Research Publications (Food Safety)

This study aimed to evaluate factors that modulate phosphorus (P) use, such as calcium (Ca) intake that is well known and deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination which has been the subject of few studies until now.

A total of 4,318 pigs (337×1050, PIC; initially 6.5±0.08kg) were used in a 35-d trial to evaluate dietary mycotoxin control strategies on nursery pig performance and blood measures. Pigs were weaned at 21-d of age and randomly allotted to 1 of 5 dietary treatments. A total of 160 pens were used with 80 double-sided 5-hole stainless steel fence line feeders, with feeder serving as the experimental unit. For each feeder, 1 pen contained 27 gilts and 1 pen contained 27 barrows.

The current experiment was conducted to determine if the dosage or timing of exposure to diets containing high deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin in a variety of feed ingredients, causes performance loss in nursery pigs. In total, 448 mixed-sex nursery pigs [initial BW = 6.18 ± 0.97 kg] weaned at 21 ± 1 d were allotted to 112 pens, with 4 pigs per pen, in a randomized complete block design.

Heat stress (HS) and Zearalenone (Zen) exposure negatively impact growth, production efficiency, animal welfare, and both can be lethal. Zearalenone, a mycotoxin, can contaminate a variety of feedstuffs. As both HS and Zen independently can cause oxidative stress, we hypothesized that concomitant exposure to HS and Zen would cause oxidative stress in pig skeletal muscle more than either agent alone.

To evaluate the effects of lactylate and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, complete blood cell count, and microbial changes, 264 weaning pigs were assigned to 4 treatments (1) control (Con) basal diets that met the nutrient requirement for each phase, (2) 0.2% lactylate (LA), (3) 0.05% Bacillus subtilis strains mixtures (BM) providing 2 x 105 CFU/g of complete feed, or (4) the combination of LA and BM (LA+BM) added to the control basal diet at their respective inclusion rates in each o

Mycotoxins are harmful secondary fungal metabolites detrimental to animal health even at low levels. The study was conducted to compare mycotoxin contamination of initial samples of the 2021 corn crop with previous year trends.

Recently, phytogenic feed additives containing flavonoids, essential oils and phenols are getting more attention as they have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and digestibility aiding abilities. Flavonoids have proved their abilities in reducing environmental stress along with activating immune responses.

Weaning stress and the negative health effects that occur with it cause serious concerns for pork producers. The abrupt environmental and dietary transitions that occur at weaning often take place before the gut microbiome is stabilized in the piglet. This leaves weanling piglets vulnerable to gut dysbiosis and increases susceptibility to enteric pathogens.

The objective was to evaluate the effects of dietary treatments designed to increase passage rate on the rumen microbiome. Factors such as particle size, feedstuff degradability, and rumen motility may drive ruminal passage rates and alter the composition of rumen microorganisms responsible for methane formation. Eight ruminal-cannulated steers were assigned to a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design.

We recently showed that functional amino acid (FAA) supplementation improves growth performance and immune status of Salmonella Typhimurium (ST)-challenged pigs, which was further improved by a longer adaptation period. It is expected that the effects are associated with increased activity of intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP).

The objective was to determine the effects of an immunomodulatory feed ingredient following weaning on cytokine expression and fecal microbial populations of heifers. Commercial Angus heifers (n = 72) were weaned (227 ± 7 d of age), blocked by BW (n = 9 blocks), and randomly assigned to one of two pens per block. Pens within weight block (four heifers per pen) were then randomly assigned to treatments.