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Early colonization of the gut microbiome is essential for digestion, immunity, and growth, and is influenced by factors such as the maternal microbiome, which in turn can be modulated by diet. Among dietary components, amino acids play a particularly important role. Arginine, for example, has recently attracted growing interest because of its benefits for lactating sows.
Objective: This study evaluated whether supplementing the diets of lactating sows with arginine (22 g/day per sow) could improve their productivity, milk composition, and the gut microbiota of both sows and piglets.
Methods: A total of 32 sows were divided 39 into 2 groups balanced for parity and body weight: 1) control (fed corn-based diet); 2) control + 22.5 g/d/sow 40 of on-top arginine. Diets were fed from 4 days before farrowing (d-4) to weaning (d27). Piglets were weighed at d0, d7, d14, d27, d34 and d41. Colostrum and milk were sampled at farrowing, d10 and d20 from 42 proximal and immunoglobulin composition. Fecal and cecal samples were collected at d27 from sows and 43 piglets (8 piglets/group) respectively.
Results: Arginine supplementation increased the lactose content of milk, improved piglet growth during lactation, and tended to reduce piglet mortality. The gut microbiome of sows and piglets showed clear differences: piglets had distinct bacterial and viral communities compared to their mothers, with bacteriophages appearing as important players in shaping these differences. Interestingly, while arginine did not alter the microbiota of the sows themselves, it enhanced the diversity of bacterial and viral communities in piglets, favouring beneficial microbial groups and reducing others.
Conclusion: Arginine supplementation in lactating sows supports better piglet growth and contributes to a healthier and more balanced gut microbiome at weaning, highlighting the intricate interplay between maternal nutrition, microbial communities, and offspring development.
Luise D, Colitti B, Correa F, Simongiovanni A, Bertolotti L, Paolo T. On-top arginine supplementation during lactation affects milk composition, performance and intestinal bacterial and viral microbial community of sows and their piglets. Journal of Animal Science. 2025; skaf319. doi: 10.1093/jas/skaf319
