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Experiments were carried out to examine the effects of a Fusarium contaminated wheat (10 mg deoxynivalenol and 0.76 mg zearalenone, ZON, per kg dry matter) and of a detoxifying agent (Mycofix Plus, Biomin GmbH, Herzogenburg, Austria) on the growing performance of bulls, carry-over of ZON and its metabolites into body fluids and tissues, and on nutrient digestibility in wethers. The experiments were designed according to a complete two by two factorial approach which meant that both the uncontaminated control wheat and the Fusarium toxin contaminated wheat were tested both in the absence and presence of Mycofix Plus. The growing experiment with bulls (n = 14 per treatment) covered the live weight range between 244 kg and 460 kg. The respective wheat batches were included in the concentrate portion at 65%. Concentrates were fed according to plan whereas maize silage was offered for ad libitum consumption. Daily dry matter intake and live weight gain [kg per animal and day] were 7.40, 7.52, 7.51 and 7.49 and 1.367, 1.296, 1.380 and 1.307 for bulls fed the unsupplemented control wheat, the supplemented control wheat, the unsupplemented and Fusarium toxin contaminated wheat and the supplemented Fusarium toxin contaminated wheat, respectively. ZON and its metabolites were not detected in edible tissues. The most striking effects of feeding the Fusarium toxin contaminated wheat on carcass characteristics were a reduced dressing percentage, an increased weight of the emptied gastro-intestinal tract and a reduced weight of the testicles. No effect of the detoxifying agent was seen for these parameters whereas heart weight increased independently of Fusarium toxin contamination of the concentrates. Nutrient digestibility of the two wheat batches, unsupplemented or supplemented with Mycofix Plus was evaluated according to the difference method using wethers. Presence of Fusarium toxins in wheat did not influence its feeding value. The effects of the addition of the detoxifying agent were mycotoxin unspecific and resulted in an increase in apparent digestibility of crude protein and a decrease in crude fiber digestibility. It is concluded that feeding of Fusarium toxin contaminated wheat did not adversely affect performance of growing bulls (approximately 2.2 mg DON and 0.1 mg ZON per kg complete ration at a reference dry matter content of 88%) or nutrient digestibility in wethers. The effects of the detoxifying agent Mycofix Plus on growing performance and on nutrient digestibility were rather Fusarium toxin unspecific. The slightly negative effects on growing performance needs to be examined further.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and transgalactooligosaccharides (TOS), which are non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDO), were included at 10 and 40 g/kg in an NDO--free control diet at the expense of purified cellulose. Each of the 5 diets was fed to 4 weaner pigs and microbial characteristics of their ileal chyme and faeces were assessed. The NDO-pigs had lower ileal pH than the control pigs. Dietary NDO did not affect the ileal volatile fatty acid concentration, though FOS-pigs had a higher concentration of lactic acid and relatively more iso-valeric acid and less acetic acid than TOS-pigs. The NDO-pigs had lower ileal aerobic bacterial counts than the control pigs, whilst the FOS-pigs had a larger ileal anaerobic bacterial counts than the TOS-pigs. The NDO-pigs had an higher faecal pH and their faecal volatile fatty acid pool contained relatively more iso-butyric acid and iso-valeric acid than the control pigs. The TOS-pigs tended to have higher faecal anaerobic bacterial counts and had a smaller concentration of faecal volatile fatty acid than the FOS-pigs. We concluded that whilst effects at the faecal level may have been partly due to a reduced intake of cellulose, dietary NDO can exert precaecal prebiotic effects in weaner pigs.

The capacity of pig gastrointestinal microflora to metabolise the trichothecenes 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3-acDON) and nivalenol (NIV) was investigated. 3-acDON was deacetylated to DON in anaerobic incubations with pig faeces collected at different pig farms. Furthermore, both 3-acDON and NIV were metabolised to the corresponding deepoxy metabolite in these incubates. Five pigs, in which the gastrointestinal microflora lacked the ability to transform 3-acDON and NIV to their corresponding de-epoxidated metabolites, were given low levels of DON in the feed for seven weeks. The gastrointestinal micro-organisms did not acquire the de-epoxidation ability during the seven week long exposure period. At the end of the exposure period, faeces from pigs with a known de-epoxidation ability was spread out in the pens and left for 24 hours. One week after the faeces had been spread out in the pens, the de-epoxidation ability was found in faecal incubations from four out of five experimental pigs. This change in metabolic ability of the intestinal de-epoxidation ability was not accompanied by any detectable changes in the DNA-profiles of the bacterial community composition. The results show that the intestinal de-epoxidation ability is common at pig farms in the Uppsala area, and that the ability may be transferred between pigs in a stock.

Fifty-four piglets were selected from 12 litters weaned at 17 (Treatment 1), 21 (Treatment 2), 28 (Treatment 3) and 35 (Treatment 4) days old, respectively, to determine the effect of weaning age on small intestinal villus morphology, immunology and histochemistry. From proximal duodenum, proximal jejunum, distal jejunum and middle ileum, intestinal samples with three replicates (piglets) in each treatment were taken at 18, 22, 28 and 36; 22, 28, 36 and 43; 28, 36, 43, and 50; and 18, 22, 28, 36, 43 and 50 d of age in Treatment 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. This was equivalent to 12 h, 3 d, 1 week, 2 week postweaning in Treatment 1; 12 h, 1 week, 2 week, 3 week postweaning in Treatment 2 and 3, and all the same age in Treatment 4 as in Treatment 1, 2, 3, respectively. The results showed that villous height of duodenum and proximal jejunum decreased significantly in Treatment 1 and 3. Crypt depth in the duodenum, proximal jejunum and ileum also decreased significantly in Treatment 1. Date had significant effect on villous height of the duodenum, distal jejunum and ileum with the shortest on day 29 and crypt depth of all positions increased with piglet age except the crypt depth in proximal jejunum decreased on day 50. Weaning age and day of age had significant effects on intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) number and goblet cell (GC) number at all positions of small intestinal mucosa in piglets. The number of IEL at all segments of small intestinal mucosa in Treatment 3 increased significantly compared to those in other treatments, but IEL number at all locations of small intestinal mucosa in Treatment 2 decreased significantly compared to those in other treatments. The number of GC in small intestinal mucosa increased significantly in early-weaned (< day 21) piglets. It appears that providing fluid milk replacer for a few days postweaning could dramatically reduce the negative impact of weaning on villous morphology and digestive and absorptive function, especially in pigs weaned prior to 3 week of age. Finally, as weaning age was reduced, GC had a greater role in intestinal duct protection.

The effect of L-carnitine supplementation during pregnancy and lactation on the reproductive performance of sows was studied in two separate trials over three reproductive cycles. Both trials were identical in design and conduct but were performed with different animals. The trials comprised of a total of 127 sows (trial 1) and 100 sows (trial 2) which were divided into control and treatment groups. All animals were fed individually and received basic feed mixtures with low native carnitine concentrations. The rations of the sows in the treated group were supplemented with 125 mg L-carnitine per head and day during pregnancy and 250 mg L-carnitine per head and day during lactation. The animals of the control group received identical feed mixtures in identical amounts, but without the L-carnitine supplement. In the first trial, 212 litters were produced and evaluated for number and body weight of the animals, in the second trial, 173 litters were produced. L-carnitine supplementation significantly increased body weight gains of the sows between day 1 and day 85 of weaning. The number of born piglets, stillborn piglets and piglets fit for rearing was not influenced by dietary L-carnitine supplementation. However, L-carnitine supplementation significantly increased the weights of piglets and litters at birth, weight gains of litters during suckling and weights of litters at weaning. These effects of L-carnitine were seen in both trials; they were independent of the age of the sows and remained over three reproductive cycles in which the sows where continuously treated with L-carnitine. Overall, the study shows that dietary supplementation with L-carnitine during pregnancy and lactation improves the reproductive performance of sows over several reproductive cycles, independent of the age of the sows.

Two growth trails were conducted to determine the optimum ratio of histidine in 10-20 kg piglet ideal protein model. Four diets containing 0.23%, 0.31%, 0.39% and 0.47% digestible histidine (0, 0.08%, 0.16%, 0.24% crystalline histidine supplemented into the basal diet) were fed to 96 piglets of mean initial body weight 10.3 +/- 1.08 kg for 18 d in Experiment 1. Average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion efficiency were inhibited (P < 0.05) with the diet containing 0.23% digestible histidine. Performance was maximized with 0.31% digestible histidine. As the dietary histidine increased, blood urea nitrogen and serum cholesterol concentration were influenced significantly. The concentrations of serum histamine and free histidine did not change with increase in digestible histidine from 0.23 to 0.31%, but higher supplementation resulted in a significant linear increase in both serum parameters. It was concluded that the dietary level of 0.23% digestible histidine does not meet the requirement of 10-20 kg piglets. Based on the results from Experiment 1, Experiment 2 was designed to determine the optimum ratio of lysine:histidine in the ideal protein model of 10-20 kg piglet. Ninety-six Large White x Landrace piglets weighing 10.2 +/- 0.88 kg were divided into 4 groups. They were fed four diets containing 0.26, 0.29, 0.32 or 0.35% digestible histidine, formulated by adding 0.03, 0.06, 0.09 or 0.12% crystalline histidine to the basal diet. The trial lasted for 21 days. Results showed that performance was significantly improved with 0.32 and 0.35% digestible histidine. As dietary histidine increased, blood urea nitrogen tended to decrease but not significant at P < 0.05. Serum cholesterol concentration increased with an increase in dietary histidine level and reached a maximum at 0.35%. Serum histamine increased with increasing dietary histidine. Free serum histidine increased linearly with increased dietary histidine. From both experiments it was concluded that the digestible histidine requirement for 10-20 kg piglets was 0.31% and that the optimum ratio of dietary lysine to histidine should be 100:30. The concentrations of cholesterol, histamine and free histidine in serum were sensitive parameters to measure changes in dietary histidine levels.

