Effects of bovine colostrum on performance, survival, and immunoglobulin status of suckling piglets during the first days of life

Abstract

Supplementation of bovine colostrum (BC) has shown to improve growth performance, intestinal development, and immune response in early-weaned pigs. Little is known about whether BC may have similar effects in neonatal piglets. In the present study, the effect of BC supplementation on mortality, growth performance, and blood parameters (plasma proteins and white blood count) of suckling piglets in the first 10 days of life was investigated under practical conditions with special emphasis on low birth weight piglets. In total, 258 newborn piglets from 30 multiparous sows in a commercial breeding unit were randomly assigned to two different treatment groups. Piglets received either 1 ml of BC orally on days 1-3 of life (group BC, n = 128) or 1 ml of saline (0.9%) (control (CON) group; n = 130). Body weight was measured on days 1, 4, and 10 of life. Blood was collected on days 1 and 4 from 60 piglets per group. No differences in mortality, body weight, and average daily weight gain were observed between treatment groups in days 1-10. However, compared to CON, particularly in low birth weight piglets the administration of BC supported (P < 0.01) their survival. Group BC exhibited lower plasma total protein (P = 0.03) and beta-globulin (P = 0.02) concentrations compared to group CON. In conclusion, BC improved low and normal birth weight piglets' survival during their first 10 days of life. Further research is needed to clarify whether the survival rate is related to earlier gut closure indicated by lower plasma protein levels, which might be beneficial due to a lower uptake of potential antigenic substances.

Effect of Lyophilized Bovine Colostrum on Growth and Survival of Newborn Piglets From Local Breed, in Benin Republic

“…These growth parameters were not influenced by piglet supplementation with lyophilized bovine colostrum and / or with shea butter because no significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed between the three groups for the body weight and ADG. These results are similar to those of Viehmann et al (2015) who observed during 10 d of trial no significant effect on mortality, body weight, and ADG of pre-weaned piglets supplemented over 3 days with bovine colostrum. However, piglets supplementation with lyophilized bovine colostrum improved their RADG because a significant difference for this parameter was observed between the three treatment groups with a better gain for the BCB group (31 g/d.kg vs 25 g/d.kg for the SC and SCB groups) and RADG was not affected by the treatment*time interaction (P > 0.05).…”

“…This in agreement with Drew and Owen (1988) which reported that although the piglet is nonselective in the absorption of macromolecules, it selects porcine IgG preferentially in the presence of other macromolecules and the absorption of porcine IgG and bovine albumin occurred at equal low levels when fed separately. In addition of these results, Viehmann et al (2015) reported that typically, neonatal piglets preferentially absorb porcine IgG relative to bovine IgG. Likewise, Drew and Owen (1988) have shown that the low absorption of bovine IgG in their study may be due to the inability of porcine IgG receptors to efficiently bind, transport and concentrate bovine IgG.…”

Supplementing Colostrum from Multiparous Sows: Effects on Performance and Health in Piglets from Gilts in Farm Conditions

“…Muns et al [ 39 ] did not find an effect of oral colostrum supplementation on litter mortality. However, Viehmann et al [ 53 ] detected improved survival during the first 10 days of life in piglets supplemented with bovine colostrum (1 mL on days of life 1–3).…”

Drenching Bovine Colostrum, Quercetin or Fructo-Oligosaccharides Has No Effect on Health or Survival of Low Birth Weight Piglets

“…The bovine colostrum (Volostrum ® , Volac International Ltd., Royston, UK) was dissolved in the aforementioned milk replacer at a concentration of 0.45 g/mL, resulting in supplementation of 0.9 g per piglet. This dosage was chosen, following the results of studies where beneficial aspects of bovine colostrum on growth performance, intestinal development, immune parameters, and sanitary status of pigs were demonstrated when given during the early post-weaning period (dose of 1 mL) [ 66 , 67 ] and pre-weaning period (dose of 1 mL) [ 68 ] or as commercially available supplements containing bovine colostrum (dose of 1–2 mL) [ 27 ].…”