A tryptophan-enriched diet improves feed intake and growth performance of susceptible weanling pigs orally challenged with E. coli K88

We tested the effect of Trp addition to a standard weaning diet and oral challenge with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 (ETEC) on growth and health of piglets susceptible or non-susceptible to the intestinal adhesion of ETEC. Sixty-four pigs weaned at 21 d of age were divided into 3 groups based on their ancestry and BW: a control group of 8 pigs fed a basal diet (B), the first challenged group of 28 pigs fed B diet (BCh) , and the second challenged group of 28 pigs fed a diet with Trp (TrpCh). The Trp diet was produced by the addition of 1 g L-Trp/kg to the basal diet. On d 5, pigs were orally challenged with 1.5 mL suspension containing 1010 cfu E. coli K88/mL or placebo, and killed on d 9 or 23. Based on in vitro villus adhesion assay, the pigs (except the B group) were classified as susceptible (s+) or non-susceptible (s-) to the intestinal ETEC adhesion. Thus, after the challenge, treatments were: B, BChs-, BChs+, TrpChs-, and TrpChs+. Pigs susceptible to ETEC were 50.0% in the BChs+ group (3 pigs lost included) and 46.4% in the TrpChs + group (1 pig lost included). During the first 4-d after challenge, the challenge reduced ADG (P < 0.05) and this reduction was greater in susceptible pigs (P < 0.05) than non-susceptible ones. Trp increased ADG and feed intake in susceptible pigs (P < 0.05) from challenge to d 4, but not thereafter. Trp supplementation did not improve the fecal consistency and did not reduce the number of pigs positive for ETEC in feces on 4 d after challenge. The K88-specific IgA activity in blood serum tended to be greater in challenged pigs (P = 0.102) and was not affected by the addition of Trp. Villous height was affected by the addition of Trp and challenge in different ways, depending on the site of small intestine. The need to consider the phenotype for the adhesion of the ETEC in studies with different supply of Trp was clearly evident. When compared with practical weaning standard diets, Trp supplementation allowed susceptible pigs to partially compensate for the effects of ETEC challenge by increasing feed intake and maintaining an adequate BW growth. This is of practical importance for the formulation of diets for pigs selected for lean growth, because of the presence of an association between this trait and the susceptibility to the intestinal adhesion of ETEC.