Pigs and people share a common concern: the growing use of antibiotics. 

However you dress it up, there’s a problem, as the mounting resistance to these drugs makes it harder to combat disease. For producers, finding other means to fight pathogens is essential for preserving their business, protecting the herd and promoting animal welfare. For researchers, supporting that fight meant devising a new feeding approach for neonatal and weanling piglets by addressing a common problem for these animals: diarrhea caused by Salmonella.

Weaning is a critical time in a pig’s life. It is filled with stressors, particularly given the absence of a fully formed immune system puts piglets at risk. Adding to the challenge is a change in diet, moving from the sow’s milk to a regimen of solid food. The change is drastic and often jarring for piglets, as their intestines are not prepared for the upheaval. At this point, the animals are especially susceptible to diarrhea, and one culprit is Salmonella. Affected pigs often suffer from dehydration and anorexia, and some of them remain carriers and sources of infection for up to five months after recovery. This represents not only a risk for the health of other pigs, but also for public health, as Salmonella can also infect humans.

A Solid solution

To help prepare the animals for the transition from liquids to solids, producers will often introduce some solids to the diet when piglets are still with the sow. Scientists saw this as the perfect opportunity to insert feed additives in that diet to prevent or lessen diarrhea from Salmonella. In the process, they also wanted to identify the effects of Salmonella and explore the use of biomarkers as a less invasive means to study the animals. Biomarkers are changes to molecules or cells that aid in disease diagnosis and treatment, and help track the progression of disease. Employing these markers can enable researchers to preserve animals following a study and save money in the process.

One option explored by this project is a bacterium called Veillonella. Scientists observed that when Salmonella infection was present in the pig’s gut, Veillonella levels were reduced, and these levels rose in the absence of the infection. This could prompt future research on the potential value of this bacterium as a probiotic that would be added to feed and render pigs less susceptible to Salmonella.

Chain reaction

The study also found that by adding a medium chain fatty acid (a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid present at high concentrations in food such as coconut oil) and yeast extract to the diet, they were able to prevent diarrhea in some pigs and decrease its severity in others. Past research has shown that amino acid supplementation can reduce the severity of diarrhea in pigs, something that was confirmed in the present research, so this is another promising path to be explored.

Researchers are also intrigued by the potential of biomarkers. If all goes as planned, biomarkers could prompt a whole new area of study. Instead of trying to find solutions while working with a model in the lab, scientists could go directly to the barn. In doing so, they would observe the animals in their natural environment and note the action of the pathogen and how it affects the host. This change in methodology should produce more relevant results going forward.

Pitching In and Helping Out

To make the project and its findings possible, interaction was crucial. Université Laval performed the blood work and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) ran the immune system analysis. The pigs were born at AAFC Sherbrooke, where they were fed under lactation before being transferred to Université de Montréal for infection. As well, a private company contributed its expertise towards the biomarker discovery.

Principal investigators – who are all based in Quebec - included Dr. Dominic Laprade-Poulin with AAFC Sherbrooke; Dr. Frédéric Guay, Université Laval; and Dr. Alexandre Thibodeau, Université de Montréal.

As a next step, researchers hope to explore more options for feed additives that promote pig health. This work will include a closer examination of Veillonella and the role it could play as a probiotic to assist pigs and producers. The team is also aiming to redo the experiment from this project on a larger scale to generate more data for analysis.

Finally, scientists would like to put medium chain fatty acids and yeast extract to the test on farms to assess performance in “real life” conditions.

Piglets may not have fashion sense, but if this study can help ease the stress of weaning, it could be the perfect fit.

As if low hog prices and rising feed costs weren’t enough for pork producers, how about a serious bloodstream infection that strikes almost every farm in Canada? 

Disease caused by Streptococcus suis is one of the most important health problems in nursery pigs. It is both widespread and highly damaging, resulting in meningitis, arthritis, endocarditis - a life-threatening inflammation of the heart’s inner lining - and sudden death. Add in that it’s likely the number one reason for antibiotic use in these animals, and the threat becomes very real, very quickly.

