ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE April 2023 49 • (3) Proof that inflammation originating from the blood vessels is present before birth. Studies (that control against biting and mechanical irritation) have shown piglets can still develop SINS Currently, SINS is believed to be caused by a combination of factors, with one endogenous factor expected to be exposure to endotoxins. Normally present in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of swine, endotoxins are toxic substances found in the cell walls of gram-negative bacteria (Figure 1). Gram-negative bacteria are part of the normal gastrointestinal microbiota of healthy animals, however, under certain stress conditions or production phases (change of diets) their presence in the gastrointestinal tract is increased. With a higher concentration of gram-negative bacteria, there is an increase in the presence of endotoxins (also known as lipopolysaccharides or LPS) released into the body when the bacteria die or the cell walls are damaged. Mycotoxins (DON and similar substances) disintegrate the tight junctions of the blood–intestinal barrier and can increase LPS uptake in pigs. STRUCTURE OF AN ENDOTOXIN One theory is that exposure to high levels of endotoxins can cause inflammation and damage to the organs of the pig's body, leading to the symptoms Figure 1: Typical endotoxin structure. Lipid A is embedded in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria AllAboutToxins.com Because healthy and performing animals require toxin-free feed The specialists at Agrimprove are dedicated to supporting healthy and performing animals. One of our beliefs is that understanding toxins is the first step to protecting against them. Visit AllAboutToxins.com now!
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