meal occurred mainly through the action of pepsin (0.67 versus

Forty-eight, 21-d-old pigs were used to examine the effects of different types of cooked white rice on starch digestion, digesta and fermentation characteristics, shedding of β-haemolyticEscherichia coliand performance after weaning. Pigs received one of three rice-based diets: (i) medium-grainAmaroo(AM), (ii) long-grainDoongara(DOON), and (iii) waxy (WAXY). The remainder of the diet consisted predominantly of animal proteins. A fourth diet contained mainly wheat, barley and lupins (WBL). On days 1, 3, 7 and 9 after weaning, a faecal swab was taken for assessment of β-haemolyticE. coliand faecal consistency. Apparent digestibility of starch measured in the ileum 14 d after weaning was highest (P = 0·004) in AM and WAXY and lowest, but the same (P>0·05), in DOON and WBL. Starch digestibility in the rectum was highest in all rice diets (P P P = 0·027). Pigs fed rice generally had lighter (P P P P P P P E. coliwas low; however, pigs fed AM and WBL shed lessE. colithan pigs fed other diets.