The High Cost of High Stress

Just as stress is a threat to humans, it can be devastating for weaned pigs. In addition to separation from the sow, a change in setting and the presence of greater pig density, the diet shifts from liquid milk to solids. These stressors create the perfect environment for bacteria like Streptococcus suis to thrive. Most pigs carry different types of this bacteria in their tonsils and nasal cavity, and while some pigs suffer serious illness or death from specific types of the pathogen, others avoid sickness altogether. Researchers have looked at possible causes of those differing reactions, citing immune system variations and protection conferred on pigs by the sow. One of the promising areas to target in fighting this disease, however, may be right in front of the pig’s snout: diet.

Feeding the Need for Solutions

Given that feed is the greatest expense for producers, comprising two-thirds of their cost of production, a lower priced diet that can also fend off a deadly pathogen would be a win-win. As a means of combatting post-weaning stress, most farms use a diet that is rich in both quality and quantity of key ingredients. Like dinner at a 5-star restaurant, high-quality meals come with a higher price tag. With that in mind, scientists examined lower complexity diets, using plant-based protein sources like soybean in place of animal sources such as plasma or fishmeal.

In this project, pigs were divided into two groups. While one group received a high cost, high complexity diet similar to the standard regime on farm today, the other was fed a low cost, low complexity diet. After infecting both groups with Streptococcus suis, the study brought a surprising result: Pigs fed the lower complexity diet were more resistant to the disease.

Passing the Acid Test

At first, researchers had trouble replicating those results at the farm level. This could be due to several factors, such as pigs mixing and animals getting varying amounts of feed. Fortunately for producers, the problem was solved with an increase in the functional amino acid component of the diet. Again, pigs were broken into groups. When compared to very complex diets or ones low in amino acids, the group that received a low complexity, low-cost diet, along with a higher number of amino acids, showed greater resistance to disease caused by Streptococcus suis. Of significance to end users, this result held true both in the lab and in the barn.

A Strong Benefits Package

In a business where cash is king, any cost-saving opportunity is a welcome one, and this project offers a number of them. By using the low-complexity diet, producers stand to save $2-3 per pig in feed expense. Equally important, animals will gain the same amount of weight on both the “high” and “low” diets by the end of the nursery period, so there are no hidden costs to saving on feed. Additionally, healthy pigs mean fewer dollars spent on disease treatment and prevention, and less need for antibiotics. At a time when antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern for human health, addressing that concern builds more trust with consumers in Canadian pork products.

Teaming Up and Moving On

Like many research projects that find success, this one was the product of collaboration. Performed at the University of Guelph (U of G), it was led by Dr. Vahab Farzan (U of G), Dr. Dan Columbus (Prairie Swine Centre) and Dr. Martin Nyachoti (University of Manitoba). From here, scientists hope to follow up on another finding from this project. During their on-farm study, they noted that pigs fed the low complexity diet had a greater incidence of diarrhea than those on the “high” regime. This might be a result of more fiber in the less complex diet, but it has prompted an interest in investigating how a low complexity diet may alter the bacterial content of the gut for pigs.

All puns aside, the impact of transport on pig health is no laughing matter. 

The toll on animals from trucking can impact animal welfare and performance, sometimes leading to death losses that are also deadly to the bottom line. Though the “why” of moving pigs is obvious, how and when it’s done could be the difference between a smooth trip and a rocky ride for pigs and producers.

While there has been considerable research on transporting finisher pigs, less is known about weaners. Although the pandemic made studying the latter a challenge, scientists pressed on, obtaining data for thousands of weaner loads from across the country. By analyzing the information, they addressed a key goal of their study: identifying factors that influence mortality during transport, in both eastern and western Canada.

Potbellies and pigs

Just as potbellies can be hazardous to human health, the study found that trips using potbelly trailers had greater average mortality than runs employing other trailer types. Weather was also a factor, with pigs in Western Canada experiencing the worst mortality during winter, while summer was the worst season in Eastern Canada. Certainly, the higher losses during extreme weather were not a shock to researchers. At the same time, they did take note of weaner pigs being more susceptible to the cold versus finishers, who struggle more in the heat than in cold weather during transport. This last point underlines the differing needs of pigs at various stages of life while in transit.

