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Biomedical subjects

L Vellenga

Publications and source records attributed to L Vellenga.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

[Nutrition of young piglets in relation to weaning problems].

Weaning at the age of 3-4 weeks has great consequences for piglets. The consequences of the change from milk to solid food are discussed with regard to the supply of nutrients, the available enzyme capacity of the digestive tract, and the morphological and functional changes in the gut. A number of preventive measures are discussed, with a distinction being made between general measures, measures related to the composition of the diet, and measures related to specific additives. Future research should clarify the mechanism of action of specific additives and pay more attention to the uptake of nutrients in piglets in the period just after weaning.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1998

Weaning and the weanling diet influence the villous height and crypt depth in the small intestine of pigs and alter the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in the large intestine and blood.

Effects of weaning pigs to different diets have been investigated in terms of the changes in the small intestinal morphology, and in the absorption of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and sodium from the large intestine. One piglet from each of six litters containing nine pigs was sampled on the day of weaning; the other eight piglets were divided into four equal groups and fed different diets as follows: unweaned, weanling diet, or sow's milk at high or low level. Four and seven days after weaning, measurements of the intestinal tissue and contents were made; the plasma concentrations of SCFA, aldosterone and sodium were also measured. The villous height in the small intestine was highest in the unweaned group and greater in the high milk group than in either the weanling diet or low milk group (P < 0.001). Apparently, villous atrophy was due more to the level of feed intake than to the composition of the diet. The concentrations of SCFA in the large intestine and portal blood were highest in the weanling diet group and lowest in the low milk group. The low milk group tended to have higher blood concentrations of aldosterone (P = 0.15), which may have compensated for the low concentrations of SCFA in maintaining a higher percentage of dry matter in the intestine. Pigs fed weanling diet may use the energy from the SCFA to maintain a body weight comparable to that of pigs fed milk at a low level.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1998

Role of the large intestine in the pathogenesis of diarrhea in weaned pigs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the large intestine may have a role in counterbalancing the loss of fluid from the small intestine of pigs with diarrhea. ANIMALS: 2 groups of pigs (1 from a specific-pathogen-free herd and 1 from a herd with a history of diarrhea). PROCEDURE: At weaning and 4, 7, 11, and 14 days after weaning, the percentage of dry matter in the large intestinal contents, total and individual concentrations and volatile fatty acids in large-intestinal contents and blood, and concentration of aldosterone in the blood were measured. RESULTS: Large intestinal contents of pigs with diarrhea had a lower percentage of dry matter, lower acetate and butyrate concentrations, and higher propionate concentrations than did those of specific-pathogen-free pigs, and blood of pigs with diarrhea also had lower total volatile fatty acids concentration, higher aldosterone concentration, and lower sodium concentration. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The large intestine has a role in the pathogenesis of diarrhea in weaned pigs.

Aging↗
PubMed1998

Weaning piglets, microbial fermentation, short chain fatty acids and diarrhoea.

The effect of weaning on the absorptive capacity of the large intestine (LI) of weaned and unweaned pigs for short chain fatty acids (SCFA), sodium, potassium, and water has been determined by perfusion studies. Ligated loops were formed at four sites in the LI. In both groups the rate of absorption of SCFA, sodium and potassium was increased from the proximal to the distal sites, but this increase was not followed by an increase in the absorption of water. It is concluded that unweaned and weaned pigs can absorb SCFA and electrolytes immediately after weaning, but that a period of adaptation is required for the optimal absorption of water. This lower capacity for the absorption of water in the first two weeks after weaning makes the recently weaned pig vulnerable to a loss of fluid from the intestines.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1993

[The effect of 3 times per year random vaccination of sows against Aujeszky's disease on maternal immunity in a breeding farm].

