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Rapeseed, particularly in its fermented form, has attracted interest as an alternative protein source as well as for manipulation of gut health. Feeding Lactobacillus pre-fermented rapeseed meals (FRM) has been shown to increase feed digestibility and utilization, gut morphology and antioxidant capacity in the body. Nevertheless, brown macroalgae, such as Ascophyllum nodosum (AN), are currently viewed as another promising dietary strategy to improve growth performance and gut. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of increasing doses of FRM without or with inclusion of the brown macroalgae AN on weaner piglets’ performance and gut development. For that purpose, ten days pre-weaning, standardized litters were randomly assigned to one of nine diets comprising (on DM basis): no supplement (negative control, NC), 2500 ppm ZnO (positive control, PC), 8, 10, 12, 15 or 25% FRM, and 10% FRM plus 0.6 or 1.0% AN. Fifty piglets receiving the same pre-weaning diets were weaned at 28 days of age and transferred to one pen, where they continued on the pre-weaning diet until day 92. At 41 days, six piglets per treatment were sacrificed for blood and intestinal samplings.
As a result, at any of the amounts supplemented, FRM sustained growth performance similar to the PC group during the first 10 days before weaning (18–27 days of age) and improved performance better than the PC from 28–41 days of age when fed at 8%. Inclusion of AN (0.6% or 1.0%) on top of 10% FRM did not affect growth performance. The percent of piglets that completed the experiment was increased at all levels of FRM (maximum of 91% at 8% FRM) or a combination of 10% FRM with AN (maximum of 90% at 10% FRM + 0.6% AN). FRM showed quadratic dose-response effects on colon and mid-jejunum crypts depth, and enterocyte and mid-jejunum villus heights with optimum development at 8% or 10% FRM, respectively. Feeding of FRM with or without AN increased some hematological parameters at all doses and enhanced immunoglobulin and interleukin-6 titers at lower doses (8% or 10%).
In conclusion, FRM sustained piglet growth performance and intestinal development similar to ZnO with an optimal dietary inclusion level at 8–10% of dietary DM.
Satessa GD, Tamez-Hidalgo P, Kjærulff S, Vargas-Bello-Pérez E, Dhakal R, Nielsen MO. Effects of Increasing Doses of Lactobacillus Pre-Fermented Rapeseed Product with or without Inclusion of Macroalgae Product on Weaner Piglet Performance and Intestinal Development. Animals. 2020; 10(4): 559. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10040559