The common thread throughout the project was finding areas where strategies could be developed to reduce the risk of weaners perishing during weaner transport. For example, in a study comparing long and short duration transport, pigs that were shipped longer distances were pre-weaned and had greater familiarity with feeders, making for a smoother transition when they arrived at the nursery barn. By contrast, short transport pigs were weaned just before loading, leading to mixing aggression and more acute stress response when they reached their destination. This suggests that weaning on farm prior to transport may reduce death losses, though more study is needed given the logistical challenges for producers in making this change.

Putting problems to bed

Often in research, finding answers begins with asking the right questions, and this project prompted a few queries: With higher mortality for weaners in the winter in western Canada, are we bedding them properly? Do we need to look at other bedding options? How exactly do various trailer types, and different compartments within the same trailer, affect pigs? In eastern Canada, how does the combination of humidity and high temperatures interact with space allowance, and how critical is forced ventilation under these conditions?  As part of this study, scientists have begun monitoring more loads in Canada with technology that pinpoints aspects like temperature and humidity within the truck, hoping it will lead to answers.

Uplifting research

Using hydraulic 4-deck trailers, which are commonly deployed to transport large numbers of weaner pigs, researchers are starting to dig more deeply into temperature and space allowance for individual compartments. Armed with this knowledge, they plan to work with trailer manufacturers on developing control systems that can help to maintain ideal temperatures throughout the truck.

The research team also stresses the importance of proper training for pig transport drivers. Though most drivers are very knowledgeable, turnover in the industry means others may lack awareness of key practices. Absent the cutting edge technology, drivers should be gauging temperature by stopping periodically to stick their hand into compartments. Since temperatures can build up quickly when a trailer is stationary with a full load of pigs, thereby reducing air flow, loading should be done as quickly as possible. As well, drivers should depart immediately once their truck is loaded, especially in hot conditions.

Oh Canada!

A pan-Canadian initiative can be a daunting task, so the alliance of academia and industry was critical for success. Central to the project were Dr. Yolande Seddon, assistant professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, and Drs. Terry O’Sullivan and Renee Bergeron, both associate professors at the University of Guelph. They were assisted by PhD student Hannah Golightly, who presented a poster on the project at the Porc Show in 2022.

For its part, industry was represented by Marie-Josée Turgeon, quality and animal welfare coordinator – pork production at Olymel L.P., and Dr. Egan Brockhoff, president and a practicing veterinarian with Prairie Swine Health Services.

Regardless of their background, all parties shared a common vision: If we can better understand the processes of weaning and weaner transport, and the conditions that piglets require during transport, we will reduce death losses and improve the performance of these animals when they arrive at the nursery.

If there's a recipe for breakthroughs in the pork sector, research is the secret ingredient that drives innovation and new solutions. 

To stay ahead and compete on the world stage, producers must excel and evolve on several fronts. Helping them do so are the recently announced Swine Cluster 4 research projects supported by Swine Innovation Porc (SIP). “Research is the foundation of the pork industry,” said Daniel Ramage, General Manager, SIP. “We are a science-based sector, and research is a key driver for solutions that build on Canada’s global leadership in pork production and exports.” 

With funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, provincial pork producer organizations and other partners, SIP-supported projects have been running since 2010 in five-year AgriScience Clusters. 

That time frame is significant, as it allows for large-scale research studies with a substantial time horizon. As well, the clusters facilitate collaboration among research teams from across Canada – a critical aspect to ensure success. “By working together, industry, government and academia can focus on strategic topics and drive progress in areas that strengthen the pork sector in the long term,” said Ramage. 

