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Capsules improve the intestinal health of pigs

Stomach ulcers, ear necrosis and clostridium are among the diseases that can arise on pig farms. Good intestinal health can help prevent these diseases in pigs. Researchers of Wageningen University & Research are testing two types of capsules that are used to measure the intestinal health of pigs. These could warn farmers that they need to change the diet of their animals, for example.

The intestines are the largest of the pig’s organs. Almost one and a half kilogrammes of bacteria, viruses, fungi and yeasts in the intestines – the so-called microbiome – determine how healthy or sick an animal is. “Good intestinal health is crucial for strong resistance and efficient growth. In addition, good intestinal health has a positive effect on an animal’s mental well-being,” says researcher Guillermo Amador. “We are testing two existing capsules to measure the intestinal health of pigs. One of these capsules was originally developed for human use, the other for use in animals. The capsules will soon help livestock farmers to monitor the intestinal health of their animals and prevent diseases in this way.”

Both capsules are administered orally. The pigs swallow the capsules, which then pass through the intestines and are ejected with the faeces. One of the capsules (developed by the OnePlanet Research Centre) contains built-in sensors that measure inflammation levels, nutrient absorption and microbiota activity, for example. The data are passed on to a computer via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The other capsule (developed by DuPont) functions like a sponge which takes a sample of the small intestine. Researchers can determine the composition of the microbiome in different parts of the intestinal tract based on this sample.

Pig farmers will soon be able to easily monitor the intestinal health of their animals. If necessary, they can then adjust the nutrients in the feed.

Guillermo Amador

Remote monitoring of intestinal health

According to Amador, pig farmers will soon be able to easily monitor the intestinal health of their animals. If necessary, they can then adjust the nutrients in the feed, for example by adding enzymes. In addition, the farmer can detect an outbreak of, say, gastroenteritis (stomach flu) at an early stage and prevent it from spreading by removing the infected animals from the group.

Ultimately, the researchers want to develop a capsule that is suitable for various different animal species. The producers are already working on smaller capsules. “So, for example, poultry farmers will be able to use this technology in the future to improve the intestinal health of their chickens,” says Amador.

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Animal-friendly measurements

An important advantage of using capsules is that they are not very taxing on the animals. “If the measurements prove to be as accurate as traditional invasive techniques, such as taking blood, we can replace these traditional techniques with the more animal-friendly capsules,” says Amador.

Microbiome modelling

The research into the capsules is being carried out by researchers of the Animal Nutrition, Human-Microbe Interactomics and Experimental Zoology chair groups in Wageningen and is part of the Next Level Animal Sciences research programme. This research line of the programme is investigating various types of sensors.

“The sensors gather data that other researchers can use to model, that is describe, the microbiome,” says Amador. “This will give us a better idea of what the microbiome actually is and what effect animal diets have on it.”