This study was conducted to demonstrate that dietary puerarin supplementation alleviates oxidative stress in the small intestine of diquat-challenged piglets. The results showed that puerarin administration markedly alleviated diquat-induced intestinal injury, which was indicated by the improvement of intestinal morphology, cell proliferation and barrier function. One of the potential mechanisms responsible for this was the decrease in oxidative stress, as evidenced by the increase in activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in the small intestine. Puerarin increased the protein expression levels of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream enzymes, including heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic and its modifier subunit (GCLc and GCLm) in the jejunal mucosa of diquat-induced piglets. Puerarin administration improved intestinal morphology, cell proliferation, and barrier function, and increased Nrf2 and its downstream enzymes. These findings indicate that the dietary supplementation of puerarin attenuates the oxidative stress involving Nrf2 signaling pathways in diquat-challenged piglets.

The gut is one of the body's major immune structures, and the gut mucosa, which contains intestinal epithelium and subepithelial immune cells, is the primary site for eliciting local immune responses to foreign antigens. Intestinal immune system development in pigs is a transitional period during birth and weaning. This study compares the morphological and immunological differences in the small intestine of neonatal and weaned piglets to potentially prevent intestinal infectious diseases in neonatal piglets. Histological analyses of weaned piglet intestines showed increased crypt depth, higher IEL count, and larger ileal Peyer's patches compared with those of neonates. Additionally, the ileal villi of weaned piglets were longer than those of neonatal piglets, and claudin-3 protein expression was significantly higher in weaned than in neonatal piglets. The numbers of CD3+ T, goblet, and secretory cells were also higher in the small intestines of weaned piglets than in those of neonates. No significant differences were observed in the secretory IgA-positive cell number in the jejunum of weaned and neonatal piglets. The mRNA expression of most pattern recognition receptors genes in the duodenum and jejunum was higher in the weaned than neonatal piglets; however, the opposite was true in the ileum. The mRNA levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in the jejunal and ileal mucosa were higher in weaned piglets than in neonatal piglets. There were significantly fewer CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells from peripheral blood-mononuclear cells in neonatal piglets. Our study provides insights regarding the different immune mechanisms within the small intestines of 0- and 21-day-old piglets. Studies on the additional developmental stages and how differences in the small intestines affect the response of pigs to pathogens remain warranted.

The Southern Urals of Russia are the habitat of one of the surviving populations of the dark forest bee-the Burzyan population of Apis mellifera mellifera. In this study, we present the results of the subspecies identification of bee colonies in the Altyn-Solok Nature Reserve in the Southern Ural Mountains using the intergenic mtDNA COI-COII locus and the assessment of the prevalence of nosematosis. Analysis of the mtDNA COI-COII intergenic locus in the studied sample showed that 30.4% of the colonies belong to the lineage C. The PCR diagnostics of nosematosis in 92 colonies selected from different sectors of the Altyn-Solok Nature Reserve showed that about half of the analyzed colonies were infected with Nosema apis. Nosema ceranae was found in eight colonies. Both of these factors can lead to the extinction of this population of the dark forest bee.

The interaction between intestinal microbial flora and giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is indispensable for the healthy development of giant pandas. In this study, we analysed the diversity of bacteria and fungi in the intestines of six giant pandas (two pandas in each development stage) with a high-throughput sequencing technique to expand the relative variation in abundance of dominant microbes and potential cellulose-degradation genera in the intestines of the giant pandas and to explore the correlation between dominant microbial genera in the intestines and cellulose digestion activities of giant pandas. The results showed that the intestinal bacterial diversity of young giant pandas was higher than that of sub-adult and adult giant pandas, and Shannon's diversity index was about 2.0. The intestinal bacterial diversity of giant pandas from sub-adult to adult (mature stage) stage showed an increasing trend, but the intestinal fungal diversity showed no considerable regular relations with their ages. The microbial composition and abundance of giant pandas changed in different developmental stages. Pearson correlation analysis and path analysis showed that there was a close relationship between the dominant microbes in the intestines of giant pandas, and the interaction between microbial genera might affect the cellulose digestion ability of giant pandas. Generally, the digestibility of cellulose degraders in pandas was still insufficient, with low enzymic activity and immature microbial structure. Therefore, the utilization and digestion of bamboo cellulose still might not be a main source of energy for pandas.