Research was undertaken to study the effect of a 'three times a year vaccination schedule in sows' against Aujeszky's disease (AD) on the maternal immunity of their offspring at a large pig farm. Only gI-negative sows and piglets were induced in the study. The maternal immunity was measured in the 8-week-old offspring of 6 gilts and 13 sows, vaccinated in early pregnancy and in 8-week-old piglets born from 12 gilts and 21 sows vaccinated 3 weeks prior to farrowing. At an age of 8 weeks only 5 percent of the piglets, born from sows vaccinated during early pregnancy showed antibody titres against AD of > 1:40 in their serum. In piglets born from sows vaccinated 3 weeks prior to farrowing more than 50 (54.4) percent of the piglets showed antibody titres > 1:40 in their serum. It was concluded that using a 'three times a year vaccination schedule' in a gI negative herd may lead to groups of seronegative piglets on breeding and multiplier farms. The implications are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Tight junctional structure and permeability of porcine jejunum after enterotoxic Escherichia coli infection.

Tight junctional structure and macromolecular permeability were tested in four three-week-old piglets, experimentally infected with the enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strain O149 K91 K88. Histologically, only minor microscopic evidence of inflammation and little or no architectural changes in the jejunal mucosa were observed. A significant decrease in tight junctional strand numbers occurred, without a concomitant decrease in tight junctional depth. The permeability of the porcine jejunal epithelium to horseradish peroxidase did not change after the ETEC infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Review of health problems in group-housed sows, with special emphasis on lameness.

In the Netherlands, there is a trend towards housing gestating sows in groups. Vulva biting and lameness have been described as major health problems in group-housed sows. Besides these problems, the effects of group housing on morbidity, reproduction parameters and the occurrence of infectious disease have been investigated. The literature is reviewed, with special emphasis on lameness.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed1992

The pathogenesis of the post-weaning syndrome in weaned piglets: a review.

This review deals with the pathogenesis of the post-weaning syndrome. This syndrome includes post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD), oedema disease (OD) and endotoxin shock (ES). The role of different enteropathogenic Escherichia coli bacteria and some other predisposing factors relating to this post-weaning syndrome (PWS) are discussed. Based on intestinal pathophysiological mechanisms, some suggestions for the prevention of PWS and prospects for future research are given.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Intestinal permeability in pigs during rotavirus infection.

Macromolecular permeability of the small intestine was tested in four 3-week-old gnotobiotic pigs inoculated with porcine rotavirus strain RV277 (group A). Pigs were administered 125I-labeled polyvinylpyrrolidone (molecular weight [mol wt], 40,000) orally 1 day before and 2 and 24 hours after virus inoculation, and blood samples were obtained every 6 hours. Eight hours after rotavirus inoculation, pigs had watery diarrhea. Increased permeation of 125I-labeled polyvinylpyrrolidone was not observed after clinical signs of infection had developed. Serum total protein and urea nitrogen concentrations increased slightly at the end of the study, probably as a consequence of dehydration. Differences in blood glucose concentration were not seen. At 48 hours after viral inoculation, macromolecular permeability was tested morphologically by injecting horseradish peroxidase (mol wt, 40,000) into the jejunal lumen just distally to the ligamentum colicoduodenale. After an incubation period of 20 minutes, small segments of jejunum were obtained for stereomicroscopic, histologic, and ultrastructural investigations. Moderate hyperregenerative villus atrophy was found. Ultrastructural changes of the villus epithelium were minor, and increased macromolecular permeation was not observed.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[The presence of antibodies against glycoprotein I (gI) of the virus of Aujeszky's disease in colostrum and milk of sows].

The possibility of using sow's milk to detect antibodies to the gI protein of Aujeszky's virus was studied by the present authors. Antibody titres in serum (collected less than 30 days ante partum) and colostrum from sixty-three sows were determined using a commercially available ELISA; twenty-four of thirty-seven animals vaccinated with gI-positive vaccines showed an antibody response in both colostrum and serum. The titre in colostrum was significantly higher than it was in serum. Antibodies could not be detected in serum or in colostrum of the twenty-six animals which were only vaccinated with gI-negative vaccines. Subsequently, anti-gI titres were determined in milk collected during lactation. Antibodies were also detectable in milk of animals showing high colostrum titres (greater than 128) for at least seventeen days. This period decreased as the initial colostrum titre became lower. Antibodies could still be detected in milk of animals vaccinated with gI-positive vaccine, which were sero-negative at the time of the experiment. Milk therefore seems to be a useful alternative to serum in detecting anti-gI antibodies in sows.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Intestinal permeability in piglets during transmissible gastroenteritis.

