Research Publications (Food Safety)

The swine gut microbiota is populated by large and diverse bacterial community that play an essential role in pig intestinal development. Therefore, it is important to characterize the composition of swine gut microbiota and determine which factor shape the composition of the gut microbiota. Our objective was to characterize the swine gut microbiota at the different growth stages using 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing data from gastrointestinal (GI) samples.

Gastrointestinal pathogens cause productive, health, welfare, and financial losses to the beef cattle herd. Among these pathogens, Clostridium perfringens type A is of interest given its prevalence, negative effects on intestinal health, and subsequent losses caused in beef animals. Based on this rationale, we hypothesized that a novel direct-fed microbial (DFM) formulation would support the gut barrier integrity upon a challenge with C. perfringens type A.

Sanitary challenges (SC) can affect growth and revenue of pig production. The reduction in growth performance result from a decrease in daily feed intake (DFI). Besides, feeding behavior patterns may be also affected for pigs under SC. The extent of this impact might depend on the initial body weight (BW) of pigs. Additionally, supplementing tryptophan (Trp), threonine (Thr), and methionine (Met) above NRC requirements may attenuate inflammation and modulates DFI under SC.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between rumen microbiota and physiological characteristics in Japanese Black cattle during the fattening period, which are known for their distinctive physiological characteristics due to prominent intramuscular fat deposition. The experimental period was categorized into three stages: early (12 to 14 months of age; T1), middle (15 to 22 months; T2), and late fattening phases (23 to 30 months; T3).

Maternal diet quality and quantity have significant impacts on both maternal and fetal health and development. The composition and function of the maternal gut microbiome is also significantly influenced by diet. However, little is known about the impact of gestational nutrient restriction on the maternal microbiome during early gestation, which is a critical stage for many developmental processes.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of mycotoxin mitigation product containing yeast extract on intestinal health and growth of newly weaned pigs under chronic dietary challenges of fumonisin and aflatoxin. Newly weaned pigs (n = 48; 21 days old; 6.4 ± 0.3 kg BW) were allotted to 4 treatments based on randomized complete block design with initial BW and sex as blocks and fed for 32 d in 3 phases (P1/2/3 for 11/11/10 days, respectively).

Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium infections in pigs are major source associated with enteric disease such as post-weaning diarrhea. Lactic acid bacteria, one of the most essential probiotics, can colonize the digestive tract and increase nutritional digestion and maintain the stability of the intestinal flora. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Pediococcus pentosaceus in weaned piglets challenged with pathogen bacteria.

Mycotoxins in feed are known to negatively affect growth and other physiological processes in pigs. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of feeding diets with varying levels of mycotoxins and boron (a nutrient reported to mitigate some aspects of mycotoxicosis). Screenings from the 2020 crop year corn contained mycotoxin levels of 23,038 ppb total fumonisin, 1,446 ppb zearalenone, and 5,032 ppb total deoxynivalenol (DON)l.

The effects of feeding corn fines (screenings) containing mycotoxin levels at greater than the FDA cautionary levels were evaluated using crossbred pigs [n = 150, 90 barrows and 60 gilts; mean initial body weight (BW) = 6.42 ± 0.06 kg; n =] that were blocked by BW and sex, randomly allotted within block to 6 dietary treatments, and housed 5 pigs/pen resulting in a total of 5 replicates.

This study evaluated effects of an algae-clay-based mycotoxin decontaminant on levels of zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenol (DON) and their derivatives in the colostrum, milk, and serum of sows, as well as in the serum of weaned piglets after maternal mycotoxin exposure from the last week of gestation to weaning (26 days).

Supplementing tryptophan (Trp), threonine (Thr), and methionine (Met) above the requirements might support immune system energetic and protein costs during a sanitary challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between protein deposition (PD) and immune response in challenged pigs.

Early-life microbiome establishment and colonization is essential for gut development, nutrient digestion and metabolism, and modulation of the immune system. Microbial colonization of the infant digestive tract begins at birth, and as such, maternal microbiota has an important influence on the early-life establishment and colonization of the infant gut microbiota.

