Effects of Modified Yeast Cell Wall Extract on Gut Health and Growth of Newly Weaned Pigs Under Chronic Dietary Challenges of Aflatoxin, Deoxynivalenol, and Fumonisin

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of modified yeast cell wall extract at 2 g/kg (YCWE; Integral A+, Alltech, Lexington, KY) on growth and health of pigs fed diets with aflatoxin (180 µg/kg), deoxynivalenol (1 mg/kg), and fumonisin (9 mg/kg). Forty-eight pigs (24 barrows and 24 gilts at 21 d of age with 6.0 ± 0.6 kg BW) were randomly allotted to 4 treatments (2 × 2 factorial arrangement) with 12 pens per treatment, and fed the experimental diets for 48-d. Factors were mycotoxin and YCWE. Experimental diets were formulated to meet the requirement suggested by the NRC (2012) in 2 phases (phase 1 for 20-d and phase 2 for 28-d). Body weight and feed consumption were measured every 5-d in phase 1 and weekly in phase 2. On d 14 and 45, all pigs were bled to collect serum for biochemical analysis and other measurements. On d 48, all pigs were euthanized to collect jejunal tissue and mucosa. Tissue was used to measure histology. Mucosa and serum were used to determine tumor necrosis factor-α, malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl (PC), and immunoglobulins (IgA and IgG). Data were analyzed using the Mixed procedure in SAS with 2 factors and sex as fixed effects and initial BW as a random effect. Overall, mycotoxin reduced (P < 0.05) BW (37.8 to 31.1 kg), ADG (481 to 416 g/d), and ADFI (726 to 601 g/d). The YCWE tended to improve G:F (P = 0.079, 0.670 to 0.691) and reduce WBC (P = 0.071, 18.7 to 16.3 × 10³ cells/µL). Mycotoxins reduced (P < 0.05) villus height (526 to 515 µm), increased (P < 0.05) IgA (5.7 to 6.5 mg/g protein), and increased (P < 0.05) PC (2.32 to 2.67 nmol/mg protein) in the jejunum. The YCWE tended (P = 0.088) to increase villus height (515 to 523 µm), and reduced (P < 0.05) IgA (6.3 to 5.9 mg/g protein) and PC (2.6 to 2.4 nmol/mg protein) in the jejunum. Collectively, feeding diets with mycotoxin at moderate levels reduced growth and impaired gut health in newly weaned pigs. Supplemental YCWE could improve growth and gut health in newly weaned pigs at 3 to 10 wk of age.