Confirmation of the Role of Rapidly Fermentable Carbohydrates in the Expression of Swine Dysentery in Pigs after Experimental Infection

Manuscript received 14 January 1998. Initial reviews completed 20 February 1998. Revision accepted 27 May 1998.

Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia and Animal Research and Development Services, Agriculture Western Australia, WA 6983, Australia

Two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and resistant starch (RS) cause swine dysentery (SD) in pigs experimentally infected with the spirochete Serpulina hyodysenteriae. In Experiment 1, a source of soluble NSP (guar gum; GG), insoluble NSP (oat chaff; OC), resistant starch (retrograde cornstarch; RS) or a combination of GG and RS (GG + RS) was added to a diet containing cooked white rice (R), soybean meal (SBM) and animal protein (meat and bone meal, bloodmeal, fishmeal). A diet containing only cooked white rice, SBM and the sources of animal protein (AP) was also fed. In Experiment 2, three rice-based diets containing different levels of RS were fed to pigs. In Experiment 1, the pH of digesta in the cecum, proximal colon and distal colon of pigs fed diets R-GG, R-RS and R-GG + RS was lower (P < 0.001), and volatile fatty acid concentration higher (P < 0.001), than in pigs fed diets R-OC and R-AP. Pigs fed diets with RS and GG + RS had greater (P < 0.05) concentrations of ATP in the large intestine than pigs fed other diets. There were no significant differences in any fermentation indices measured in Experiment 2. In Experiment 1, pigs fed diets R-GG, R-RS and R-GG + RS were colonized with S. hyodysenteriae after experimental infection. However, only pigs consuming diets R-GG (4 of 5) and R-GG + RS (5 of 5) showed clinical signs of SD. Spirochetes were isolated from the feces of all pigs fed diets containing RS in Experiment 2. However, and in contrast to Experiment 1, 80-100% of pigs infected with S. hyodysenteriae displayed clinical signs of SD. These data confirm the role of fermentable carbohydrate in the pathogenesis of SD.

The Journal of Nutrition Vol. 128 No. 10 October 1998, pp. 1737-1744
Copyright ©1998 by the American Society for Nutritional Sciences

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