The objectives were to evaluate the effects of Corynebacterium glutamicum cell mass (CGCM) supplementation, replacing blood plasma in diets, on the gene expressions of biomarkers associated with peptidoglycan and their correlation with intestinal health in nursery pigs. Weaned pigs (n = 32) were allotted to 4 dietary treatments based on the randomized complete block design with initial BW as blocks.

Gastrointestinal immunity and antioxidant defenses may be bolstered in young animals through prenatal immune system stimulation (PIS), but this is largely uninvestigated in swine. The objective of this experiment was to determine if a low dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administered to late-gestating sows would alter the immune response and oxidative status of subsequent offspring.

Among the major sources of methane production, ruminants account for a considerable fraction of the anthropogenic methane produced. Thus, minimizing methane emission in intensive and extensive cattle production systems while maintaining/increasing performance of animals will have a significant impact on the environment and will help develop a sustainable carbon-based market system.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a specialty energy source, which comprises of 28% fat and 55% corn-syrup solids (Solu-E; International Ingredient Corporation, Fenton, MO) on growth performance and fecal microbiota population of nursery pigs. Two hundred and eighty-eight (initial body weight = 5.91 kg) mixed gender pigs were assigned to 4 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with body weight as a blocking factor.

Changes occurred in the last two pandemic years that resulted in tremendous pressures on feedstuff supply. In Canada, causes for reduced cereal, pulse, and oilseed grain supply included a failed crop harvest in Western Canada in 2021 and increased demand for plant protein for food ingredients and for plant oils for cooking and renewable diesel added further pressure.

Global population is expected to increase by 2.5 billion people by 2072 according to UN projections made recently. Africa will lead growth by adding.8 billion people to its continent (147% increase), and 45 of 50 global countries with greatest percentage growth will be in Africa. Europe’s population will decline by an estimated 100 million people (13% decline), Asia’s population will increase by 12%, and North and South America will increase about 20%.

Subclinical mastitis is a common intramammary disease in sheep production systems. Expenses associated with compromised animal performance, therapeutic interventions, and decreased ewe longevity make efforts to minimize its prevalence worthwhile.

Despite the importance of livestock drinking water quality on animal physiology, welfare, and performance, influences such as biofilm formation on trough surfaces on microbial water quality are rarely researched. The objective of this study was to assess the microbial quality of water offered to lactating dairy cows and identify risk factors for poor water quality.

This study was conducted to investigate the functional roles of an endo-β-1,4-xylanase on the intestinal health and growth performance of nursery pigs. A total of 60 pigs (21 d old, 6.9 ± 0.8 kg body weight [BW]) were allotted based on a randomized complete block design with sex and initial BW as blocks.

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of dietary arctiin (ARC) supplementation (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) on the growth performance and immune response of broilers after a Salmonella pullorum (S. pullorum) challenge, and we conducted in vitro antibacterial test to explore the bacteriostatic mechanism of ARC.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), particularly seven serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157, are major food borne pathogens. Cattle are a major reservoir in which STEC colonize the hindgut and are shed in the feces. Most cattle shed the organisms at low concentrations and a small proportion, called super shedders, shed at high concentrations (≥ 104 per g).

In swine production, using feed antibiotics as antimicrobial growth promotants has been reduced; thus, feed alternatives to manage gut health are required to prevent post-weaning diarrhea. Dietary fiber, resistant starch, oligosaccharides, and exopolysaccharides are carbohydrates that together with glycoproteins are nutritional tools that may be part of managing gut health in pigs.

Administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as the widely available drug aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), may improve health and milk production in postpartum dairy cows. However, plasma pharmacokinetic (PK) data for salicylic acid (SA), the active metabolite of ASA, are unrepresentative of lactating dairy cows and current treatment regimens, and there are currently no published milk residue and minimal pharmacodynamic data available for ASA or SA in dairy cows.