Researchers across Canada create a vital link between science and industry success. “Research and innovation are critical for agriculture and, more specifically, for the pork industry,” said Laurence Maignel, Researcher, Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement (CCSI). “Research is a powerful resource for knowledge and solutions to address emerging and ongoing issues while improving productivity, sustainability, competitiveness, food safety and pork quality.”

“We have a very strong research agenda that is enabled through this program,” said Ramage. “It brings together leading researchers from 13 different institutions across Canada and over 36 industry partners.”

Collectively, this brain trust will tackle 18 research and knowledge activities split into three priority areas: economic growth, sector resilience and societal challenges. “This cluster is addressing a more diverse range of topics than ever before,” said Ramage. “In response to changing regulatory requirements and consumer preferences, we have a greater focus on sustainability and the environment, while continuing to push for greater productivity and competitiveness through innovation.” At the same time, Swine Cluster 4 continues to prioritize competitiveness and profitability of pork production, whether by addressing animal health challenges, enhancing feeding practices or expanding industry knowledge of best practices for production and animal care.

The bottom line is top of mind

While aspects like ‘greening the planet’ are important to producers, it’s also vital that they stay ‘in the black,’ and SIP clusters have proven their worth in that regard. “We performed an economic impact assessment of previous cluster programs,” said Ramage. “It is worth highlighting that through the investments made in those projects, we have increased productivity in the pork sector by more than three-and-a-half per cent. When you think about the scale of the Canadian pork industry, and it being a multi-billion-dollar sector every year, that increase is a critical outcome that demonstrates the value of investing in research.” The value of research is evident at the farm level across Canada, where producers see the impact on a daily basis. 

Through its knowledge transfer efforts, SIP ensures the timely adoption of innovative technologies, new products and strategies by end-users, including producers, transporters and processors. SIP is also increasing the spread of information by using multiple available communication channels and adapting the message for a range of audiences. “One of the key benefits for us is how science has proven that selecting replacement gilts from sows that have high litter birth weights will increase the overall birth weight, productivity and throughput of your herd,” said Steven Waldner, hog barn manager for Fairlane Colony, east of Lethbridge, Alberta. On the nutrition side, research has transformed how producers feed their nursery pigs, compared to years past. “Research has taught us that focusing on gut health and preparing your pig for life’s challenges, using a blend of both organic and inorganic acids, is more important and cost-effective than focusing on growth during the first few weeks after weaning,” said Waldner.

In fact, if you want to stump a pork expert, ask them a simple question: Which areas of the sector are not impacted by research?

“I can’t think of any,” said Maignel. “Over the past several decades, improvements in feeding, building, housing, sow productivity, carcass and meat quality, energy and water use, and animal health and welfare have transformed the Canadian swine industry to make it one of the most successful and profitable agricultural sectors. The success in export markets is also very much dependent on research efforts that reinforce the virtues of Canadian pork for foreign buyers. Nowadays, farming automation, sustainable practices and resilient pig production very much rely on research in artificial intelligence and new approaches for a better use of resources.”

Teaming up and bearing down

Whether it’s swine or sports, teamwork is essential for reaching your goals, and Maignel is quick to echo that sentiment. “SIP plays a central role by identifying research priorities in concert with Canadian pork producers and processors,” said Maignel. “SIP also creates synergy between scientists and encourages communication and coordination among research and industry organizations. In doing so, they serve as a catalyst of innovation at various levels of the sector.” Clearly, SIP’s Cluster 4 priorities reflect the dynamic opportunities and challenges facing the pork industry today. “These projects will help us move the needle on key issues,” said Ramage. “The power of science ensures that the pork business will continue to find success in the years to come. It’s an exciting time for our sector, and we’re thrilled to be fueling the industry's long-term success through research investments and partnerships.”

Acknowledgement

The Swine Cluster 4: Innovation for Sustainable Growth in the Pork Sector research program is led by Swine Innovation Porc (SIP), with combined investments from provincial pork producer organizations, leading industry partners, and the Government of Canada under the Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership’s AgriScience Program.

Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) caused by E. coli infection is not pretty for pigs or their owners. 

