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Raw potato starch in weaned pig diets and its influence on postweaning scours and the molecular microbial ecology of the digestive tract S. K. Bhandari, C. M. Nyachoti and D. O. Krause J ANIM SCI 2009, 87:984-993. doi: 10.2527/jas.2007-0747 originally published online October 24, 2008

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Raw potato starch in weaned pig diets and its influence on postweaning scours and the molecular microbial ecology of the digestive tract1
S. K. Bhandari,* C. M. Nyachoti,* and D. O. Krause*†2
*Department of Animal Science, University ofManitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2 Canada; and †Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2 Canada

ABSTRACT: We evaluated the effect of raw potato starch (RPS) on growth performance, postweaning diarrhea, and gastrointestinal microbial populations in weaned piglets. Eighty-four piglets were weaned at 17 ± 2 d of age with an average BW of 6.0 ± 0.9kg. Pigs were blocked by BW and assigned to 1 of 4 diets in a randomized complete block design with 7 replicate pens per diet and 3 pigs per pen. Treatments were 1) a positive control (PC) containing an antibiotic, 2) a negative control (NC) with no RPS and no antibiotic, 3) NC + 7% RPS (7% RPS), and 4) NC + 14% RPS (14% RPS). Diets were corn-wheat-soybean meal-based and formulated to meet NRC(1998) recommendations. The ADG, ADFI, and G:F ratio were determined weekly. Fecal consistency (FC) scoring was determined daily. After wk 3, 1 pig with a BW closest to the pen mean was killed to evaluate ileal and colonic mucosalattached Escherichia coli and lactic acid bacteria, as well as digesta pH, VFA, and ammonia N concentrations. The DNA was extracted from ileum and colon digesta and used formolecular microbial evaluations

using terminal-RFLP analysis of 16S rDNA genes. The ADG for wk 1 was greater (P < 0.01) for the PC diet, but diet had no effect on ADG during wk 3. The ADFI did not differ among treatments during the first 2 wk, and ADFI was least for 7% RPS diet during wk 3. The NC diet had a greater (P < 0.05) FC score during wk 1 than other treatments, but diet had no effecton FC score during wk 2 and 3. Diets had no effect on the colon lactic acid bacterial counts; however, the PC diet had decreased (P < 0.05) colon E. coli counts than other treatments. Ileum and colon digesta pH and total VFA concentrations did not differ among treatments. Pigs fed with 7 and 14% RPS diets had greater (P < 0.05) ileum ammonia N concentration compared with pigs fed with other diets.There was more diarrhea (P < 0.05) in the 14% than the 7% RPS and control treatments at d 21. This difference correlated with a decline (P < 0.05) in microbial diversity in the colon. We concluded that 7% RPS can be used to prevent postweaning diarrhea in weaned piglets, but there are no effects on growth performance.

Key words: antibiotic, diarrhea, Escherichia coli, microbial ecology, rawpotato starch ©2009 American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved. J. Anim. Sci. 2009. 87:984–993 doi:10.2527/jas.2007-0747

INTRODUCTION
Weaned pigs often develop diarrhea from microbial infections or nutritional imbalances. Pigs become dehydrated, lose BW, and are generally morbid, and the most effective way of preventing the problem is by including subtherapeutic antibiotics in thefeed. The

1 This research was financially supported by the Manitoba Pork Council and Agri-Food Research and Development Initiative (ARDI) in the Province of Manitoba, Canada. The help of Robert Stuski (University of Manitoba) with animal care is gratefully acknowledged. 2 Corresponding author: denis_krause@manitoba.ca Received November 22, 2007. Accepted October 13, 2008.

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