The effects of a low dose OTA exposure on weanling piglet gut microbiota

Feed contamination is a major concern to the pig farming industry. There is a growing concern towards the harmful effects that mycotoxins and especially ochratoxin A have on the overall health and development of pigs.

However the deleterious effects on the gastro-intestinal microbiota has not been studied thoroughly, especially at a low dose exposure. The current study proposed to investigate the effect of a sub-chronic dose of OTA on some of the important bacterial populations colonizing the pig gut as well as assessing the impact on SCFA production. The changes induced in bacterial populations not only affect the immune system of the pig but also influence the development of the mycotoxicosis. This paper highlights the impact of 0.05mg/kg feed of OTA on the large intestine microbiota and on the SCFA production associated with it.