Age Rather Than Supplementation with Oat beta-Glucan Influences Development of the Intestinal Microbiota and SCFA Concentrations in Suckling Piglets

Abstract

The effects of early supplementation with oat beta-glucan during the suckling period on piglet gut microbiota composition, concentrations of short-chain fatty acids, and gut physiological markers were assessed. Fifty piglets from five litters, balanced for sex and birth weight, were divided within litters into two treatment groups: beta-glucan and control. Piglets in the beta-glucan group received the supplement three times/week from day 7 of age until weaning. Rectal swab samples were collected from 10 piglets per treatment group (balanced across litters) from week 1 to week 4, and plasma samples were collected at 1, 3, and 4 weeks of age. Additional samples of intestinal tissues and jugular and portal vein plasma were collected from 10 animals at weaning (one per treatment group and litter). The concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in plasma and the microbiota composition in rectal swabs were mainly influenced by piglet age, rather than the supplement. There were significant differences in microbiota composition between litters and several correlations between concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in plasma and specific microbial taxa in rectal swabs. Overall, beta-glucan supplementation did not have any clear impact on the gut environment in suckling piglets, whereas a clear age-related pattern emerged.

Keywords

beta-glucan; microbiota; SCFA; suckling piglets

Published in

Animals
2023, volume: 13, number: 8, article number: 1349
Publisher: MDPI

SLU Authors

• Arapovic, Lidija

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Huang, Yi

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Guangxi University

• Manell, Elin

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Verbeek, Else

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Keeling, Linda

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Sun, Li

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Lundh, Torbjörn

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Lindberg, Jan Erik

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Dicksved, Johan

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Animal and Dairy Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13081349

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/122772