Hyperprolific bristles face important challenges, such as greater susceptibility to dysbiosis and oxidative stress, which affect both their Health and the survival of their piglets. Nutrition plays a fundamental role in mitigating these effects, and probiotics can be an effective tool to improve intestinal health, immunity and general performance.
Aim: This study explored the potential of a probiotic supplement with Bacillus subtilis y Bacillus amyloliquefaciens as a dietary additive for sows during pregnancy and lactation.
Methods: A total of 584 bristles were included in the trial, divided into two groups: one that received a standard diet and another supplemented with 400 g/ton of the probiotic. The bristles followed a structured feed program with three phases of diet: early gestation (1-28 days), medium-tardy gestation (29-90 days) and a shared preparation-lactation diet (91-115 days). The consumption of feed, the weight and thickness of the dorsal fat of the sows were controlled, and the piglets were weighed at birth and weaning. In addition, several health and immunity parameters were analyzed, such as fecal scores, saliva cortisol levels in bristles and blood and caloster immunoglobulins concentrations. In piglets, ileal histomorphometry was evaluated, together with bacterial counts and myeloperoxidase activity in feces to assess intestinal health and immune response.
Results: Probiotic supplemented bristles experienced greater weight loss during lactation but produced more milk. Although no differences were observed in the thickness of the dorsal fat, the consumption of feed or the reproductive parameters, the pigs of the sows supplemented with probiotics had a longer lactation period, greater weight of the weaning and needed less medication. The probiotic group also had fewer deaths of crushing. The salivary cortisol levels were higher before childbirth but lower after it in the sows supplemented with probiotics, indicating a stress reduction. Although the levels of calcoster and serum immunoglobulins remained virtually unchanged, the sows with probiotics presented higher fecal counts of Bacillus sp. Their piglets showed a better intestinal health, with a lower count of pathogenic bacteria and greater myeloperoxidase activity on the 17th.
Conclusion: In general, the addition of this probiotic supplement to the diet of the sows positively influenced both the maternal performance and the health of piglets, which supports its use as a valuable nutritional strategy in swine production.
Barbosa AMS, Carvalho MPS, Naves LP, da Motta SAB, Chaves RF, Resende M, Lima D, Hansen LHB, Cantarelli VS. Performance and Health Parameters of Sows and Their Litters Using a Probiotic Supplement Composed of Bacillus subtilis 541 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 516. Animals (Basel). 2024;14(23):3511. doi: 10.3390/ani14233511.
