Publikationsdatenbank

Dietary fiber and weaning modulate gut microbiota in piglets (2025)

Art

Vortrag

Autoren

Grześkowiak, Łukasz (WE 4)

Ghazisaeedi, Fereshteh (WE 7)

Saliu, Eva-Maria (WE 4)

Schulze Holthausen, Johannes (WE 4)

Martínez‑Vallespín, Beatriz (WE 4)

Fulde, Marcus (WE 7)

Vahjen, Wilfried (WE 4)

Zentek, Jürgen (WE 4)

Kongress

29th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary & Comparative Nutrition ESVCN

Leipzig, 04. – 06.09.2025

Quelle

Proceedings of the 29th Congress of the European Society of Veterinary & Comparative Nutrition ESVCN : 4th – 6th September 2025 Leipzig, Germany — Wilkens MR, Vervuert I, Heilmann R, Dobenecker B, Rackwitz R (eds.) (Hrsg.)

Leipzig: Müller Buchbinderei GmbH, 2025. LBH: Leipziger Blaue Hefte — S. 152

Sprache

Englisch

Kontakt

Institut für Tierernährung

Königin-Luise-Str. 49
14195 Berlin
+49 30 838 52256
tierernaehrung@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Introduction: Nutritional strategies are essential for supporting intestinal health in pigs. The fermentability of dietary fiber can shape gut microbiota diversity and activity in pigs. Weaning age is also a key factor in piglet health. Its timing can influence intestinal microbial composition [1]. The hypothesis of this study is that the source of dietary fiber in sow and offspring diets, along with weaning age, influences gut microbiota in piglets.
Animals, materials and methods: Sows received balanced, isocaloric, and isonitrogenous experimental diets containing 10% either hay (n=10) or sugar beet pulp (SBP) (n=11) during gestation and lactation. Their offspring were weaned at 28 days (conventional weaning, CW) or 42 days (late weaning, LW) and were offered starter diets containing the same fiber sources as their dams. The piglets were euthanized two weeks later. Their colon digesta was collected for DNA extraction, 16S rDNA sequencing, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) analysis using gas chromatography. Sequences were analyzed using Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe), and SCFA data were processed with SPSS v.29. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.05.
Results and discussion: LEfSe analysis showed that Bulleidia was more abundant in piglets fed hay, while Prevotella was more prevalent in SBP-fed piglets. Akkermansia, Faecousia, and Blautia dominated the gut microbiota of CW piglets, whereas Clostridium, Streptococcus, Megasphaera, and Terrisporobacter were more abundant in LW piglets. In the animals weaned later (LW), acetate, n-butyrate, and total SCFA levels were higher in piglets fed SBP compared to those fed hay (p≤0.05). In the animals fed hay, n-butyrate and n-valerate levels were higher in LW piglets than in CW piglets (p≤0.05). Total SCFA levels, including acetate, propionate, n-butyrate, and n-valerate, were significantly higher in LW piglets fed SBP compared to those fed hay (p≤0.05). A higher abundance of fiber-degrading bacteria and increased concentrations of n-butyrate and total SCFA in LW and SBP-fed piglets may be beneficial for gut health and overall piglet development [1].
Conclusions: Diets rich in fermentable fiber for sows and piglets, along with delayed weaning, significantly influences piglet gut microbiota and metabolic activity. These results emphasize the crucial impact of the sow-offspring relationship, nutrition, and weaning on the gut health and development of offspring.