Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T16:36:34.292Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of a high fibre intake on the resistance of the growing rabbit to an experimental inoculation with an enteropathogenic strain of Escherichia coli

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

T. Gidenne  and
D. Licois
T. Gidenne*
Affiliation:
INRA, Station de Recherches Cunicoles, BP 27, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France
D. Licois
Affiliation:
INRA, UR86 Bioagresseurs Santé Environnement, Pathologie du Lapin, 37380, Nouzilly, France
*
†E-mail: gidenne@toulouse.inra.fr
Get access

Abstract

Response to an experimental infection with an enteropathogenic E. coli O103 strain (EPEC) was assessed in growing rabbits given a high or a low dietary fibre diet (200 and 120 g acid-detergent fibre per kg respectively for high ‘HF’ or low ‘LF’ fibre diet). The two experimental diets, differing in fibre level but not fibre quality, were given ad libitum from 21 days of age to two groups of 12 litters of nine pups, weaned at 28 days (trial 1) and caged collectively. At 42 days of age, the two groups were divided in two subgroups (i.e. four groups of 18 animals), inoculated or not with an EPEC O103 strain. Two further groups of 48 rabbits (trial 2) were given LF and HF diets from 28 days (weaning) to 70 days, and were individually housed to control precisely the food intake. Reducing the fibre level led to a lower post-weaning food intake (64 v. 85 g/days in the period from 28 to 42 days of age, P < 0·001) and digestible energy intake (0·75 v.. 0·86 MJ/day, P < 0·001), causing a lower growth (proportionately 0·088 lower, P < 0·001). At 42 days of age, only 17% of rabbits had a detectable caecal saprophyte E. coli flora (over 102 colony-forming units (CFU) per g, trial 1). Inoculating 6-week-old rabbits with EPEC led to moderate levels of mortality (26%). Health risk index (mortality + morbidity) was numerically higher in LF compared with HF groups (P = 0·12). The acute phase of the colibacillosis was between 3 and 10 days post inoculation. From days 7 to 14 post inoculation, a significantly higher frequency of rabbits having a high faecal excretion of E. coli (> 105 CFU per g) was found in LF than in HF rabbits (respectively 65 v. 26·7%, P = 0·04). The caecal pectinolytic flora reached 108 CFU per g at 42 and 65 days of age, and was not affected by diet or EPEC challenge. In 42-day-old rabbits the caecal volatile fatty acid concentration was higher in HF than in LF groups (respectively 79 v. 60 mmol/l, P < 0·05), while the caecal pH was slightly lower (respectively 5·93 v. 6·09, P < 0·01). At 65 days of age, rabbits resistant to the inoculation showed a similar fermentation pattern and fibrolytic flora level to non-inoculated animals. Caecal ammonia level was not affected either by age, diet or E. coli challenge (mean = 12·1 mmol/l). From these results, we conclude that a high fibre intake improved the resistance of the growing rabbit to a specific enteropathy, in association with a higher caecal fermentative activity and lower caecal pH.

