Impact of dietary supplementation with N‐carbamoyl‐aspartic acid on serum metabolites and intestinal microflora of sows

Abstract

Background N‐Carbamoyl‐aspartic acid (NCA) is a critical precursor for de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides. To investigate the cumulative effects of maternal supplementation with NCA on the productive performance, serum metabolites and intestinal microbiota of sows, 40 pregnant sows (∼day 80) were assigned into two groups: (1) the control (CON) and (2) treatment (NCA, 50 g t−1 NCA). Results Results showed that piglets from the NCA group had heavier birth weight than those in the CON group (P < 0.05). In addition, maternal supplementation with NCA decreased the backfat loss of sows during lactation (P < 0.05). Furthermore,16S‐rRNA sequencing results revealed that maternal NCA supplementation decreased the abundance of Cellulosilyticum, Fournierella, Anaerovibrio, and Oribacterium genera of sows during late pregnancy (P < 0.05). Similarly, on the 14th day of lactation, maternal supplementation with NCA reduced the diversity of fecal microbes of sows as evidenced by significantly lower observed species, Chao1, and Ace indexes, and decreased the abundance of Lachnospire, Faecalibacterium, and Anaerovorax genera, while enriched the abundance of Catenisphaera (P < 0.05). Untargeted metabolomics showed that a total of 48 differentially abundant biomarkers were identified, which were mainly involved in metabolic pathways of arginine/proline metabolism, phenylalanine/tyrosine metabolism, and fatty acid biosynthesis, etc. Conclusion Overall, the results indicated that NCA supplementation regulated intestinal microbial composition of sows and serum differential metabolites related to arginine, proline, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and fatty acids metabolism that may contribute to regulating the backfat loss of sows, and the birth weight and diarrhea rate of piglets. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Swine Gastrointestinal Microbiota and the Effects of Dietary Amino Acids on Its Composition and Metabolism

“…Supplementation with N-carbamoylaspartic acid (NCA) in sows significantly increased the abundance of Bacteroidota and reduced the abundance of Firmicutes, the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidota, Melainabacteria, and Kiritimatiellaeota phyla in feces at day 113 of gestation [148]. The abundance of Cellulosilyticum, Fournierella, Anaerovibrio, and Oribacterium genera was reduced by NCA.…”

“…The abundance of Cellulosilyticum, Fournierella, Anaerovibrio, and Oribacterium genera was reduced by NCA. In addition, maternal supplementation with NCA significantly enriched the abundance of Catenisphaera and reduced the abundance of Lachnospire, Faecalibacterium and Anaerovorax genera on the 14 th day of lactation [148]. It was suggested that maternal supplementation with NCA mainly regulates the utilization of lipid and carbohydrate by regulating the abundance of specific gut microbes, which may contribute to decreased backfat loss in sows during lactation and a heavier birth weight in piglets after NCA treatment [148].…”