Faecal Microbiota Analysis of Piglets During Lactation

Abstract

Antimicrobial use in animals and the potential development of antimicrobial resistance is a global concern. So, non-antimicrobial techniques for animal disease control are needed. This study aimed to determine whether neonatal ceftiofur (CF) treatment affects piglet faecal microbiomes and whether faecal microbiome transplantation (FMT) can correct it. Two focal piglets per sow were assigned to treatments as follows: cffresh (n = 6) received CF (3 mg/kg intramuscular) at 7 d and fresh FMT at 13 d; cffrozen (n = 7) received CF at 7 d and frozen FMT at 13 d; CF (n = 8) received CF at 7 d and no FMT; and no CF (n = 5) received no CF or FMT. DNA was extracted from faecal samples collected on days 7, 13, and 18 for 16S rRNA amplicon analysis. All faecal blends used for the FMT consisted of pooled donor pig faeces at 1:2 ratio with saline, delivered orally at 3 mL/kg. Alpha and beta diversity metrics increased with age (p < 0.05). However, no effect of antibiotic or FMT treatment was evident in 13 and 18 d old piglets (p > 0.05). Although no effect of treatment was observed, information regarding microbial membership during lactation was gained.

Exposure to maternal feces in lactation influences piglet enteric microbiota, growth, and survival preweaning

“…The parity-specific differences observed in the piglet fecal microbiota at day 10 were not as evident by day 18 as control animals did not differ (MP-Con and P1-Con). Previous studies by our research group and others have documented this age-related change in fecal microbiota of piglets during lactation ( Gaukroger et al, 2020 ; Nowland et al, 2020a , 2020b ). However, to our knowledge, no analysis of fecal microbiota between piglets reared on different parity sows have been documented.…”

A Single Faecal Microbiota Transplantation Altered the Microbiota of Weaned Pigs

“…Only two previous studies administered a single dose, as opposed to the multi-dose approach usually implemented, and these studies were conducted during lactation. McCormack et al, [45] administered a dose at birth and observed a negative impact on growth and an altered faecal microbiota, while our research group administered a single dose at 7 days of age and saw no effect on the faecal microbiota [46]. This is likely because the GIT of a newly born piglet is relatively immature and hence would be susceptible to colonisation, while a 7-day-old piglet would have bacteria already colonised which would compete directly with the FMT.…”

Characterization of the fecal microbiota of Pampa Rocha pigs, a genetic resource endemic to eastern Uruguay

“…Sequences belonging to four individuals were retrieved from each experiment included in the analysis. BioProject Run Accession numbers Breed Pigs age average of million bases Project description Study site Treatment Reference PRJNA622643 SRR11470352 SRR11470359 SRR11470382 SRR11470395 Large white x Landrace 18 days 18.7 Faecal microbiota transplantation and faecal microbiota analysis of piglets Adelaide, Australia Control [ 34 ] PRJNA634125 SRR11819538 SRR11819539 SRR11819541 SRR11819543 Landrace x Large White hybrid sows sired with Duroc x synthetic hybrid boar 12 weeks 63.8 Tail biting Montreal, Canada Control [ 35 ] PRJNA479505 SRR7505951 SRR7506120 SRR7506181 SRR7506410 Undefined crossbred Post weaned (8 weeks) 30.3 pigs challenged with Salmonella and administered chlortetracycline Iowa, USA Non-inoculated control [ 36 ] PRJEB9053 ERR845286 ERR845288 ERR845287 ERR845289 Unknown no data 35.1 Diet drivers of gut microbiota Montreal, Canada no data Unpublished PRJNA382998 SRR5450489 SRR5450490 SRR5450507 SRR54505...…”