The strongyloid nematodes belonging to the subfamily Phascolostrongylinae occur primarily in the large intestines of macropodid and vombatid marsupials. Current molecular evidence suggests that the two nematode species, Macropostrongyloides dissimilis and Paramacropostrongylus toraliformis, from macropodid marsupials are distant from their respective congeners. Furthermore, specimens of Macropostrongyloides lasiorhini from the large intestines of the southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) and the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) are genetically distinct. This study aimed to describe the new genera Torquenema n. g. (with T. toraliforme n. comb. as the type species) from the eastern grey kangaroo, Wallabicola n. g. (with W. dissimilis n. comb. as the type species) from the swamp wallaby and a new species Macropostrongyloides phascolomys n. sp. from the common wombat, using light and scanning electron microscopy.

The intestinal microbiome plays a crucial role in animal health and growth by interacting with the host, inhibiting pathogenic microbial colonization, and regulating immunity. This study investigated dynamic changes in the fecal microbial composition of piglets from birth through weaning and the relationship between the piglet fecal microbiome and sows. Feces, skin, neonatal oral cavity, and vaginal samples were collected from eight sows and sixty-three piglets, and 16S genome sequencing was performed. The results revealed that Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria dominated the piglet microbiome in the early stages, and Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were crucial for maintaining a balance in the intestinal microbiome during nursing. The abundance of Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Succinivibrio, and Prevotella increased in weaned piglets fed solid feed. Analysis of the microbiome from sows to piglets indicated a shift in the microbiome colonizing piglet intestines, which became a significant constituent of the piglet intestinal microbiome. This study supports the theory that the neonatal intestinal microbiome is vertically transmitted from the mother. Further research is required to integrate factors related to sows, piglets, and their environments to gain a better understanding of the early establishment of the intestinal microbiome in piglets.

Two experiments were conducted to compare a supplemental blend of essential oils alone (EO) or combined with enzymes (EO + ENZ) versus virginiamycin (VM), on characteristics of growth performance (Exp. 1) and digestion (Exp. 2) in finishing lambs. Lambs were fed a high-energy finishing diet supplemented with: (1) no supplement (control); (2) 150 mg supplemental EO; (3) 150 mg supplemental EO plus 560 mg alpha-amylase (EO + ENZ); and 4) 25 mg VM. Compared with the control, growth performance response to EO and VM were similar, enhancing (5.7%, p < 0.05) feed efficiency and observed dietary net energy. Compared with control, supplementation with EO + ENZ tended (p = 0.09) to increase dry matter intake (6.8%), improving (p < 0.05) weight gain and feed efficiency (10.4 and 4.4%, respectively). Dietary energy utilization was greater (2.7%, p < 0.05) for EO and VM than EO + ENZ. Treatment effects on the carcass and visceral mass were small, but additive supplementation decreased (p ≤ 0.03) the relative weight of the intestines. There were no treatment effects on measures of digestion nor digestible energy of the diet. Supplemental EO may be an effective alternative to VM in high-energy finishing diets for feedlot lambs. Combination EO + ENZ may further enhance dry matter intake, promoting increased weight gain.

The effect of emodin on the intestinal mucosal barrier of a mouse E. coli O1-induced diarrhea model was observed. Following successful establishment of a diarrhea model, the mice were treated with drugs for seven days. Intestinal lesions and the shape and the number of goblet cells were assessed via hematoxylin-eosin and periodic-acid-Schiff staining, while changes in inflammatory factors, ultrastructure of the small intestine, expression of MUC-2, and changes in the intestinal microbiota were analyzed via RT-PCR, electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, and 16S rRNA sequencing. Examination showed that emodin ameliorated pathological damage to the intestines of diarrheic mice. RT-PCR indicated that emodin reduced TNF-α, IL-β, IL-6, MPO, and COX-2 mRNA levels in duodenal tissues and increased the levels of sIgA and MUC-2 and the number of goblet cells. Microbiome analysis revealed that Escherichia coli O1 reduced bacterial richness and altered the distribution pattern of bacterial communities at the phylum and order levels in cecum contents. Notably, pathogenic Clostridiales and Enterobacteriales were significantly increased in diarrheic mice. However, emodin reversed the trend. Thus, emodin protected against intestinal damage induced by E. coli O1 and improved intestinal mucosal barrier function in mice by increasing the abundance of beneficial intestinal microbiota and inhibiting the abundance of harmful bacteria, thereby alleviating diarrhea.

In recent years, the intake of ultra-processed foods has increased dramatically worldwide. Missing natural foods in the diet raise the need of biologically active food components that could compensate for this deficiency and help maintain proper immune status. This study used pigs as an animal model for the assessment of the impact of consumption of Origanum vulgare plant extract combined with Mentha piperita and Thymus vulgaris essential oils on microbial profile in intestines. A single group of weaned pigs received basal diet, while the other group basal diet supplemented with plant extract and two essential oils in the form of bilayer tablets prepared using "liquid/solid" phase technology. Metagenomic sequencing was performed with the aim to investigate changes of microbial communities in ileum, caecum, and colon. The results demonstrated that the combination of essential oils was non cytotoxic, and had a positive effect on the microbial composition in the large intestine of pigs due to significant increase in the number of probiotic bacteria. The amount of Lactobacillus was 2.5 times and Bifidobacterium 1.9 times higher in the animal group fed with supplement. The combination, however, had some negative impact on the variety of minor species in the distal part of the ileum. Additional studies need to be performed to obtain knowledge on how combinations of essential oils can change bacterial variety in the proximal part of the gastrointestinal tract.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a fungus-like protist that can parasitize in the intestines of humans and various animals causing a threat to public health. However, there has been no data for E. bieneusi prevalence and genotypes in black goats in Yunnan Province, Southwestern China. In this study, 907 fecal samples were collected from black goats in 5 counties from Yunnan Province. The prevalence and genotypes of E. bieneusi were examined by nested PCR amplification targeting the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS). Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was used to further examine the potential occurrence of genetic segregation. The overall prevalence of E. bieneusi in black goats in Yunnan Province was 10.3% (93/907). Statistical analysis revealed that E. bieneusi prevalence was significantly associated with the region, age and gender of black goats (p < 0.001). Four new genotypes (CYG-1, CYG-2, CYG-3, CYG-4) and 11 known genotypes (CHG1, CHG2, CHG3, CHG5, CHG28, J, D, BEB6, Wildboar3, CD6, SDD1) of E. bieneusi were identified. At the microsatellite and minisatellite loci, 15, 2, 17, and 33 sequences were obtained, respectively, forming one new multi-locus genotype (MLG27). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all 15 genotypes were clustered into group 1 and group 2, with zoonotic potential. This is the first report of E. bieneusi prevalence and genotypes in black goats in Yunnan Province, China. Effective control strategies and measures should be taken to reduce the risk of E. bieneusi transmission between black goats, other animals, and humans.

(1) Background: Due to the increasing distribution of Echinococcus multilocularis infections in final hosts, epidemiological investigations are important for recognizing the spreading pattern of this parasite and also to estimate risk infection for humans. (2) Methods: Investigations were conducted with two commercial kits dedicated for DNA extraction from feces: ZR Fecal DNA Mini Prep (Zymo Research, Freiburg, Germany) and QIAamp FAST DNA Stool Mini Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) (marked as Z and Q), together with two common PCR protocols (nested PCR and multiplex PCR). The goal was to compare their efficiency in detecting the genetic material of E. multilocularis in the samples of feces. Stool samples from red foxes were collected in a highly endemic area in Poland. Sedimentation and counting technique (SCT) was used as a reference method. (3) Results: From 48 samples, 35 were positive in SCT. Further investigations showed that 40.0% of samples (from those with SCT positive result) after Z-DNA extraction and 45.7% after Q-DNA extraction gave positive results in nested PCR. In multiplex PCR, positive results were obtained in 54.3% of samples after Z isolation and 48.6% of samples after Q. Additionally, one sample that resulted in being negative in SCT gave a positive result in PCR. The number of worms detected in the intestines had no influence on PCR results. (4) Conclusions: Both of the extraction methods showed similar efficiency in DNA isolation and dealing with inhibitors; however, they showed relatively low sensitivity. This was probably caused by degradation of genetic material in the field-collected samples.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the dietary supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae YFI-SC2 on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, immune parameters, intestinal microbiota, and disease resistance of crayfish (Procambarus clarkia). Crayfish were randomly assigned to six different boxes and two different groups in triplicate. The control group received a basal diet and the treatment group received a diet containing S. cerevisiae at 107 CFU/g. After feeding for 28 days, crayfish of the treatment group exhibited a significantly better weight gain ratio (WGR) and a specific growth rate (SGR) (p < 0.05) than crayfish of the control group. Compared to the treatment group, the control group intestines showed an oedema connective tissue layer and a weak muscle layer. For immune-related genes, Crustin2 expression was similar between the groups, whereas Lysozyme and prophenoloxidase from treatment group expression levels were upregulated significantly (p < 0.05) after 14 and 28 days of feeding. Prophenoloxidase showed the highest expression, with 10.5- and 8.2-fold higher expression than in the control group at 14 and 28 days, respectively. The intestinal microbiota community structure was markedly different between the two groups. After 14 and 28 days of feeding, the relative abundance of Cetobacterium and Lactobacillus increased, whereas Citrobacter and Bacteroides decreased in the treatment group compared with that of the control group. The challenge test showed that crayfish of the treatment group had a significantly enhanced resistance against Citrobacter freundii (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that a S. cerevisiae-containing diet positively influenced the health status, immune parameters, intestinal microbiota composition, and disease resistance of crayfish.

