Changes in a Comprehensive Profile of Saliva Analytes in Fattening Pigs during a Complete Productive Cycle: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

A comprehensive panel of 29 salivary analytes was measured in fattening pigs to evaluate its possible changes along their productive cycle. The identification of those changes would allow a better interpretation of the results according to the productive phase of the animal. Saliva samples were obtained from 49 Large-White pigs (24 females, 25 males) in suckling phase, at the beginning and the end of the nursery phase, and at the beginning and the end of the growing phase. Several analytes changed according to the phase of the productive cycle, with most of the analytes showing higher values at lactation and at the beginning of nursery. Additionally, differences were seen due to sex. When possible relations between performance parameters and analytes were evaluated, significant positive but weak relationships were found between weight at birth and salivary γ-glutamyl transferase, and between back-fat thickness and salivary lactate dehydrogenase. In conclusion, differences in the values of salivary analytes can be found in fattening pigs depending on the productive phase and sex of the animals.

Evaluation of the Effect of Sampling Time on Biomarkers of Stress, Immune System, Redox Status and Other Biochemistry Analytes in Saliva of Finishing Pigs

“…The temperature of the pens at these sampling time-points varied from 19 °C in the morning to 24 °C at midday. Saliva was collected using Salivette tubes (Salivette, Sarstedt, Aktiengesellschaft & Co, Nümbrecht, Germany) as reported previously [ 6 ]. Pigs were allowed to chew a sponge attached to a flexible thin metal rod for 1 min.…”

“…In pigs, a comprehensive panel of analytes including biomarkers of stress, inflammation, immune system, redox status and other analytes related to different physiological aspects and various tissues and organs, such as hepatic and muscle integrity, can currently be measured in this fluid [ 2 ]. This is included under the concept of sialochemistry [ 3 , 4 ] which has previously been applied to evaluate changes in analytes during pregnancy, farrowing, lactation [ 5 ] and fattening [ 6 ] in pigs and also in other species such as horses and cows [ 7 , 8 ].…”

Salivary and serum haptoglobin, adenosine deaminase, and immunoglobulin G in growing pigs

“…Previous pig studies conducted under commercial conditions have reported similar decreasing trends regarding salivary Hp between 4 and 10 weeks of age [ 20 ], between 11 and 17 weeks of age [ 20 ], and recently for salivary Hp and ADA from birth until the finishing stage among clinically healthy pigs [ 21 ]. The authors suggested that the growth of the pigs and changes in their feeding could influence the concentrations of biomarkers [ 21 ].…”

“…We observed that gender had an influence on the concentrations of some biomarkers. Previous studies [ 21 , 26 , 27 ] have demonstrated that gender has an impact on porcine salivary Hp and ADA dynamics. Sánchez et al [ 26 ] reported a decreasing concentration of salivary Hp and ADA in intact male pigs from post-weaning to the finishing stage, while the opposite trend was observed for female pigs.…”

Trace Elements and Ferritin in Pig Saliva: Variations during Fattening, Time of Sampling, Effect of Dirtiness and Stability under Different Storage Conditions

“…This was made in surplus samples from Large White pigs (24 males and 21 females) from 5 litters (average litter size of 10.0 ± 0.7) from a previous experiment [ 23 ]. Sampling was performed in the sucking phase at 24 days of life (T1); in the nursery phase one week after weaning (T2); at the end of nursery (T3); at the beginning of the growing-finishing phase after one week for acclimatization (T4); and at the end of the phase (T5).…”