Keywords

intestinal diseasesfibrecolibacillosisrabbitcaecummicrobial activities
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 80 , Issue 3 , June 2005 , pp. 281 - 288
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Afnor. 1997. Norme Franˇaise homologuée, Aliments desGoogle Scholar
Bach-Knudsen, K. E. 1997. Carbohydrate and lignin contents of plant materials used in animal feeding. Animal Feed Science and Technology 67: 319–338.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bellier, R., Gidenne, T., Vernay, M. and Colin, M. 1995. In vivo study of circadian variations of the cecal fermentation pattern in postweaned and adult rabbits. Journal of Animal Science 73: 128–135.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bennegadi, N., Fonty, G., Millet, L., Gidenne, T. and Licois, D. 2003. Effects of age and dietary fibre level on caecal microbial communities of conventional and specific pathogen-free rabbits. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease 15: 23–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bennegadi, N., Gidenne, T. and Licois, L. 2001. Impact of fibre deficiency and sanitary status on non-specific enteropathy of the growing rabbit. Animal Research 50: 401–413.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blas de, C. and Mateos, G. G. 1998. Feed formulation. In The nutrition of the rabbit (ed. de Blas, C. and Wiseman, J.), pp. 241–254. CABI Publishing, Wallingford.Google Scholar
Blas, E., Cervera, C. and Fernandez Carmona, J. 1994. Effect of two diets with varied starch and . bre levels on the performances of 4–7 weeks old rabbits. World Rabbit Science 2: 117–121.Google Scholar
Boulahrouf, A., Fonty, G. and Gouet, P. 1991. Establishment, counts and identification of the fibrolytic bacteria in the digestive tract of rabbit. Influence of feed cellulose content. Current Microbiology 22: 1–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caldwell, D. R. and Bryant, L. A. 1966. Medium without and some characteristics of the more numerous groups in the digestive tract of bacteria in the bovine rumen. Journal of Dairy Science 36: 5–21.Google Scholar
Camguilhem, R. and Milon, A. 1990. Protection of weaned rabbits against experimental Escherichia coli O103 intestinal infection by oral formalin-killed vaccine. Veterinary Microbiology 21: 353–362.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cheeke, P. R. and Patton, N. M. 1978. Effect of alfalfa and dietary fiber on the growth performance of weanling rabbits. Laboratory Animal Science 28: 167–172.Google ScholarPubMed
Coudert, P., Licois, D. and Streun, A. 1979. Characterisation of Eimeria species. I. Isolation and study of a pure strain of Eimeria perforens. Zeitschrift fü f r Parasitenkunde 59: 227–234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Egran. 2001. Technical note: attempts to harmonise chemical analyses of feeds and faeces, for rabbit feed evaluation. World Rabbit Science 9: 57–64.Google Scholar
Gidenne, T. 1994. Effets d'une réduction de la teneur en fibres alimentaires sur le transit digestif du lapin. Comparaison et validation de modèles d'ajustement des cinétiques d'excrétion fécale des marqueurs. Reproduction, Nutrition, Development 34: 295–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gidenne, T. 2003. Fibres in rabbit feeding for digestive troubles prevention: respective role of low-digested and digestible fibre. Livestock Production Science 81: 105–117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gidenne, T., Jehl, N., Segura, M. and Michalet-Doreau, B. 2002. Microbial activity in the caecum of the rabbit around weaning: impact of a dietary fibre deficiency and of intake level. Animal Feed Science and Technology 99: 107–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gidenne, T., Mirabito, L., Jehl, N., Perez, J.-M., Arveux, P., Bourdillon, A., Briens, C., Duperray, J. and Corrent, E. 2004. Impact of replacing starch by digestible fibre, at two levels of lignocellulose, on digestion, growth and digestive health of the rabbit. Animal Science 78: 389–398.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gidenne, T., Pinheiro, V. and Falcao e Cunha, L. 2000.A comprehensive approach to the rabbit digestion: consequences of a reduction in dietary fibre supply. Livestock Production Science 64: 225–237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guillot, J. F., Chaslus-Dancla, E. and Lafont, J. P. 1977. Spontaneous implantation of antibiotic resistant enterobacteriaceae in the digestive tract of chickens in the absence of selective pressure. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 12: 697–702.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hungate, R. E. 1966. A roll tube method for cultivation of strict anaerobes. In Methods in microbiology. 3B, IV, pp. 117–132. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
