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Dietary fiber supplementation during gestation improves sow reproductive performance, enhancing embryo survival, litter size and weight, and uniformity of piglets within the litter. The mechanism by which dietary fiber supplementation improves sow fertility, however, is still unknown. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary fiber supplementation in gestation diet on fetal growth and placental development and function and to explore the possible mechanism of dietary fiber improving sow reproductive performance. A total of 16 Large White × Landrace crossbred gilts were randomly allotted to two groups and fed a semi-purified basal diet [non-fiber group, 0.1% total dietary fiber] or a basal diet supplemented with 8.33 g/kg inulin and 200 g/kg cellulose [Fiber group] during the gestation period. On day 106 of gestation, five sows per group were chosen and slaughtered for sample collection.
Results showed that dietary fiber supplementation during gestation increased the total fetal weight and placental weight on day 106 of gestation; elevated serum serotonin concentration; increased concentrations of serotonin and short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate, and butyrate), as well as tryptophan hydroxylase 1 expression, in colon; elevated serotonin and progesterone concentrations and up-regulated the serotonin transporter, cytochrome P450 11A1, and insulin-like growth factor 2 expressions in the placenta. Besides, the sows in the fiber group had microbial community structures distinct from those in the non-fiber group. Supplementation of dietary fiber in the gestation diet increased the Coprococcus 3 abundance that was positively correlated with colonic serotonin concentration, while significantly decreasing the Family XIII AD3011 group abundance which was negatively correlated with colonic serotonin concentration.
It is concluded that dietary fiber supplementation in the gestation diet could increase placental serotonin levels by promoting maternal serotonin synthesis in the colon and the transport from the mother to the placenta in sows, and then improve placental development and function, finally promoting fetal growth.
Li Y, Yang M, Zhang L, Mao Z, Lin Y, Xu S, Fang Z, Che L, Feng B, Li J, Zhuo Y, Wu D. Dietary Fiber Supplementation in Gestating Sow Diet Improved Fetal Growth and Placental Development and Function Through Serotonin Signaling Pathway. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2022; 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.831703
