Project Number: 3625-31000-002-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Jul 31, 2002
End Date: Jul 30, 2007

Objective:
Manipulate dietary ingredients to improve nutrient utilization and reduce nutrient excretion and the production of volatile organic compounds. Define microbial populations and modify in situ microflora in the pig gastrointestinal tract to reduce the formation of volatile organic compounds. Determine the impact of endogenous factors within the gastrointestinal tract on shifting microbial populations toward beneficial gastrointestinal microbes. Reduce the gastrointestinal production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) through dietary reduction of key bacterial substrates that contribute significantly to excess excretion SCFA in swine, and identify metabolic inhibitors that specifically target the activity of SCFA-producing bacteria.

Approach:
First, factors improving nitrogen utilization will be evaluated on their ability to improve nitrogen retention in the animal and reduce the loss of nitrogen into environment; second, a baseline knowledge of viable and not-viable microorganisms that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract will be assessed followed by subsequent modification to reduce the production of malodorous compounds; third, endogenous compounds released into the gastrointestinal tract will be isolated and characterized as to their ability to modify gastrointestinal microbial activity; and fourth, methodology correlating odor perception to chemical compounds and the microbes producing these compounds will be developed.

Project Team

Kerr, Brian Crouse, John Hatfield, Jerry Trabue, Steven

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003

Related National Programs

Food Animal Production (101)   Manure and Byproduct Utilization (206)

Related Projects

Utilization of Crystalline Amino Acids    Coordination of Research and Technology Transfer Activities in Swine Production and Environmental Quality Research