Stanley James S, Mansbridge Stephen C, Bedford Michael R, Connerton Ian F, Mellits Kenneth H
Division of Microbiology, Brewing, and Biotechnology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK.
The National Institute of Poultry Husbandry, Harper Adams University, Newport TF10 8NB, UK.
Microorganisms. 2025 Jul 28;13(8):1760. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13081760.
During commercial pig production, weaning is a major stressor that disrupts the gut microbiome, compromises intestinal barrier integrity, and increases the susceptibility of piglets to pathogens. This often results in post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD), leading to growth retardation, morbidity, and economic loss. This study investigated the effects of dietary xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS) supplementation on the growth performance and gut health of 216 piglets with naturally occurring PWD. Piglets received either 0 (CON), 50 (XOS-50), or 500 (XOS-500) mg XOS/kg feed from weaning at 28 days of age (d1) for 54 days. XOS-500 significantly improved body weight at d22 and d54, but had no effect on average daily gain, daily feed intake (DFI), or feed conversion ratio. The intestinal microbiota alpha-diversity was unaffected by XOS, though jejunal beta diversity differed between CON and XOS-500 groups at d22. Jejunal Chao richness correlated positively with d54 body weight, while ileal Chao richness correlated negatively with DFI. was present in all diet groups but did not differ in abundance; however, the levels were negatively correlated with alpha diversity. XOSs increased (d22, d54) and (d22), while reducing spp. (d22). XOSs reduced jejunal goblet cell (GC) density at d22 but increased duodenal and jejunal GCs and reduced duodenal crypt depth at d54. XOSs upregulated the genes for the tight junction proteins CLDN2, CLDN3, ALPI, and ZO-1, while downregulating the cytokine IL-8. These findings highlight XOSs' potential to improve growth and gut health in weaning piglets with naturally occurring PWD, to maintain productivity and enhance welfare.
在商品猪生产过程中,断奶是一个主要应激源,会破坏肠道微生物群,损害肠道屏障完整性,并增加仔猪对病原体的易感性。这通常会导致断奶后腹泻(PWD),进而导致生长发育迟缓、发病和经济损失。本研究调查了日粮中添加木寡糖(XOS)对216头自然发生PWD的仔猪生长性能和肠道健康的影响。仔猪在28日龄(d1)断奶后,分别采食含0(对照,CON)、50(XOS-50)或500(XOS-500)mg XOS/kg饲料,持续54天。XOS-500显著提高了d22和d54时的体重,但对平均日增重、日采食量(DFI)或饲料转化率没有影响。XOS对肠道微生物群的α多样性没有影响,尽管在d22时,CON组和XOS-500组的空肠β多样性有所不同。空肠Chao丰富度与d54时的体重呈正相关,而回肠Chao丰富度与DFI呈负相关。 存在于所有日粮组中,但丰度没有差异;然而,其水平与α多样性呈负相关。XOS增加了 (d22、d54)和 (d22),同时减少了 spp.(d22)。XOS在d22时降低了空肠杯状细胞(GC)密度,但在d54时增加了十二指肠和空肠GCs,并降低了十二指肠隐窝深度。XOS上调了紧密连接蛋白CLDN2、CLDN3、ALPI和ZO-1的基因,同时下调了细胞因子IL-8。这些发现突出了XOS在改善自然发生PWD的断奶仔猪生长和肠道健康、维持生产力和提高福利方面的潜力。