Pig Nutrition, Intestinal Health, and Performance

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases in Veterinary Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 May 2022) | Viewed by 10636

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine-U.017, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
Interests: pig; intestinal development; gene expression; low birth weight; translational medicine; animal model

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The importance of the pork industry from an economic point of view is remarkable. Although successful, this sector is not exempt from challenges related to production performance, pig health, environmental impact, and ethical concerns. Advances in pig nutrition could help producers to overcome these challenges. Nutrition can be used as a tool to improve pig performance and health, balance litter heterogeneity-related problems, or increase animal welfare (by, for example, reducing mortality).

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish high-quality manuscripts on the current state of the art concerning the role of nutrition in intestinal development and health, microbiota, and pig performance. This Special Issue welcomes reviews or original research studies on:

  • Nutrient requirements;
  • Nutritional tools to reduce waste and environmental impact;
  • Dietary strategies to improve (intestinal) health in a microbiome-dependent or independent manner and their application in the reduction of antibiotic use;
  • The impact of perinatal and preweaning nutrition and health on pig mortality and performance.

Submissions with a biomedical approach addressing the use of pigs as a model for human intestinal health are also welcome.

Dr. Miriam Ayuso
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pig
  • weaning pig
  • pig nutrition
  • perinatal nutrition
  • performance
  • intestinal development
  • intestinal health

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 1366 KiB  
Article
Alterations in Essential Fatty Acids, Immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM), and Enteric Methane Emission in Primiparous Sows Fed Hemp Seed Oil and Their Offspring Response
by Mihaela Hăbeanu, Nicoleta Aurelia Lefter, Anca Gheorghe, Mariana Ropota, Smaranda Mariana Toma, Gina Cecilia Pistol, Ioan Surdu and Mihaela Dumitru
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(7), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9070352 - 11 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1731
Abstract
This study shows the effects of dietary hemp seed oil on the milk composition, blood immunoglobulins (Ig), and enteric methane (E-CH4) production of primiparous sows, and their offspring’s response at three time points. A bifactorial experiment was conducted for 21 days [...] Read more.
This study shows the effects of dietary hemp seed oil on the milk composition, blood immunoglobulins (Ig), and enteric methane (E-CH4) production of primiparous sows, and their offspring’s response at three time points. A bifactorial experiment was conducted for 21 days (d) on 18 primiparous sows (195 ± 3 days old). The sows were fed two diets: (i) a control diet (SO) based on soybean oil (1.6%), with an 18.82 n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ratio; (ii) an experimental diet (HO) based on hemp seed oil (1.6%), with a 9.14 n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio. The milk contained an elevated level of linoleic acids (LA), n-3 FA, and especially alpha-linolenic acids (ALA), while the n-6:n-3 ratio declined using hemp oil. The Ig concentration was higher in colostrum than in milk. In the first few hours, the IgG in the plasma of piglets was more than double that of maternal plasma IgG (+2.39 times). A period effect (p < 0.0001) for IgG concentration in the plasma of piglets was recorded (40% at 10 d, respectively 73% lower at 21 d than 12 h after parturition). However, the sow diet did not affect Ig (p > 0.05). The frequency of diarrhoea declined after about 7 d. The value of the rate of diarrhoea was 6.2% lower in the PHO group. We found a 4.5% decline in E-CH4 in the HO group. Applying multiple linear regression, feed intake, n-6:n-3 ratio, ALA, and lean meat were potential indicators in estimating E-CH4. In conclusion, sow dietary hemp seed oil increased lean meat %, milk EFA, and milk IgM. Significant changes in the other dependent variables of interest (body weight, plasma Igs in sows and offspring, E-CH4 production) were not recorded. There was reduced diarrhoea which shows that EFA could play a therapeutic role in the incidence of diarrhoea and in lowering of E-CH4 emission in sows and progeny. All dependent variables were significantly altered at different time points, except for fat concentration in milk and sow plasma IgG. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pig Nutrition, Intestinal Health, and Performance)
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9 pages, 556 KiB  
Article
Sucrose Inclusion in Gestating and Lactating Diets of Sows Modifies the Feeding Behavior of Post-Weaning Pigs for Sweet Solutions
by Jaime Figueroa, Carolina Valenzuela and Sergio A. Guzmán-Pino
Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(5), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9050233 - 11 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2535
Abstract
Pigs display an innate preference for sweet taste compounds such as sucrose. However, the influence of sucrose supplementation into maternal diets has not been examined in pigs. We tested the hypothesis that sucrose inclusion into sows’ diets would modify the feeding behavior of [...] Read more.
Pigs display an innate preference for sweet taste compounds such as sucrose. However, the influence of sucrose supplementation into maternal diets has not been examined in pigs. We tested the hypothesis that sucrose inclusion into sows’ diets would modify the feeding behavior of post-weaning pigs for sweet and umami solutions. Twenty-two sows (85 days of gestation) were used. They randomly received a gestational and lactating diet with or without 50 g/kg of sucrose. Different sucrose and monosodium glutamate solutions were offered to the progeny to analyze different intake behavior measurements during nursery. Pigs born from treated sows presented a higher sucrose threshold than control animals (15 mM vs. 0.1 mM, p = 0.032) and displayed decreased sensory-motivated intake for this disaccharide (p < 0.023). Sucrose consumption decreased (p < 0.021) in pigs born from treated sows, as well as the consumption patterns for the less concentrated solutions (p < 0.014). The inclusion of sucrose into maternal diets (gestation and lactation) could modified pigs’ feeding behavior after weaning when offered sweet solutions, which speaks against the practicality of this supplementation in pig production systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pig Nutrition, Intestinal Health, and Performance)
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14 pages, 612 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Maternal and Piglet Low Protein Diet and Their Interaction on the Porcine Liver Transcriptome around the Time of Weaning
by Kikianne Kroeske, Ester Arévalo Sureda, Julie Uerlings, Dieter Deforce, Filip Van Nieuwerburgh, Marc Heyndrickx, Sam Millet, Nadia Everaert and Martine Schroyen
Vet. Sci. 2021, 8(10), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci8100233 - 14 Oct 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2782
Abstract
Maternal diet during early gestation affects offspring phenotype, but it is unclear whether maternal diet during late gestation influences piglet metabolism. We evaluated the impact of two dietary protein levels in sow late gestation diet and piglet nursery diet on piglet metabolism. Diets [...] Read more.
Maternal diet during early gestation affects offspring phenotype, but it is unclear whether maternal diet during late gestation influences piglet metabolism. We evaluated the impact of two dietary protein levels in sow late gestation diet and piglet nursery diet on piglet metabolism. Diets met or exceeded the crude protein and amino acid requirements. Sows received either 12% (Lower, L) or 17% (Higher, H) crude protein (CP) during the last five weeks of gestation, and piglets received 16.5% (L) or 21% (H) CP from weaning at age 3.5 weeks. This resulted in a 2 × 2 factorial design with four sow/piglet diet treatment groups: HH and LL (match), HL and LH (mismatch). Piglet hepatic tissues were sampled and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were determined by RNA sequencing. At age 4.5 weeks, 25 genes were downregulated and 22 genes were upregulated in the mismatch compared to match groups. Several genes involved in catabolic pathways were upregulated in the mismatch compared to match groups, as were genes involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation. The results show a distinct interaction effect between maternal and nursery diets, implying that sow late gestation diet could be used to optimize piglet metabolism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pig Nutrition, Intestinal Health, and Performance)
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8 pages, 512 KiB  
Article
Pre-Weaning Inulin Supplementation Alters the Ileal Transcriptome in Pigs Regarding Lipid Metabolism
by Martine Schroyen, Bing Li, Ester Arévalo Sureda, Yuping Zhang, Julie Leblois, Dieter Deforce, Filip Van Nieuwerburgh, José Wavreille and Nadia Everaert
Vet. Sci. 2021, 8(10), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci8100207 - 24 Sep 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2670
Abstract
Prebiotics, such as inulin, are non-digestible compounds that stimulate the growth of beneficial microbiota, which results in improved gut and overall health. In this study, we were interested to see if, and how, the ileal transcriptome altered after inulin administration in the pre-weaning [...] Read more.
Prebiotics, such as inulin, are non-digestible compounds that stimulate the growth of beneficial microbiota, which results in improved gut and overall health. In this study, we were interested to see if, and how, the ileal transcriptome altered after inulin administration in the pre-weaning period in pigs. Seventy-two Piétrain–Landrace newborn piglets were divided into three groups: (a) a control (CON) group (n = 24), (b) an inulin (IN)-0.5 group (n = 24), and (c) an IN-0.75 group (n = 24). Inulin was provided as a solution and administered twice a day. At week 4, eight piglets per group, those closest to the average in body weight, were sacrificed, and ileal scrapings were collected and analyzed using 3′ mRNA massively parallel sequencing. Only minor differences were found, and three genes were differentially expressed between the CON and IN-0.5 group, at an FDR of 10%. All three genes were downregulated in the IN-0.5 group. When comparing the CON group with the IN-0.75 group, five genes were downregulated in the IN-0.75 group, including the three genes seen earlier as differentially expressed between CON and IN-0.5. No genes were found to be differential expressed between IN-0.5 and IN-0.75. Validation of a selection of these genes was done using qRT-PCR. Among the downregulated genes were Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4), Aquaporin 7 (AQP7), and Apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1). Thus, although only a few genes were found to be differentially expressed, several of them were involved in lipid metabolism, belonging to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway and known to promote lipolysis. We, therefore, conclude that these lipid metabolism genes expressed in the ileum may play an important role when supplementing piglets with inulin early in life, before weaning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pig Nutrition, Intestinal Health, and Performance)
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