Short-chain fatty acid administration via water acidifier improves feed efficiency and modulates fecal microbiota in weaned piglets.

This study examined the effect of a water acidifier containing free and buffered short-chain fatty acids (SCFA-WA) on growth performance and microbiota of weaned piglets. In total, 192 male piglets, approximately 4 wk of age, were allocated to 24 pens (12 per treatment) with 8 piglets per pen. The piglets received either regular drinking water (negative control) or drinking water with the acidifier supplied at 2 L/1,000 L. Body weight and feed intake were measured weekly on pen level. During the first 2 wk, daily visual assessment and scoring of the feces was conducted. Fecal samples of three piglets per pen were collected on days 14 and 42 for high-throughput sequencing analysis of the microbiota. Piglets offered SCFA-WA had significantly improved feed efficiency in the third week (P = 0.025) and over the whole study period (days 0 to 42, P = 0.042) compared with piglets in the negative control group, with a strong tendency observed during the first feeding phase (days 0 to 21, P = 0.055). Furthermore, the water acidifier group had a higher water intake than piglets provided with control water during the second feeding phase (days 21 to 42, P = 0.028) and over the whole study period (days 0 to 42, P = 0.043). There was no significant difference in body weight, average daily gain, or average daily feed intake (days 0 to 21, 21 to 42, 0 to 42). Furthermore, there was no overall significant difference in fecal scoring between the treatments. In terms of the fecal microbiota response, piglets offered the water acidifier showed a significantly higher relative abundance (RA) of genus Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and a lower RA of genus Streptococcus compared to the control. Furthermore, the redundancy analysis showed a positive association between improved feed efficiency and daily weight gain and RA of Butyricicoccus and Faecalibacterium. In conclusion, consumption of the water acidifier containing free and buffered SCFA modulated the microbiota and improved feed efficiency in piglets.

Application of Creep Feed and Phytase Super-Dosing as Tools to Support Digestive Adaption and Feed Efficiency in Piglets at Weaning.

A total of 64 piglets were used in a 35-day study to evaluate whether creep feeding piglets on the sow or super-dosing phytase to piglets post-weaning can be used as a tool to reduce stress and support adaption to weaning. Treatments consisted of creep or no creep feed being offered pre-weaning and with or without phytase supplementation at 2000 FTU/kg post-weaning. Blood samples were collected from eight piglets per treatment on days 0 (weaning), 7 and 21 post-weaning to determine plasma cortisol and myo-inositol concentrations. Four piglets per treatment (n = 16) were administered Heidelberg pH capsules 1 week prior to weaning, on the day of weaning, as well as 7 days and 21 days post-weaning, with readings monitored over a 3 h period. In the first week post-weaning, creep-fed piglets had higher daily gains (0.23 vs. 0.14 kg/d, p < 0.05) and a lower feed conversion ratio (FCR, 0.99 vs. 1.35, p < 0.01), compared to non-creep-fed pigs. At 21 days post-weaning, irrespective of creep feed, phytase supplementation reduced FCR (1.10 vs. 1.18, p = 0.05) of piglets. Average real-time stomach pH was lower in creep-fed piglets at 1 week prior to weaning (pH 3.2 vs. 4.6, p < 0.001) and on day of weaning (pH 3.1 vs. 3.7, p < 0.01). Following weaning, phytase reduced average stomach pH of piglets at days 7 (pH 2.6 vs. 3.3, p < 0.001) and 21 (pH 2.2 vs. 2.6, p < 0.01). Both cortisol and myo-inositol concentrations in plasma decreased with age; however, cortisol levels were unaffected by either treatment. Plasma myo-inositol concentrations were higher in creep-fed piglets at day of weaning (p < 0.05) and with phytase super-dosing on day 21 (p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate that both creep feeding and phytase super-dosing are useful practices to encourage better adaption to weaning and support piglet performance. This response was not related to reduced stress in piglets, as determined by cortisol levels, but instead appears to relate to improved gastric conditions for digestion, phytate degradation and myo-inositol provision in piglets.