Newborn piglets need to ingest colostrum for their survival.


immune systems of the sows to recognise the antigens, and respond to them by producing antibodies, which can then be transferred to piglets via the colostrum. Vaccinations are giv- en to first-time mothers in order to acclimatise the sows to the bio-system of the farm. This acclimatisation continues with further vaccinations during the period of gestation, with the goal of stimulating the generation of antibodies that will be passed on to the newborns through the colostrum.


Sow vaccination provides protection Whilst E. coli is the main problem encountered on farms with reproductive sows, this is not the only pathogen which piglets must be protected from. The main vaccination programmes depend on the type of pathogen and the capacity of the anti- body generated to reach the target tissue of the piglet, where the pathogen is active (see box). Therefore, depending on the situation, sows may require a double or even a triple vaccina- tion, and the piglets will also need to be vaccinated, even though there may be relative competition (the so-called ‘in- ference by the mother’s immunity’) between maternal pas- sive immunity and that generated by the piglet itself. The immunity generated by the newborn piglet may be par- tially inhibited by the presence of maternal antibodies from


30 ▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 35, No. 6, 2019


the colostrum, or it may only develop later, or its develop- ment may be altered. This situation creates a dilemma for vet- erinarians: how far should they go with colostrum protection? Precisely because of this dilemma, the evaluation of the se- rum content of antibodies in the early life of piglets, along with an estimation of the rate at which these antibodies dis- appear, can help correctly identify the most appropriate mo- ment for the first vaccination. However, the ultimate objec- tive is clear: increasing the number of plasma antibodies in the sow’s blood and transmitting them to the colostrum is vi- tal. The level of antibodies in the piglet is proportionate to the level in the colostrum, and the survival of the piglet is directly related to it. This is the only way to maximise the protection of the animal when it is exposed to pathogens.


Boosting the immune system Recent publications have identified dietary ingredients that can modulate the immune system to reveal a new nutritional approach to enhance the generation of antibodies in gestat- ing sows and to boost vaccination programmes. Numerous published studies have highlighted the benefits of low-dose phytonutrient supplementation to modulate the immune system in several different animal species. Among


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