Finding ways to combat this illness could save producers a bundle in treatment costs and lost production, while improving the well-being of animals and strengthening food safety. Led by Dr. Vahab Farzan, Research Scientist with the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, scientists sought a probiotic solution to PWD.

E. coli bacteria that reside in the intestines of humans and some animals are usually harmless, and support a healthy digestive tract. Some strains, however, can produce toxins that cause a number of symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and damage to the lining of the intestine. Additionally, infection in post weaning pigs often leads to mortality, making E. coli a major focus of research for the pork sector. Not only does it severely impact the industry in Canada to the tune of $100 – 150 million per year, but it is of great concern around the globe.

Given that it causes dehydration, diarrhea and often death, E. coli is an animal welfare problem as well. Even pigs that recover from the infection may fail to keep pace with others in terms of development, remaining stuck at a lower performance level during the growing stage.

Going all in to keep it out

In light of E. coli’s impact, producers try a range of approaches to keep it at bay. Prevention starts with thorough cleaning and disinfection of all pens from one batch of pigs to another; however, infection sometimes sneaks through in spite of a farm’s best efforts.

Another strategy for guarding against E. coli is the inclusion of antimicrobials in the nursery diet. A popular choice is zinc oxide, which is usually administered in high doses of 2500 – 3000 ppm (parts per million). Because this substance is a heavy metal, too much of it can be toxic for pigs. To guard against this, the animal’s physiology ensures that excessive zinc intake is excreted. That can be a problem, as it means that zinc accumulates in manure and winds up contaminating soil and groundwater.

Keeping Resistance in Check

There is also evidence from previous studies that the gene in bacteria responsible for resistance to zinc oxide is carried on a “mobile genetic element”. This element is a type of genetic material that can move around within the genome of the bacterial population of a pig. The genome is akin to a recipe book for the animal, containing all the instructions for making and maintaining it.

While “mobile genetic element” may sound harmless, it cannot be taken lightly, since it also carries the genes for resistance to other antimicrobials. Left unchecked, it will lead to more resistant bacteria in the pig’s gut, which could eventually inhibit the treatment of future infections in the herd.

Taking your best shot

A critical tool for preventing infection is vaccines. Though they are often effective, they can be of limited value to piglets, whose immune systems are still immature and unable to reap the benefits of vaccination. This led researchers to explore the most promising option, probiotics, which are live bacteria (the good kind) and yeasts that promote gut health and guard against disease.

Pondering Probiotics

Before a control measure such as probiotics can be used at the farm level, researchers need to evaluate the product’s effectiveness thoroughly through experimental challenge trials. This required that they develop an infection model to determine at what age, and with how much bacteria, pigs should be infected by E. coli to show the clinical signs of post-weaning diarrhea. For the benefit of other scientists, the model can now be used as part of future projects.

Additionally, in order for E. coli to infect a pig, the animal must possess a special receptor in the gut where the bacteria can attach and begin to wreak havoc. Absent that receptor, the pig possesses a natural resistance to E. coli, as harmful bacteria are unable to “land” and release their toxins.

Discovery of the receptor’s role in resistance, and refinement of the disease models, are key outcomes which unlock new avenues for future studies. This foundational knowledge should go a long way to protecting pigs from E. coli down the road.

Collaboration Drives Discovery

Science is a team sport, and this project found financial backing from Swine Innovation Porc (SIP), Ontario Pork, and the Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). The project was co-led by Dr. Vahab Farzan from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph. Progress was powered by the knowledge of his collaborators, who are also members of the Ontario Veterinary College: Dr. Robert Friendship, professor, and Dr. Brandon Lillie, department chair and associate professor. Dr Joshua Gong, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), also played a large part in the study.

From here, the team will continue running disease challenge trials to evaluate products such as probiotics and vaccines. 

In addition to reducing mortality and hindering performance among pig herds, fighting against a devasting enemy like E. coli would address public health concerns around contaminated soil and antimicrobial resistance. Though it can be hard to find a win-win these days, anything that promises healthier pigs and happier consumers is a good start.