July 2025 - Journal FINAL - Flipbook - Page 10
Research
Escherichia coli
GENOTYPE STUDY
Francisco Cabezon Alvarado
Vice President of Research
Pipestone Research
Francisco Cabezon, originally from Rancagua, Chile, earned his Animal
Science degree from the Catholic University of Chile in 2011 and a Ph.D.
in Swine Production from Purdue University in 2017. He joined the team
at Pipestone in 2021 and now serves as Vice President of Pipestone
Research, leading innovation to support farmer success.
Roy Edler
Biostatistician
Pipestone Research
Roy Edler is a Biostatistician at Pipestone, where he applies his expertise
in data and analysis to support farmers in making informed, evidencebased decisions. From Northeast Iowa, Roy developed a strong passion
for farming and livestock production. He went on to earn his M.S.
degree from Iowa State University in 2000 and joined Pipestone in 2017.
Todd Williams, DVM
Veterinarian
Pipestone Research
Dr. Todd Williams earned his DVM from Iowa State University
and completed the Executive Veterinary Program in Swine Health
Management at the University of Illinois in 2009. He joined Pipestone
in 2013, and today works with Pipestone Research to drive innovation,
support swine health, and help farmers improve on-farm practices.
F18 Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a Gram-negative
bacterium and the leading cause of post-weaning
diarrhea in nursery pigs. When pigs become infected,
they often show reduced growth, and mortality rates
can rise signi昀椀cantly—from a baseline of 2%–7% to as
high as 30% during severe outbreaks.
using a standardized challenge model. A total of 180
pigs were selected based off of their genotype.
E. coli bacteria have hair-like structures on their
surface called 昀椀mbriae or pili. These structures help
the bacteria attach to cells in the pig’s intestines. This
attachment is a crucial 昀椀rst step in colonizing the gut
and causing disease. It occurs when the 昀椀mbriae bind
to speci昀椀c receptors on the surface of intestinal cells.
Genetic screening, led by Dr. Todd Williams across four
farms, found that 76.5% of sows carried susceptible
genotypes. This high level of susceptibility underscores
the importance—and potential—of genetic selection as
a long-term strategy to reduce E. coli-related losses.
A pig’s resistance to F18 E. coli infection is
in昀氀uenced by genetics—speci昀椀cally, variations in the
fucosyltransferase gene (FUT1). This gene controls
whether the intestinal receptors that E. coli targets are
present or not.
• Pigs with the homozygous resistant genotype
(AA) do not produce these receptors. As a result,
E. coli cannot attach, making these pigs resistant
to infection.
• Pigs with heterozygous susceptible (AG) or
homozygous susceptible (GG) genotypes do
produce the receptors, which makes them
vulnerable to bacterial colonization and disease.
The goal of this study was to examine how different
FUT1 genotypes affect susceptibility to F18 E. coli,
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The results were clear: pigs with the resistant (AA)
genotype had signi昀椀cantly better survival rates and
showed stronger growth compared to those with
susceptible genotypes.
At the same time, Pipestone Research, Pipestone
Veterinary Services, and Pipestone Nutrition are actively
exploring additional ways to manage the impact of E.
coli. These include the use of antimicrobials, vaccines,
probiotics, and dietary supplements as part of a
broader approach to protecting post-weaned pigs.