Macromolecular permeability of the small intestine was tested in seven three-week-old piglets infected with porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGE-strain Miller). Fourteen hours after the infection, the piglets showed loss of appetite and a profuse diarrhoea. In some animals vomiting occurred somewhat earlier. Macromolecular permeability was tested morphologically by injecting horseradish peroxidase (MW = 40,000 Da) into the jejunal lumen just distally to the Treitz' ligament in two piglets at 12 hours and in five piglets at 48 hours after the inoculation in comparison with two control piglets. After a period of 20 minutes, small segments of jejunum were taken for stereomicro-scopical, histological and ultrastructural investigations. An increased permeability for HRP together with a severe, hyper-regenerative villous atrophy was observed in the TGE-infected piglets at 48 hours after the inoculation.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[A case of selenium poisoning in weaned piglets; the persistent one wins].

A case of selenium poisoning involving eighty approximately nine-week-old piglets is reported. Feed and water were supplied with a dry feed hopper with nipple in the through. Clinical symptoms appeared within ten days after the feed-intake. The symptoms consisted in loss of condition (emaciation), drawn-in thin bellies, long hair, loss of appetite, hard, dark faeces, cerebral symptoms and mortality. Autopsy was performed on a total number of four piglets, in which severe hepatic degeneration was detected. When pig prestarter (creep feed) was substituted for piglet-raising feed (weaner-diet), the condition was gradually restored to normal within a few days.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1989

Intestinal permeability to polyethylene glycol 4000 and porcine albumin in piglets infected with transmissible gastroenteritis virus.

The intestinal permeability of specific pathogen free piglets has been studied by measuring the concentration of 14C in the blood after oral administration of 14C polyethylene glycol (14C PEG, MW = 4000) and the concentration of 131I in the faeces after intraperitoneal administration of 131I porcine albumin (131I PA, MW = 68,000). The tests were performed one day before and up to two days after the piglets were infected with transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus. Jejunal biopsies were taken from two piglets before the experimental infection, from two piglets 12 h after the experimental infection and from five piglets at the end of the experiment, 46 h after infection. Blood samples were taken six-hourly and faecal samples several times. Some piglets vomited before diarrhoea and loss of appetite started at 14 h after infection; the packed cell volume decreased before but increased after infection. Morphological examination showed hyperregenerative villous atrophy at 46 h after infection. There was no increase in the permeation of 14C PEG but there was a significant increase in the flux of 131I PA from the blood to the gut lumen.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1988

Effect of feeding 5 per cent glucose solution or milk replacer to newborn piglets on intestinal permeability to macromolecules.

Newborn piglets were fed either a 5 per cent glucose/electrolyte solution or a commercial milk replacer for 24 or 36 hours before they were given colostrum, or they were given colostrum after birth. The effects of these treatments on their ability to absorb macromolecules was assessed by measuring the uptake of 125I-polyvinylpyrrolidone (125I-PVP) and the increases in the concentrations of total proteins and immunoglobulins in serum. The piglets which received colostrum at birth absorbed 50 per cent of a test dose of 125I-PVP within six hours, and there was a rapid increase in the concentration of immunoglobulins in their blood. The piglets which received the 5 per cent glucose/electrolyte solution absorbed 40 per cent of the test dose of 125I-PVP administered 24 or 36 hours after birth and nearly normal quantities of immunoglobulins, but the piglets given the milk replacer absorbed only 10 per cent of the test dose of 125I-PVP, and virtually no immunoglobulins.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1988

Intestinal permeability to macromolecules during colibacillosis in piglets.

Intestinal macromolecular permeability to macromolecules was determined in a group of specific pathogen free piglets before and after they were infected experimentally with Escherichia coli. Six hours after the infection all piglets developed a profuse diarrhoea. The urea and total protein concentrations in the serum increased markedly after the onset of diarrhoea. Haemoglobin concentration and PCV decreased steadily during the experiment but blood glucose concentration and lipid composition of the faeces did not change. No structural abnormalities in the jejunal and ileal mucosa were seen. No uptake of macromolecules (40,000 KDa) was found suggesting that molecules with a molecular weight of 40,000 or more do not play a role in the persistent diarrhoea sometimes seen in piglets after colibacillosis.

Animals↗