The importance of Bacillus as feed additives in animals' production is well recognized. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus pumilus are involved in promoting animal growth performance and immunological indicators. However, their precise roles in the modulation of microbiota and immune response in goat rumen and intestines have not been investigated. The aim of the current work was to evaluate the impacts of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens fsznc-06 and Bacillus pumilus fsznc-09 in the development of rumen and small intestinal and microbial communities in rumen and caecum of weanling Jintang black goats. Morphological alterations of rumen and small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) were evaluated by histochemical staining, and ruminal contents and cecal feces were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing in an Illumina NovaSeq platform. Morphological analysis showed that feeding weanling goats with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens fsznc-06 or Bacillus pumilus fsznc-09 enhanced ruminal papilla and small intestinal villus growth. In addition, 16S rRNA sequencing analysis indicated that microbial richness and diversity (Shannon, Simpson, Chao1, and ACE) and the relative richness of multiple or potential beneficial bacteria were higher in weaned black goats fed on Bacillus amyloliquefaciens fsznc-06 or Bacillus pumilus fsznc-09, but that of multiple or potentially pathogenic bacteria were lower, as compared with the control group. Tax4Fun analysis predicting the functional profiling of microbial communities showed that microbial communities in rumen or caecum were highly influential on metabolism and organism systems after feeding weanling goats with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens fsznc-06 or Bacillus pumilus fsznc-09. It was suggested that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens fsznc-06 and Bacillus pumilus fsznc-09 might be an auspicious antibiotic alternative to improve black goat growth and health by changing rumen and gut microbiota positively.

The present study aimed to assess the impact of dietary valine levels on layer production performance, egg quality, immunity, and intestinal amino acid absorption of laying hens during the peak lay period. For this purpose, a total of 960 33-week-old Fengda No.1 laying hens were randomly divided into five experimental groups and fed with valine at the following different levels in a feeding trial that lasted 8 weeks: 0.59, 0.64, 0.69, 0.74, and 0.79%, respectively. Productive performances were recorded throughout the whole rearing cycle and the egg quality, serum indexes, and small intestine transporters expression were assessed at the end of the experiment after slaughter (41 weeks) on 12 hens per group. Statistical analysis was conducted by one-way ANOVA followed by LSD multiple comparison tests with SPSS 20.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). The linear and quadratic effects were tested by SPSS 20.0. Egg mass, laying rate, broken egg rate, and feed conversion ratio were significantly improved with increasing dietary valine levels. However, the egg weight, eggshell thickness, albumen height, Haugh unit, and egg yolk color were significantly decreased with increasing dietary valine levels. Serum catalase (CAT), immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgM levels, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were negative responses to valine-treated laying hens. Dietary supplemented valine enhanced the trypsin activity of duodenum chime and promoted the mRNA expression levels of ATB0,+, and LAT4 in the jejunum and corresponding serum free Ile, Lys, Phe, Val, and Tyr level. However, valine treatment significantly downregulated the mRNA expression levels of PePT1, B0AT1, LAT1, and SNAT2 in the small intestines and corresponding serum free Arg, His, Met, Thr, Ala, Asp, Glu, Gly, and Ser level. Our results suggest that 0.79% valine dietary supplementation can improve production performance by promoting amino acid nutrient uptake and utilization, and suggest a supplement of 0.79% valine to diet.

