Effect of Supplementing Seaweed Extracts to Pigs until d35 Post-Weaning on Performance and Aspects of Intestinal Health

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of feeding laminarin (LAM) and fucoidan (FUC) enriched seaweed extracts up to d35 post-weaning on measures of animal performance, intestinal microbial and transcriptome profiles. 75 pigs were assigned to one of three groups: (1) basal diet; (2) basal diet + 250 ppm fucoidan; (3) basal diet + 300 ppm laminarin with 7 replicates per treatment group. Measures of performance were collected weekly and animals sacrificed on d35 post-weaning for the sampling of gastrointestinal tissue and digesta. Animal performance was similar between the basal group and the groups supplemented with FUC and LAM (p > 0.05). Pigs fed the basal diet had higher alpha diversity compared to both the LAM and FUC supplemented pigs (p < 0.05). Supplementation with LAM and FUC increased the production of butyric acid compared to basal fed pigs (p < 0.05). At genus level pigs fed the LAM supplemented diet had the greatest abundance of Faecalbacterium, Roseburia and the lowest Campylobacter of the three experimental treatments (p< 0.05). While neither extract had beneficial effects on animal performance, LAM supplementation had a positive influence on intestinal health through alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiome and increased butyrate production.

Influence of dietary Spirulina inclusion and lysozyme supplementation on the longissimus lumborum muscle proteome of newly weaned piglets

“…Indeed, diet is a major determinant of the gut microbiome composition [48], which has a major role on the health of the recently weaned piglet. This was recently demonstrated in piglets fed with seaweed extracts [49].…”

Quality Traits and Nutritional Value of Pork and Poultry Meat from Animals Fed with Seaweeds

“…Fucoidan, for example, has higher antioxidant capacity compared to laminarin due to the higher degree of sulphate groups and positive charge [ 68 ]. As such, they have been used as an alternative to antibiotics as growth promotors [ 69 , 70 ] and in meat-derived product formulations to enhance shelf-life [ 71 ]. Moroney et al [ 61 ] have demonstrated that the dietary inclusion of polysaccharides from Laminaria digitate —laminarin (500 mg/kg) and fucoidan (420 mg/kg)—decreased lipid oxidation in the longissimus dorsi muscle of pigs.…”

Pharmacological Applications and Action Mechanisms of Phytochemicals as Alternatives to Antibiotics in Pig Production

“…Laminarin supplementation elevates villus height in the duodenum and jejunum, improves performance, and prevents post-weaning intestinal dysfunction. Laminarin exerts a positive influence on intestinal health through alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiome ( 32 , 33 ). The results from research evaluating phytogenic additives as growth performance enhancers are variable ( 34 ).…”