The aim of this study was to determine the composition and nutritional value of conventional and transgenic, so-called Roundup Ready (RR) maize with an introduced gene of glyphosate resistance. Crude protein, crude fibre, ash, fat, starch, sugar, amino acids, fatty acid and macroelement levels were determined by chemical analysis. In both maize lines a low level of Ca (0.15 g.kg-1 DM) and of the essential amino acids lysine and tryptophan (2.6 and 1.7 g.kg-1 DM, respectively) were observed. In the biological experiment carried out on rats the tested maize lines were the only dietary sources of nitrogen, thus, the experimental diets contained 9% CP in dietary dry matter. In the feeding experiment no significant differences in the protein efficiency ratio (PER) were observed between groups receiving conventional or transgenic maize (1.51 and 1.41, respectively). Also almost equal results were obtained in the balance experiments. Both maize lines revealed a high nitrogen digestibility (84.9 and 84.5%, respectively) and the net protein utilization amounted to 63.5 and 63.2%, respectively. From these results can be concluded that regarding nutrient composition and utilisation, genetically modified (RR) maize is equivalent to isogenic maize.

The effects of varying levels of exogenous oestrogen (E2) (0, 10 or 100 micrograms E2/kg BW) on the development of 18-week old pullets were tested over a 28-day period. The hormone had no significant effects on feed intake, body growth, feed conversion ratio or weight of the oviduct. Similarly, there were no significant effects of the hormone on egg production and egg weight but eggshell thickness and weight of shell per unit area were increased (P < 0.05) at a lower level of administration (10 micrograms E2/kg BW), compared to the control and the highest level of hormone. The morphometry of the jejunal mucosa and some enzymes associated with Ca transport were similar between the three groups. Oestrogen treatment, however, intensely enhanced the expression of calbindin D22K, although this was not quantified.

Twenty-one multiparous dairy cows were fed concentrates containing three levels (119, 154 and 191 g/kg DM) of crude protein (CP) during the first ten weeks of lactation. Part of the grain and molassed sugar beat pulp was substituted with 0% (RSM0), 15% (RSM15) or 30% (RSM30) repeseed meal. Wilted grass silage was fed ad libitum after calving. The average response between RSM0 and RSM15 was +1.66 kg milk/d per percentage unit change in concentrate CP content. No further response occurred between RSM15 and RSM30. The positive effect of RSM inclusion was seen throughout the experimental period and was associated with increased plasma non esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and decreased plasma insulin concentration one week after calving, and higher efficiency of metabolisable energy utilisation for milk production. Digestibility of the diet remained unaffected. Milk and plasma urea tended to increase with RSM30 indicating excessive supply of rumen degradable protein. Because of the limited potential of cows to compensate for a deficit in feed protein supply by mobilising tissue protein, a substantial milk yield response can be achieved with a moderate level of protein supplementation during early lactation.

Several studies were carried out to investigate the influence of dietary cereals differing in soluble non starch polysaccharides (NSP) content and a xylanase preparation on selected bacterial parameters in the small intestine of broiler chicken. Compared to a maize diet colony forming units (CFU) of mucosa associated bacteria were higher in a wheat/rye diet, most notably for enterobacteria and enterococci. Xylanase supplementation to the wheat/rye diet generally led to lower CFU, especially in the first week of life. However, xylanase supplementation also displayed higher in vitro growth potentials for enterobacteria and enterococci. Bacterial growth of luminal samples in minimal media supplemented with selected NSP showed that the wheat/rye diet enhanced bacterial capacities to utilize NSP only in ileal samples. The xylanase application generally shifted respective maximum growth to the proximal part of the small intestine. The presence of soluble NSP from wheat or rye in the diet per se did not enhance bacterial NSP hydrolyzing enzyme activities in the small intestine, but xylanase supplementation resulted in higher 1,3-1,4-beta-glucanase activity. Compared to a maize diet the activity of bacterial bile salt hydrolases in samples of the small intestine was not increased due to inclusion of wheat/rye or triticale to the diet. However, xylanase supplementation led to a reduction with a corresponding increase of lipase activity. It was concluded that dietary cereals producing high intestinal viscosities lead to increased overall bacterial activity in the small intestine. The supplementation of a xylanase to cereal based diets producing high intestinal viscosity, changes composition and metabolic potential of bacterial populations and may specifically influence fat absorption in young animals.