ZnO Modulates Swine Gut Microbiota and Improves Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs When Combined with Peptide Cocktail

Abstract

Zinc has been very efficacious in reducing post-weaning diarrhea, whereas animal-derived peptides are suggested to improve the growth performance of weaned piglets. However, the combined effect of zinc and peptides on swine production and swine gut microbiota is still largely unknown. In this study, we followed 288 nursery pigs from the age of d30 to d60 to evaluate the growth performance and gut microbiota of weanling pigs subjected to different levels of a fish-porcine-microbial peptide cocktail (0.05%, 0.25%, and 0.5%) with or without the pharmaceutical level of zinc oxide (ZnO) (2500 ppm) supplementation in a nutrient-deficient diet. Rectal swab samples were collected from pigs with body weight (BW) approach average at each pen on d30, d42, and d60 to determine gut microbiota. Average daily gain (ADG) and BW in piglets fed high zinc (HZ) increased with increasing levels of peptide. The microbiota of the HZ group also diverged from those of the standard zinc (SZ) group from d30 to d60. Adding peptide did not alter community structure regardless of zinc supplementation. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that the pharmaceutical level of zinc as ZnO conditioned the gut community to the point where peptide could effectively restore growth performance in nursery pigs fed nutrient-deficient diets.

Dietary Organic Acids Modulate Gut Microbiota and Improve Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs

“…The intestinal microbiota assists the host in energy absorption, epithelium development, immune system enhancement, pathogen inhibition, and the fermentation of non-digestible foods to short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and other metabolites [41,42]. In the present study, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the two most predominant phyla in the piglet gut microbiota, which was consistent with our previous piglet studies [43][44][45][46]. Similarly, as in our previous reports, Prevotella and Lactobacillus were the abundant genera in the present study.…”

Effect of Lactylate and Bacillus subtilis on Growth Performance, Peripheral Blood Cell Profile, and Gut Microbiota of Nursery Pigs

“…Dietary intervention has become a very important focus within the swine industry to help minimize the detrimental effects of weaning [ 10 , 19 , 29 , 30 ]. The current study characterized the capabilities of probiotics and lactylates on growth performance, feed efficiency, peripheral blood cell counts, and gut microbiota changes during the nursery stage.…”

“…Dietary energy contributes to the greatest proportion of feed cost in the swine industry [ 9 , 10 ]. In addition to carbohydrates and fat from grain, dietary fat and oils are major energy sources.…”

Life-long dynamics of the swine gut microbiome and their implications in probiotics development and food safety

“…It has been reported that the swine gut microbiome correlated with feed efficiency, fat deposition, and growth performance. [6][7][8][9][10] Despite this progress toward understanding the swine gut microbiome, many important ecological questions are yet to be answered.…”