Jerusalem artichoke contains inulin polysaccharide, which has prebiotic effects and influences the microbiota of the digestive tract. The addition of Jerusalem artichoke in boar diets may decrease the content of skatole and indole, which are the main constituents of boar taint, and may also negatively affect the taste and odor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of Helianthus tuberosus L. (H. tuberosus) in feed mixtures on performance, carcass composition, the levels of microbiota in faecal samples, and the concentrations of skatole and indole in adipose tissue. The study was performed with 47 crossbred entire male pigs of the Large White sire × (Large White dame × Landrace) genotype fed a basal diet with 0%, 4.1%, 8.1% or 12.2% H. tuberosus for 13 days before slaughter. Significant differences in daily weight gain and daily feed intake were found (p = 0.045), with the values being lower in the group with the highest level of H. tuberosus. In addition, increasing levels of H. tuberosus decreased the concentration of skatole in the adipose tissue (p = 0.003). The highest level of H. tuberosus decreased the level of Escherichia coli (p ≤ 0.001) in the faeces. The enterococcal count increased (p = 0.029) in groups with a diet that included 4.1% and 8.1% H. tuberosus. There was also a significant correlation between the concentration of H. tuberosus and the concentration of E. coli (p < 0.001; -0.64) and the skatole levels in the adipose tissue (p = 0.001; -0.46). Moreover, there was also a positive correlation between the concentration of E. coli and the skatole levels in the adipose tissue (p = 0.023; 0.33). In conclusion, feeding pigs with H. tuberosus leads to decreased levels of skatole in the adipose tissue. According to the results of our study, a diet with 8.1% H. tuberosus is sufficient for decreasing skatole levels, which could be due to the decreased levels of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal dietary folic acid (FA) supplementation during gestation on small intestinal development of newborn lambs of different litter sizes, focusing on the intestinal morphology and development-, apoptosis- and digestion-related genes expression. One hundred and twenty Hu ewes (Ovis aries) were inseminated and randomly allotted to three groups. One group received a control diet [without FA supplementation, control (CON)] and the other two groups received control diets supplemented with different amount of FA [16 or 32 mg FA per kg dry matter (DM), i.e., F16 and F32] during pregnancy. After lambing, according to the dietary FA levels and litter size (twins, TW; triplets, TR), the neonatal lambs were divided into 6 (TW-CON, TW-F16, TW-F32, TR-CON, TR-F16, TR-F32) treatment groups. The results showed that the ratio of small intestinal weight to live body weight and the thickness of the intestinal muscle layer in the offspring was enhanced significantly with increasing maternal FA supplementation (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the expression levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) and sodium/glucose co-transporter-1 (SGLT1) in the small intestines of the newborn lambs were increased, while the opposite was true for Bcl2-associated × (BAX) in response to FA supplementation (p < 0.05). Moreover, the small intestinal weights of twins were significantly higher than those of triplets (p < 0.01), and the expression levels of IGF-I (p < 0.05), sucrase-isomaltase (SI) (p < 0.05) and solute carrier family 2 member 5 (SLC2A5) (p < 0.01) were significantly lower than those in triplets. These findings suggest that maternal FA supplementation could improve the offspring's small intestinal phenotype and the expression of development-, apoptosis- and digestion-related genes, so it could promote the small intestinal development of newborn lambs. Furthermore, the small intestine phenotypic development of twins was generally better than that of triplets, while the expression levels of the above genes of twins were lower than those of triplets.

Long-term storage may reduce the nutritional quality of brown rice, so the present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional values of long-term-stored nutrition in pig diets. In Exp. 1, 18 Landrace × Yorkshire (L × Y) barrows with an initial body weight (IBW) of 25.48 ± 3.21 kg were randomly assigned to three treatments, including a corn-based diet, one-year-stored brown rice (BR1) diet, and six-year-stored brown rice (BR6) diet, to determine the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) values of stored brown rice. In Exp. 2, 24 barrows (L × Y; IBW: 22.16 ± 2.42 kg) fixed with ileal T-cannula were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments, including a corn diet, two stored brown rice diets, and a nitrogen-free diet, to evaluate the amino acid (AA) digestibility of the stored brown rice. In Exp. 3 and 4, 108 crossbred weaned piglets (L × Y; IBW: 9.16 ± 0.89 kg) and 90 crossbred growing pigs (L × Y; IBW: 48.28 ± 3.51 kg) were allotted to three treatment diets, including a control diet and two stored brown rice diets, respectively, to investigate the application of stored brown rice in weaned piglets and fully grown pig diets. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in the DE and ME values between corn and stored brown rice (p > 0.05), while the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of arginine, histidine, asparagine + aspartic acid (Asx), and the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of arginine and histidine were higher in the stored brown rice diet compared to the corn diet (p < 0.05). Compared to the corn, the stored brown rice showed no significant effects on growth performance, nutrient-apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), and serum biochemical indices (p > 0.05) but showed decreased activity in the various digestive enzymes in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of the weaned piglets (p < 0.05). Also, the stored brown rice diet showed no significant effects on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, as well as the fatty acid profiles in the longissimus dorsi muscle of fully grown pigs compared with the corn diet (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the brown rice stored for 6 years under good conditions had no obvious changes in the available energy and nutrient values. Although it may reduce digestive enzyme activity in the small intestines of the piglets, the stored brown rice showed no obvious adverse effects on growth performance and meat quality and can be effectively used in pig diets.