Using probiotics to improve swine gut health and nutrient utilization

Abstract

To maintain a healthy gut is definitely key for a pig to digest and absorb dietary nutrients efficiently. A balanced microbiota (i.e., a healthy micro-ecosystem) is an indispensable constituent of a healthy gut. Probiotics, the live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer good health benefits onto the host, are a category of feed additives that can be used to replenish the gut microbial population while recuperating the host immune system. Besides their antitoxin and diarrhea reduction effects, dietary supplementation of probiotics can improve gut health, nutrient digestibilities and, therefore, benefit nutrient utilization and growth performance of pigs. Current knowledge in the literature pertinent to the beneficial effects of utilizing various probiotics for swine production has been comprehensively reviewed, and the safety and the risk issues related to probiotic usage have also been discussed in this paper. Considering that the foremost cost in a swine operation is feed cost, feed efficiency holds a very special, if not the paramount, significance in commercial swine production. Globally, the swine industry along with other animal industries is moving towards restricting and eventually a total ban on the usage of antibiotic growth promoters. Therefore, selection of an ideal alternative to the in-feed antibiotics to compensate for the lost benefits due to the ban on the antibiotic usage is urgently needed to support the industry for profitable and sustainable swine production. As is understood, a decision on this selection is not easy to make. Thus, this review paper aims to provide some much needed up-to-date knowledge and comprehensive references for swine nutritionists and producers to refer to before making prudent decisions and for scientists and researchers to develop better commercial products.

Impact of TGEV infection on the pig small intestine

“…A healthy gut allows a pig to thrive throughout its lifespan without sickness. Sound animals utilize dietary nutrients efficiently, have better production performance, and generate higher profits for swine producers [6]. The impact of TGEV on the small intestine of growing pigs that survive infection has not been investigated.…”

Effect of fosfomycin,Cynara scolymusextract, deoxynivalenol and their combinations on intestinal health of weaned piglets

“…LAB populations were not affected by none of the treatments in any of the intestine portions studied. Natural resistance of LAB strains to antibiotics and bile salts, increased by CSE consumption, has been largely demonstrated (17,60–62), The influence of mycotoxins on intestinal microbiota of pigs have been poorly investigated. Available data on the interaction of mycotoxins with bacteria are mainly related to the ability of the intestinal microbiota to detoxify mycotoxins (63–67,24).…”

The Potential Role of Probiotics (nutraceuticals) in Gut Health of Domestic Animals; an Alternative to Antibiotic Growth Promoters

“…Probiotic adhesion quality blocks the association between gut epithelia and infectious agents . Thus, probiotics based bacteria eliminate microorganism and prevent the gut infection of farm animal including cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, pig and poultry (Liao and Nyachoti, 2017). The mechanism of CE also specifies that probiotics and pathogenic bacteria compete for nutrient absorption .…”