IO7. 1993. La banque de données de l'alimentation animale ( V25). Association Franˇaise de Zootechnie, INAPG, Paris.Google Scholar
Licois, D., Guillot, J. F., Mouline, C. and Reynaud, A. 1992. Susceptibility of the rabbit to an enteropathogenic strain of Escherichia coli O103: effect of animals' age. Annales de RecherchesVétérinaires 23: 225–232.Google Scholar
Licois, D., Reynaud, A., Federighi, M., Gaillard-Martinie, B., Guillot, J. F. and Joly, B. 1991. Scanning and transmission electron microscopic study of adherence of Escherichia coli O103 enteropathogenic and or enterohemorrhagic strain GV in enteric infection in rabbits. Infection and Immunity 59: 3796–3800.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maître, I., Lebas, F., Arveux, P., Bourdillon, A., Duperray, J. and ître, î Saint Cast, Y. 1990. Taux de lignocellulose (ADF de Van Soest) et performances de croissance du lapin de chair. Proceedings of the fifth journées de la recherche cunicoles en France, 12–13 12 Paris, vol. 2, pp. 56·1–56·11. ITAVI publishers, Paris.Google Scholar
Marounek, M., Vovk, S. J. and Skrivanova, V. 1995. Distribution of activity of hydrolytic enzymes in the digestive tract of rabbits. British Journal of Nutrition 73: 463–469.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Research Council. 1996. Guide for the care and use of laboratory animals. Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, Commission on Life Sciences, National Academy Press, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Padilha, M. T. S., Licois, D. and Coudert, P. 1996. Frequency of the carriage and enumeration of Escherichia coli in caecal content of 15 to 49-day-old rabbits. Proceedings of the sixth world rabbit congress, 9–12 07, Toulouse. (ed. Lebas, F.), vol. 3, pp. 99–102. AFC publ., France.Google Scholar
Padilha, M. T. S., Licois, D., Gidenne, T. and Carré, B. 1999. Caecal microflora and fermentation pattern in exclusively milk-fed young rabbits. Reproduction, Nutrition, Development 39: 223–230.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Padilha, M. T. S., Licois, D., Gidenne, T., Carré, B. and Fonty, G. 1995. Relationships between microflora and caecal fermentation in rabbits before and after weaning. Reproduction, Nutrition, Development 35: 375–386.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parigi Bini, R. and Xiccato, G. 1998. Energy metabolism and requirements. In The nutrition of the rabbit (ed. de Blas, C. and Wiseman, J.), pp. 103–131. CABI Publishing, Wallingford.Google Scholar
Peeters, J. E., Maertens, L., Orsenigo, R. and Colin, M. 1995. Influence of dietary beet pulp on caecal VFA, experimental colibacillosis and iota-enterotoxaemia in rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology 51: 123–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peeters, J. E., Orsenigo, R., Maertens, L., Gallanzzi, D. and Colin, M. 1993. Influence of two iso-energetic diets (starch vs fat) on experimental collibacillosis (EPEC) and iota-enterotoxemia in early weaned rabbits. World Rabbit Science 1: 53–66.Google Scholar
Perez, J. M., Gidenne, T., Bouvarel, I., Arveux, P., Bourdillon, A., Briens, C., Le Naour, J., Messager, B. and Mirabito, L. 1996. Dietary cellulose for the growing rabbit. II Consequences on performances and mortality. Annales de Zootechnie 45: 299–309.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perez, J. M., Gidenne, T., Lebas, F., Caudron, I., Arveux, P., Bourdillon, A., Duperray, J. and Messager, B. 1994. Dietary lignins in growing rabbits. 2. Consequences on growth performances and mortality. Annales de Zootechnie 43: 323–332.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reynaud, A., Federighi, M., Licois, D., Guillot, J. F. and Joly, B. 1991. R plasmid in Escherichia coli O103 coding for colonization of the rabbit intestinal tract. Infection and Immunity 59: 1888–1892.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 2002. SAS OnlineDoc, release 8. 01 for SunOs. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Van Soest, P. J., Robertson, J. B. and Lewis, B. A. 1991. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and non starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74: 3583–3597.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Verdow, H., Echteld, C. J. A. van and Dekkers, E. M. J. 1977. Ammonia determination based on indophenol formation with sodium salicylate. Water Research 12: 399–402.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weatherburn, M. W. 1967. Phenol-hypochlorite reaction for determination of ammonia. Analytical Chemistry 39: 971–974.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, A. G., Withers, S. E. and Strachan, N. H. 1989. Postprandial variations in the activity of polysaccharide degrading enzymes in microbial populations from the digesta solids and liquor fractions of rumen contents. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 66: 15–26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed