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Within the main causes of morbidity found in piglets, there are intestinal infections. Studies have not explored approaches for combining pre-weaning and post-weaning nutritional strategies to sustain optimal gut health. The current study thus sought to explore the effects of early-life nutrition interventions through administration of synthetic milk on growth performance and gut health in piglets from 3 to 30 days of age. Twelve sows were randomly allocated to control group (CON) and early-life nutrition interventions group (ENI). Piglets were fed with the same creep diet from 7 days of age ad libitum. Piglets in the ENI group were provided with additional synthetic milk from day 3 to day 30.
The results showed that early-life nutrition interventions improved growth performance, liver weight, spleen weight, and reduced diarrhoea rate of piglets after weaning. In the ENI group, significantly upregulated expression of ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin4, GALNT1, B3GNT6, and MUC2 in colonic mucosa at mRNA level were found. The activity of alkaline phosphatase in serum and the content of lipopolysaccharides in plasma were reduced with supplemental diet. The number of goblet cells and crypt depth of colon of piglets was significantly higher in piglets in the ENI group relative to that of piglets in the CON group. The relative mRNA expression levels of MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8, and the protein expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 in colonic mucosa of piglets in the ENI group were lower compared with those of piglets in the CON group.
In summary, the findings of this study showed that early-life nutrition interventions improved growth performance, colonic barrier, and reduced inflammation in the colon by modulating composition of gut microbiota in piglets.
Luo C, Xia B, Zhong R, Shen D, Li J, Chen L, Zhang H. Early-Life Nutrition Interventions Improved Growth Performance and Intestinal Health via the Gut Microbiota in Piglets. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2021; 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.783688
