July 14, 2010
Dutch researcher develops bacteria screen test for piglets
Odette Pérez Gutiérrez from Wageningen University in the Netherlands has developed a micro-array, the Pig Intestinal Tract (PIT) chip to quickly screen 600 types of bacteria from the piglet's gut.
The microbiota of piglets is strongly affected during weaning, the period in which the piglet is removed from the mother and is started on a solid diet. During this time, the number of bad Streptococcus increases, said Odette Pérez Gutiérrez.
Pérez Gutiérrez used the chip to determine the development of the bacteria pool in the gut of piglets, from three days before weaning till 15 days after weaning. She found large differences. The amount of healthy Lactobacillus bacteria reduces to a great extent, which aids the growth of unhealthy Streptococcus bacteria.
The PIT chip can be used to study the effect of feed additives on the gut flora of piglets. This in turn can provide important information that can be used to support the design of sustainable dietary strategies aiming at the replacement of antibiotics.
