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Managing sow gut health To raise piglets that are well equipped to cope with this challenging transition, parameters such as weaning age and weight can be adjusted. The
former can be managed with early attention to sow farrowing conditions in order to improve piglet vitality at birth and thus the colostrum intake. Modulation of the sow digestive microbiota is one of the drivers to help reduce the incidence of neonatal diarrhoea. At birth and during lactation, maternal microbial imprinting contributes to offspring microbiota establishment and exerts a long-lasting influence on animal health and performance, even after weaning. Supplementation of gestating and lactating sow diets with the well-documented probiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevi- siae boulardii CNCM I-1079 (Levucell SB) has been shown to ease the farrowing conditions and modulate the sow’s micro- bial profile, subsequently influencing piglet microbial profile and performance at weaning.
Ensuring early feed intake Before weaning, it is possible to stimulate solid feed intake and reduce anorexia consequences by offering creep feed to suckling piglets. Feed pres-
entation is important. It is important to pay attention to tech- nological aspects of feed that will optimise feed intake. For example, monitor criteria such as pellet diameter, hardness and particle size. After weaning, dietary ingredients should be considered with enhanced palatability properties, such as flavours and func- tional yeast proteins to help stimulate feed intake. For instance, a trial in post-weaning piglets has shown a 17% increased feed intake during the first week post-weaning with addition of a specific hydrolysed yeast in the diet (Yela Prosecure).
Offering quality nutrients When piglets start eating dry feed, nutrients arriv- ing in the immature intestinal environment are not absorbed in an optimal way. Some of those nutri-
ents reach the hindgut and undergo proteolytic fermentation. Feed formulations should target highly digestible nutrients for optimal absorption. Precision feeding practices should consider fibre profiles (in- soluble/soluble NSP), protein levels for balanced and highly digestible sources and mineral compounds that may increase the feed buffering capacity. Along with benefits to feed palatability, the use of functional yeast proteins with fast kinetic absorption can help limit the risk of proteolytic fermentation in the hindgut. For ex- ample, the hydrolysed yeast mentioned above represents a source of free amino acids and small peptides that are highly digestible and quickly assimilated in the upper part of the digestive tract.
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Focusing on gut microbiota balance Poor intake results in suboptimal levels of nutri- ents for normal intestinal development. Likewise, it translates into limited substrates for the en-
dogenous microbial populations and affects the microbial digestive composition. In turn, a reduction of beneficial bac- teria, resulting in substantial consequences for digestion, is generally observed. A team of researchers from the Université de Clermont Auvergne, France reported in 2017 a decrease in members from the Lactobacillus genus in the jejunum and ileum of piglets at two to three days after weaning. Lactobacillus are key players in carbohydrate degradation, contributing to the maintenance of the gut pH gradient and limiting the growth of other bacterial species. The French re- search team also reported that Clostridium species, Prevotella species and facultative anaerobic Proteobacteria, including Escherichia coli, were found in higher abundance in the gut microbiota of weanling pigs. The gut epithelium provides a barrier that is a first line of defence for the organism directly exposed to luminal envi- ronment and products. An impaired barrier, combined with the difficulty to reduce the pH in immature piglets, favours the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria able to cross it and activate some inflammatory responses. Gut health management at weaning should support a normal gut structure and microbiota composition while limiting inflammatory status. Finally, preventive action aimed at favouring a healthy in- testinal ecosystem with live yeast is synergistic to immune modulation and direct binding action against pathogen over- growth. Here, the association of synergistic inactivated yeast fractions Yang has shown benefits in weaning piglets.
Conclusion The post-weaning period is a critical phase of pig production. At weaning, piglets face several common digestive disorders affecting performance. A successful post-weaning phase should rely on a holistic approach combining good man- agement (biosecurity, hygiene, etc.) and precision feeding practices. Feeding functional ingredients that can help sup- port gut health is essential when targeting the reduction of antibiotic and ZnO use.
References available on request. ▶ PIG PROGRESS | Volume 38, No. 3, 2022 23
Microscopical image of a piglet gut sample
ILLUSTRATION: LALLEMAND
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