Weaning is a critical period in the lives of piglets, marked by a series of nutritional, physiological, and immunological challenges. It is a phase in which intestinal function and the immune system are not yet fully developed, and sudden changes in diet and social environment can lead to stress, causing intestinal inflammation and diarrhea, possible growth retardation, and even death. Above all, these changes are precursors to the succession of microbial communities in the piglets' intestines, and their dysregulation is also one of the causes of intestinal inflammation and diarrhea in newborns and post-weaning animals. To minimize the stress faced by piglets at this stage of life, the appropriate inclusion of... Dietary fiber It has gained strategic importance in promoting gut health and improving piglet performance.
The gut microbiota is the largest and most complex micro-ecosystem in a piglet's body. It maintains homeostasis under normal conditions and plays a crucial role in promoting digestion and nutrient absorption, maintaining normal physiological intestinal functions, regulating immunity, and various other activities. The transition from breast milk to solid food can compromise animal performance and increase the incidence of gastrointestinal disorders, such as post-weaning diarrhea. Studies have evaluated and proven the role of fiber in positively modulating the microbiota as a substitute for antibiotics, since it has been verified that early exposure to antibiotics has adverse impacts on the development of the immune system and the gut microbiome, which eventually leads to increased susceptibility to diseases during the growth and fattening phases.
Fiber, traditionally viewed as an indigestible component, is now recognized for its functional role in the gastrointestinal tract. It is generally classified as soluble and insoluble, with distinct effects on digestibility, the gut microbiota, and gastrointestinal transit. Soluble fiber, for example, is rapidly fermented by intestinal bacteria, resulting in the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), especially butyrate, which serves as an energy source for enterocytes and has an anti-inflammatory effect. However, soluble fiber increases the viscosity of the digesta and reduces nutrient absorption. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, is fermented slowly but contributes to intestinal motility, increasing the passage rate and potentially helping to reduce pathogen adhesion to the mucosa.
The mechanisms by which insoluble fibers act are not fully understood, but their inclusion in feed allows for a consistent substrate in the food bolus for the adhesion of fermentative bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids. In this way, the environment in the intestinal lumen becomes conducive to the growth of specific populations, beneficial to the intestinal environment, which naturally compete with potentially pathogenic strains. A healthy intestinal environment has an adequate villus height relative to crypt depth, which provides a larger area for nutrient absorption.
Now let's look at the proven facts! In a study conducted by Shang et al (2021) in Beijing, China, they evaluated the influences of wheat bran and beet pulp supplementation (regionally available sources with different soluble/insoluble fiber compositions) in antibiotic-free diets on growth, immune responses, intestinal integrity, and microbiota in weaned piglets. In summary, here are some of their results:
- The impact of dietary fiber on animal health depends on its source and the purpose of supplementation! In the comparison carried out, wheat bran proved more effective than the other treatments in improving growth performance. They suggested that the possible reason for this is that the amount of soluble fiber (mainly pectin) in beet pulp can increase digesta viscosity and reduce nutrient utilization, thus impairing growth performance;
- The effects of dietary fiber depend not only on the fiber source but also on the physiological state of the pig, as wheat bran supplementation improved performance during the first 2 weeks after weaning, but these effects were no longer observed from the third week of the piglets' lives onwards;
- Supplementation with wheat bran, which has a higher amount of insoluble fiber, resulted in fewer cases of diarrhea from day 1 to 14 compared to the other diets (control diet without fiber supplementation and with beet pulp). This fact may help explain the better growth performance during the first two weeks;
- By testing the ratio of soluble/insoluble fiber and inclusion level, they found that inadequate supplementation can reduce nutrient digestibility and negatively affect piglet growth;
- There was an increase in the height of the ileal villi and in the villus height/crypt depth ratio in piglets supplemented with wheat bran. This effect generally indicates a larger nutrient absorption area, better digestive efficiency, intestinal maturity, and is indicative of a more stable and healthy intestinal environment.;
- Diaminase oxidase (DAO), an enzyme produced primarily by the mucosal cells of the small intestine, usually remains within the cells. When high levels occur in the blood, they indicate damage to the mucosal cells. In the study, DAO in piglets fed wheat bran was significantly lower than in the other treatments;
- Regarding intestinal barrier function, treatment with a higher proportion of insoluble fiber allowed the expression of mRNA for proteins that contribute to a stronger and more intact intestinal barrier;
- The insoluble fiber source reduced inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8) and increased immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM and sIgA), effects attributed to the arabinoxylans in wheat bran and the modulation of the gut microbiota.
In general, results regarding fiber intake vary in the literature as they are influenced by several factors, such as source/composition, inclusion level, and environmental sanitary conditions. However, in environments with adequate sanitary conditions, the expression of the animal's genetic potential combined with a balanced diet allows for the evaluation of the effects of using fiber-rich ingredients in the diet. Therefore, many studies have highlighted improvements in the intestinal health of piglets. Below we list some bibliographies used in this article that can be consulted for further in-depth study of this subject.
We can conclude that the nutritional management of piglets, in addition to depending on age, requires great care in choosing the levels of fiber inclusion when added to starter diets. Furthermore, it is extremely important to provide a rigorously selected fiber source. These factors combined help to positively modulate the gut microbiota, stimulate villi development, and promote immune system maturation.
To ensure standardization and quality in its production, OPTA provides sources of quality fibers Superior and free of mycotoxins, analyzed and classified according to rigorous quality standards for formulating diets for production animals. We know that functional nutrition with the strategic use of fiber represents a promising tool to promote the well-being and healthy development of your herd. Check out the options. clicking here or Talk to our experts. for customized solutions.
Bibliography consulted:
Berrocoso JD, Menoyo D., Guzman P., Saldana B., Camara L., Mateos GG Effects of fiber inclusion on growth performance and nutrient digestibility of piglets reared under optimal or poor hygienic conditions. J Anim Sci 2015;93:3919–3931. doi: 10.2527/jas.2015-9137.
Chen H., Mao X., He J., Yu B., Huang Z., Yu J., Zheng P., Chen D. Dietary fiber affects intestinal mucosal barrier function and regulates intestinal bacteria in weaning piglets. Br J Nutr. 2013;110:1837–1848. doi: 10.1017/S0007114513001293.
Chen T., Chen D., Tian G., Zheng P., Mao X., Yu J., He J., Huang Z., Luo Y., Luo J., Yu B. Effects of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal microbe and barrier function in weaning piglet. Anim Feed Sci Technol. 2020;260:114335.
Flis M., Sobotka W., Antoszkiewicz Z. Fiber substrates in the nutrition of weaned piglets-a review. Ann Anim Sci 2017;17:627–644.
Holscher HD Dietary fiber and prebiotics and the gastrointestinal microbiota. Gut Microb. 2017;8:172–184. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2017.1290756.
SHANG, Qinghui; LIU, Hansuo; WU, Di; MAHFUZ, Shad; PIAO, Xiangshu. Source of fiber influences growth, immune responses, gut barrier function and microbiota in weaned piglets fed antibiotic-free diets. Animal Nutrition, [SL], v. 7, no. 2, p. 315-325, jun. 2021. Elsevier BV. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aninu.2020.12.008.
