Rye and Rye Bran as Components of Diets in Piglet Production—Effects on <i>Salmonella</i> Prevalence
2023
Christian Homann | Isabell Eckey | Bussarakam Chuppava | Klaus Teich | Juhle Buch | Andreas Zimmermann | Martin Kaltschmitt | Richard Grone | Volker Wilke | Christian Visscher
The nutritional benefits of rye (and therefore rye bran) are mainly due to its high content of fermentable dietary fiber, the non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). Microorganisms in the large intestine are able to convert these into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), including butyrate. Butyrate strengthens the epithelial barrier function in the colon by nourishing the enterocytes and inhibiting the spread of <i>Salmonella</i> in the intestinal tract. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test under field conditions whether a diet with rye or rye bran as the main ingredient for gilts, sows, and weaned piglets is associated with a lower <i>Salmonella</i> prevalence. Depending on the age groups, between 20–30% rye or between 15–20% rye bran was used in the experimental group. A total of <i>n</i> = 1983 boot swabs, <i>n</i> = 356 fecal samples, and <i>n</i> = 1909 serum samples were examined. The results of this study show that rye or rye bran at the levels used had no apparent effect on the number of positive <i>Salmonella</i> samples. However, the <i>Salmonella</i> OD values in the experimental groups were significantly lower than in the control group. This suggests that the use of rye leads to a lower incidence of infection, but this effect could not be proven from swabs.
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