A Single Dose of Synbiotics and Vitamins at Birth Affects Piglet Microbiota before Weaning and Modifies Post-Weaning Performance

Abstract

Early-life microbial colonization is an important driver for the development and maturation of the gut. The present study aimed to determine whether a single-dose supplement given only at birth would improve piglet performance and modify their fecal microbiota during the suckling and post-weaning periods. At birth, piglets from eight litters received a supplement (SUP+) while piglets from six other litters received water (SUP−). All piglets were monitored until two weeks post-weaning, and fecal samples were collected on Day 16 of age and two weeks post-weaning (Day 39 ± 1). The supplementation resulted in an improvement of average daily gain during the whole experimental period, mainly due to a better growth and a reduction in the incidence of diarrhea in the post-weaning period. There were no differences in the abundance and diversity of the main taxa, although the supplementation increased the relative abundance of rare taxa, such as bacteria from the Saccharibacteria and Cyanobacteria phyla, and the Lentisphaeria class in the suckling period. In addition, at 16 days of age, SUP+ piglets had a more diverse core microbiota, with bacteria from the Lactobacillus genus being present in the core microbiota of SUP+ piglets and absent from SUP− piglets. Therefore, the enhanced growth performance and reduction in diarrhea seem to be related to changes in fecal microbiota during the suckling period rather than at two weeks post-weaning.

Swine enteric colibacillosis: Current treatment avenues and future directions

“…In last, synbiotics are defined as a mixture comprising live microorganisms (probiotics) and substrate(s) (prebiotics) selectively utilized by host microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host ( 79 ). According to Girard and colleagues, this combination improves the survival rate and favors the growth and activity of beneficial microorganisms in the gut of the piglets ( 51 ). Among the prebiotics and probiotics evaluated for the control of ETEC colonization in pigs, inulin and Lactobacillus plantarum are the ones that have been more systematically assessed, either individually or in combination (see Table 1 ).…”

Probiotics or synbiotics addition to sows’ diets alters colonic microbiome composition and metabolome profiles of offspring pigs

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that probiotics improved the reproductive performance of sows and the growth performance of neonatal piglets by improving intestinal microbiota ( Hayakawa et al, 2016 ). Moreover, synbiotics may stimulate the growth of beneficial microbiota, and enhance the production of beneficial bacterial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in sows, while decreasing the production of deleterious metabolites, such effects being possibly associated with improved growth performance and gut microbiota balance in piglets ( Śliżewska and Chlebicz, 2019 ; Girard et al, 2021 ). Furthermore, the effects of dietary probiotics and synbiotics may mainly target the cecum and colon of pigs, where an abundant and diverse microbial population is harbored ( Liao and Nyachoti, 2017 ).…”