Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Composition of the microbiota in healthy individuals is rather unique and appears
to be quite stable after initial colonization. Nevertheless, early disturbances of the
microbial colonization process, such as those induced by antibiotic treatment and by
the hygienic status of the rearing environment of sows, have drastic consequences for
the developmental program of the offspring's gut. This concern is relevant to swine
production as antibiotics are frequently used for controlling infections of the genito-
urinary tract and mammary gland peri- or post-partum in sows. Fåk
et al.
(2008)
demonstrated that maternal antibiotic treatment before parturition induces changes in
bacterial colonization, increases sucrase activity, and decreases properties of the intestinal
barrier in young rats. In a recent study, such deleterious effects of maternal antibiotic
treatment on sow microbiota and that of their newborn offspring were reported (Boudry
et al.,
2012; Ferret-Bernard
et al.,
2013; Lallès
et al.,
2013). Effects on intestinal functions
of the piglets were also noticeable. According to a specific time frame, ileal and colonic
permeability, epithelial transcriptome and mucosal inflammation characteristics were
modified toward a pro-inflammatory response to an LPS challenge.
Specific substrates can be included in the diet to stimulate the growth of assumed beneficial
bacteria and prevent the growth and colonization of potential pathogens. These are
known as prebiotics and they include dietary fibre, resistant starch, and oligosaccharides.
The dominant oligosaccharides introduced in feed are fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS),
mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS), and inulin. Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are
naturally found at a much lower concentration in sow and bovine milk compared with
human milk explaining why their properties have not been studied as extensively in farm
animal species. The consumption of FOS by porcine neonates or adults has been associated
with an increase in the populations of beneficial bacteria, such as
Bifidobacteria,
, and a
higher production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) (Howard
et al.
, 1995, Tsukahara
et al.
, 2003), thereby improving intestinal protection against pathogens and favouring
development of the associated local immune system. Among the SCFA, the concentration
of luminal butyrate is markedly stimulated by FOS. As butyrate is the major energy source
for epithelial cells in the large intestine, its luminal increase could explain the FOS-
induced proliferation of epithelial and mucin-containing cells and thereby contribute
to its beneficial effects. The beneficial effects of supplementating the maternal diet with
prebiotics on lactogenic immunity was demonstrated in a few studies using animal
models, i.e. increased Ig contents in colostrum and/or mature milk (Adogony
et al.
, 2007;
Czech
et al.
, 2010; Gourbeyre
et al.
, 2012). Such an effect was recently confirmed in swine,
whereby supplementing the sow diet with scFOS (approximately 10 g/d of scFOS) during
the last third of gestation and throughout lactation led to greater colostral IgA and TGFβ1
concentrations. Maternal scFOS administration was also associated with accelerated
development of intestinal immunity in the offspring (Le Bourgot
et al.,
2013), producing
favourable conditions for polarization of Th1 responses by the PP. Moreover, scFOS
administration improved intestinal protection by stimulating the production of secretory
IgA by ileal PP. Such results underline the key role of the maternal diet in supporting
development of the mucosal immunity in neonates. However, no improvement in piglet
growth was observed during the suckling period (Le Bourgot
et al.,
2013), but maternal
supplementation with scFOS tended to increase growth performance of pigs post-
weaning. Benefits of feeding high-fibre diets to sows during late pregnancy and lactation
