Effects of dietary zinc source and level on the performance and immune response of piglets challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium housed in poor sanitary conditions

• Grant number: 24/06475-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Luciano Hauschild
• Grantee: Elisa Oliveira Frank
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/15559-7 - Precision nutrition for sanitary challenged pigs reared in hot climate areas, AP.JP2

Abstract

The objective is to evaluate the effect of the type of zinc (Zn) source and dietary inclusion level on the performance, intestinal morphology, fecal bacterial count, and immune response of newly weaned piglets challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium (ST). Four hundred piglets (weaned at 28 days; initial weight ± 6.0 kg) will be used and evaluated during a 42-day experimental period, following a 2x5 factorial design: 2 zinc sources (organic source: Zn-amino acid complex and inorganic source: Zn sulfate), 5 levels of Zn concentration (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 ppm). A total of 40 piglets per treatment will be used, with the pen considered as the experimental unit. The experimental period will be subdivided into pre-challenge (14 days) and post-challenge (28 days) periods. At the end of the pre-challenge period (day 14), piglets will be inoculated with ST and exposed to poor hygiene conditions (no daily cleaning, low biosecurity control, and fresh feces from adult pigs spread on the concrete floor). The evaluated variables will include: performance, rectal temperature, fecal consistency, fecal shedding of ST, and serum concentration of acute phase proteins. At the end of the experiment, 1 animal/pen will be selected according to weight for slaughter and tissue collection. The presence of ST (spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes) and the morphological integrity and gene expression of markers related to immune response (ileum) will be evaluated. The execution of the project will allow the development of nutritional strategies to attenuate the negative effects of sanitary challenges on the performance, health, and welfare of newly weaned piglets.