Maintaining optimal piglet health and development up to weaning is a critical challenge for modern swine producers. The genetic selection for hyperprolific sows and fast-growing pigs with lean meat has led to sows with higher nutritional demands to grow large litters, however, their appetite has not evolved and has become, in general, insufficient to cover their needs. In addition, the growth and health status of newborn piglets is highly dependent on the establishment of a healthy microbiota, and its immunity level fully reliant on maternal transfer.
In this Industry Perspectives, we explore this topic with Olivier Merdy, Global Programme Manager -Swine for Phileo by Lesaffre. He discusses a feeding strategy leveraging yeast probiotics to improve sow gut health and, in turn, boost piglet microbiota, nutrition, immunity, and overall herd profitability and sustainability.
[Feedinfo] You have recently completed work looking at improving sow gut health and its impact on piglet nutrition and health. As an introduction, can you talk through the fundamentals of your feeding strategy?
|
[Olivier Merdy] The importance of the gut microbiota on nutrition and health status of pigs is recognised today. Over the years, we have developed strong knowledge and gathered evidence that microbiota modulation with a yeast probiotic could effectively improve sow gut health and positively influence piglet nutrition and health by promoting transfer of a healthy microbiota from sows to piglets, decreasing pathogen pressure and boosting the nutritional and immunological support provided to piglets through colostrum and milk secretions. |
Olivier Merdy, Global Programme Manager -Swine, Phileo by Lesaffre |
As a result, modulating the sow’s microbiota can be a successful intervention to influence both the sow’s gut heath and their piglets’ nutrition and health. The proposed feeding strategy should be included in a phase feeding programme, starting supplementation with the yeast probiotic during gestation and continuing during lactation. We recommend starting supplementation one month before the expected farrowing date to ensure the full value of microbiota modulation potential and to help the sow wean better quality piglets.
[Feedinfo] What impact have you found this has had on the sow – both in the short- and long-term?
[Olivier Merdy] Establishing a healthier gut microbiota in sows through yeast probiotic supplementation has multiple benefits to the sow. It supports nutrient metabolism due to enhanced fermentation profiles in the hindgut coupled to better intestinal health. The nutrients sourced from feed help fulfil the high nutrient demand to sustain rapid foetal growth and development of the mammary glands during gestation. During lactation, they help to continue to develop the mammary parenchyma and produce high volumes of nutrient-dense milk. Consequently, the sow needs to mobilise less body reserves to sustain the nutritional needs of gestation and lactation. A better-preserved body condition of sows during lactation is reflective of a lower catabolic status which could foster a better (faster) return to oestrus, a higher prolificacy for the following reproductive cycle, and consequently an enhanced lifetime performance of sows.
[Feedinfo] Can you tell us more about what you have discovered about the better microbiota for sows and piglets in your feeding strategy work – what is the impact and how long does this benefit last?
[Olivier Merdy] At the start is a healthy and efficient gut in sows. We have established that yeast probiotic supplementation promotes the development of a healthier, more balanced and homogeneous gut microbiota. The abundance of beneficial bacteria contributing to a better nutrient metabolism, better intestinal health and helping to fight against pathogens increases too. Finally, the yeast itself helps specifically to fight against pathogens like E.coli due to pathogen exclusion at binding sites and specific binding properties.
This beneficial shift in the sow's microbiome is crucial to the piglet since the sow’s microbiota shapes the piglet’s microbiota in a desired direction at the time the piglet microbiota is highly unstable. Piglets born to supplemented sows display increased populations of beneficial bacteria and reduced levels of harmful microbes, contributing to improved gut health and reduced pathogen pressure. The transfer of yeast to the piglet could also play a role in helping to shape a more mature microbiota. Our research team has noticeably demonstrated that supplying yeast probiotic per se in suckling piglets improves their growth performance, the important role of a healthy microbiota in piglet performance as early as during lactation.
[Feedinfo] Colostrum is such a vital product for nutrition and health; what effect has this approach to sow nutrition had on colostrum intake?
[Olivier Merdy] Colostrum is indeed a vital secretion for nutrition and health of piglets. It provides just-born piglets with essential nutrients, energy to help them thrive for their first hours of life after birth, and a high quantity of immunoglobulins that confer critical passive immunity against pathogens.
