In vivo und in vitro investigations on the effect of endemic porcine intestinal yeast, Kazachstania slooffiae, on gut microbiota and performance of weaning piglets

• Applicant: Dr. Vladimir Urubschurov
• Subject Area: Animal Breeding, Animal Nutrition, Animal Husbandry ; Nutritional Sciences ; Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology
• Term: from 2012 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 232769261

Weaning can be regarded as one of the most critical periods in the life cycle of pigs and is often related with health disorders and high economic losses. The intestinal microbiota is thereby of crucial importance for the animal health. It was shown in preliminary tests the yeast Kazachstania slooffiae dominates the gut of piglets after intake of solid feed, whereas it is not clear yet its substrate spectrum. This yeast is of special interest, because it seems to interact positively with lactobacilli and negatively with enterobacteria, which offers a protective potential. The aim of the project is to examine whether the intestine of weaning piglets can be purposefully colonized with K. slooffiae and whether this yeast can influence porcine intestinal microbiota. In a 4 weeks experiment, health status, zootechnical parameters and the composition of intestinal microbiota, using 454 sequencing technology, are determined after oral application of K. slooffiae. This yeast will be comprehensively characterized by means of its whole genome and metabolites analyses. In vitro studies are performed to examine the ability of the yeast to ferment different substrates and thereby formed products will be examined.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants