Massacci Francesca Romana, Berri Mustapha, Lemonnier Gaetan, Guettier Elodie, Blanc Fany, Jardet Deborah, Rossignol Marie Noelle, Mercat Marie-José, Doré Joël, Lepage Patricia, Rogel-Gaillard Claire, Estellé Jordi
GABI, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Anim Microbiome. 2020 Jan 16;2(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s42523-020-0020-4.
In pig production systems, weaning is a crucial period characterized by nutritional, environmental, and social stresses. Piglets transition from a milk-based diet to a solid, more complex plant-based diet, and their gut physiology must adapt accordingly. It is well established that piglets weaned later display improved health, better wean-to-finish growth performance, and lower mortality rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of weaning age on fecal microbiota diversity and composition in piglets. Forty-eight Large White piglets were divided into 4 groups of 12 animals that were weaned at different ages: 14 days (early weaning), 21 days (a common weaning age in intensive pig farming), 28 days (idem), and 42 days (late weaning). Microbiota composition was assessed in each group by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene using fecal samples taken on the day of weaning, 7 days later, and at 60 days of age.
In each group, there were significant differences in fecal microbiota composition before and after weaning (p < 0.05), confirming that weaning can drastically change the gut microbiota. Microbiota diversity was positively correlated with weaning age: microbial alpha diversity and richness were higher in piglets weaned at 42 days of age both on the day of weaning and 7 days later. The abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was also higher in piglets weaned at 42 days of age.
Overall, these results show that late weaning increased gut microbiota diversity and the abundance of F. prausnitzii, a microorganism with positive effects in humans. Piglets might thus derive a competitive advantage from later weaning because they have more time to accumulate a higher diversity of potentially beneficial microbes prior to the stressful and risky weaning period.
在养猪生产系统中，断奶是一个关键时期，其特点是存在营养、环境和社会压力。仔猪从以奶为基础的饮食过渡到固体的、更复杂的植物性饮食，其肠道生理必须相应地适应。众所周知，断奶较晚的仔猪健康状况更好，断奶至育肥阶段的生长性能更佳，死亡率更低。本研究的目的是评估断奶年龄对仔猪粪便微生物群多样性和组成的影响。48头大白仔猪被分为4组，每组12头，在不同年龄断奶：14天（早期断奶）、21天（集约化养猪中的常见断奶年龄）、28天（同上）和42天（晚期断奶）。在断奶当天、7天后和60日龄时采集粪便样本，通过对16S rRNA基因进行测序，评估每组的微生物群组成。
在每组中，断奶前后粪便微生物群组成存在显著差异（p < 0.05），证实断奶可极大地改变肠道微生物群。微生物群多样性与断奶年龄呈正相关：在断奶当天和7天后，42日龄断奶的仔猪微生物α多样性和丰富度更高。42日龄断奶的仔猪中普拉梭菌操作分类单元（OTU）的丰度也更高。
总体而言，这些结果表明晚期断奶增加了肠道微生物群多样性以及普拉梭菌的丰度，普拉梭菌是一种对人类有积极作用的微生物。因此，仔猪可能从晚期断奶中获得竞争优势，因为它们在压力大且有风险的断奶期之前有更多时间积累更高多样性的潜在有益微生物。