Colostrum yield and composition, especially in terms of immunoglobulins, are highly variable among sows. Contrary to milk, its yield depends predominantly on the capacity of the sows to produce it, rather than the piglet’s ability to stimulate its production. It is estimated that at least one-third of sows do not produce enough colostrum to fulfil the needs of their litter. The feeding strategy with a yeast probiotic has been shown to increase the energy value of colostrum, helping increase its lactose and fat content. These energetic nutrients can be oxidised for thermoregulation. In addition, the immunomodulatory properties of yeast probiotic help increase the quantity of IgG available in the colostrum. As a whole, yeast probiotic can play a significant role in improving the nutritional and immunological value of colostrum, contributing to a good start in life for piglets and helping to decrease pre-weaning mortality.
Next to this, piglet vitality at birth is a key determinant of their colostrum intake. More vigorous, less-stressed piglets may be better able to compete for and consume enough high-quality colostrum. The feeding strategy with a yeast probiotic can also contribute to a higher colostrum intake by alleviating the negative impact of constipation in sows on colostrum intake of piglets. Indeed, this condition has been shown to increase farrowing duration, which itself impacts negatively on piglet vitality at birth.
[Feedinfo] Following on from this, have you found that milk output has changed as a result of managing the sow’s diet in this way, and if so, what impact has this had?
[Olivier Merdy] To successfully wean the largest litter of the heaviest piglets possible, sows have to produce copious amounts of milk, preferably of better quality. The feeding strategy with a yeast probiotic can help increase the nutritional quality and immunological quality of milk. Milk was shown to be significantly richer in solids, particularly proteins. It was also demonstrated that high IgA levels can be sustained for several weeks of lactation in supplemented sows. Since IgA are major contributors in the fight against neonatal diarrhoea, this increase in milk quality could be of major importance in reducing pre-weaning mortality.
Milk quantity is also a major determinant in the success of a lactation phase, with the total weight of piglets produced at weaning being seen as an indicator of higher milk production. The feeding strategy consistently reports a significant increase in milk production without negatively affecting sow body condition. Improved nutrient metabolism could result in extra energy and nutrient output for milk production. Higher feed intake, particularly in challenging conditions such as heat stress, also helps sustain the highest energy and nutrient supply possible. Lastly, a reduction of inflammatory processes or an alleviation are additional possible contributing factors.
All in all, more milk of higher nutritional and immunological quality helps piglets to grow faster and resist enteric disorders.
[Feedinfo] All these things considered, what is the overall result for pig producers if they adopt this feeding strategy?
[Olivier Merdy] A recent meta-analysis was carried out to check the efficacy of this feeding strategy leveraging a yeast probiotic for improving the reproductive parameters of modern sows under commercial field operations. Seven studies, carried out between 2012 and 2023, were used to assess the performance of more than 3,000 weaned litters from sows given the yeast probiotic during the last month of gestation and lactation. Most of the studies were conducted in hyperprolific breeds. Based on statistical modelling, the meta-analysis showed that the intervention improved the number of live-born piglets per litter by 0.56 (p = 0.009). The total number of piglets born was only higher by 0.20 (p = 0.56), suggesting an improvement of farrowing performance in supplemented sows. The meta-analysis also showed that the yeast probiotic improved the number of weaned piglets by 0.3 piglets (p<0.001). An extra of 230g (p<0.001) per piglet at weaning was achieved in piglets born from supplemented sows. Litters of supplemented sows were in total 4.12kg (p<0.001) heavier at weaning compared to unsupplemented sows.
Ultimately, it could be concluded that boosting piglet microbiota, nutrition and immunity thanks to the power of yeast probiotic supplementation in sows consistently helps breeding operations to deliver better quality piglets.
[Feedinfo] How would you expect this feeding strategy to impact the profitability and sustainability of pig farming?
[Olivier Merdy] Feed makes up 60–70% of the cost of production, and over 60% of the carbon footprint of pork production comes from feed ingredients. Because at least 70% of this consumption occurs during the nursery and growing-finishing periods, a reduction of feed utilisation per kg of live weight produced during these periods can significantly improve the profitability of swine operations and supports sustainable production.
The feeding strategy targeting the weaning of healthier and larger piglets makes totally sense and should be seen as a good practice to meet these objectives. Indeed, it is well documented that lighter piglets at weaning show poorer lifetime performance; they reach slaughter age later than larger piglets at weaning and display a deteriorated feed conversion efficiency. Interestingly, a recent publication showed that underlying the key role of sustaining piglet growth during the lactation period.
Finally, lighter pigs at weaning can be a significant cost to the system because they are susceptible to higher mortality rates throughout the production cycle, and those that survive pose management challenges in all-in-all-out production systems. This leads again to increased feed costs and production of fewer finisher pigs per pig space per year, thus decreasing profitability and sustainability.
