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Colibacillosis by Escherichia coli F4 (ETEC) depends on inherited presence of receptors for adhesion to pig intestine. The effects of a commercial potentiated zinc oxide (ZnO), already tested under ex vivo and in vivo conditions, were measured on ETEC-challenged piglets vs the pharmacological dosage of the regular ZnO. Thirty-six 24-days-old pigs were selected to be ETEC-susceptible by the gene marker Mucin 4, assigned to three different diets obtained from the same basal batch, but varied with 150 mg (basal+ZnO, C); 300 mg (basal+potentiated ZnO, PZ); 2500 mg/kg Zn (basal+ZnO, PC), orally challenged (broth with 107 cfu) on d7, and slaughtered on d14 or d15. Data were analyzed as factor design (diet, litter) and orthogonal contrasts calculated.
For C, PZ and PC: 3, 4 and 3 pig died, respectively. PZ and PC improved overall growth (P<0.05), reduced fecal score post-challenged (P<0.05) and days pigs had fecal score >2 (P=0.078). Feed intake, total E. coli shedding (before and 3 days post challenge), and ETEC excretion post challenge were not affected. Total IgA activity in blood serum obtained at slaughtering tended to be higher in PZ and PC, than in C (P=0.09), while F4-specific IgA were not affected. Morphometry measures in the jejunum mucosa were not changed by the diet.
Commercial potentiated ZnO can substitute the pharmaceutical ZnO use at 1/10 dosage in the feeding of weaned piglets challenged with ETEC.
Trevisi, P., Durosoy, S., Gherpelli, Y., Colombo, M. and Bosi, P. 2014. Effect of zinc oxide on growth and health of Escherichia coli F4-challenged susceptible weaning pigs. Book of Abstracts of the 65th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science, Copenhagen, pp 112. (Abstract).