PROTECTED BUTYRATE AND LOW CRUDE PROTEIN DIETS IMPROVE GUT HEALTH IN PIGLETS

In the last XII Workshop of the Spanish Society of Microbiota, Probiotics and Prebiotics virtually celebrated in September 2021, Sadurní et al. presented a work exploring alternative strategies to maintain and improve the gut health in weaned piglets.

In this sense, it is well known that the reduction of dietary crude protein (CP) levels is associated with the limited bacteria proliferation implicated in the post-weaning diarrhoea. Besides that, the use of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (DICOSAN+) as feed-additive for pigs’ diets could also modulate the gut microbiota and promote the intestinal development. The specific aim of the present study was to evaluate these two nutritional strategies as potential antibiotic-alternatives.

A total of 96 piglets of 21 days were distributed into 32 pens in a 2×2 design: two CP levels (18.8 vs. 22.2 % CP) and with or without DICOSAN+ (1 kg/T). Performance parameters and faecal consistency were monitored during the 14 days of the experiment. At the end of the trial, one animal/pen was euthanized and digestive tissues and content were collected. Pigs fed the 22.2% CP diet had greater weight gains and gain: feed ratio (P<0.05). However, the 18.8% CP diet was able to improve faecal consistency (P<0.001) along the study.

Regarding gut microbiota, Lactobacillus counts were increased in the ileum meanwhile it was decreased in the colon by the low CP diet. Conversely, the DICOSAN+ supplementation was able to modulate colonic microbiota increasing Lactobacillus and decreasing enterobacteria and coliforms (P<0.05). Furthermore, intestinal fermentation products were modified by DICOSAN+ in the colon. Regarding to histomorphometrical measurements, DICOSAN+ increased the counts of goblet cells in the ileum.

Results shown the potential of low CP level and DICOSAN+ as nutritional strategies to modulate the gut microbiota and promote a better gut health status of weaned piglets.