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In pig production, the most stressful moment for piglets is weaning, during which the gut microbiome is disrupted, intestinal barrier integrity is compromised, and susceptibility to pathogens increases. This often results in post-weaning diarrhea, leading to growth retardation, morbidity, and economic loss.
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS) supplementation on the growth performance and gut health of piglets with naturally occurring post-weaning diarrhea.
Methods: A total of 216 piglets were assigned to one of three treatments: 0 mg (control), 50 mg (XOS-50), or 500 mg (XOS-500) of XOS per kg of feed, starting at weaning (28 days of age) and continuing for 54 days. Animal performance was measured, and on days 22 and 54, twelve animals per treatment were euthanized for collection of digesta from the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum, colon, and rectum, followed by gene expression and histomorphology analyses.
Results: XOS-500 improved body weight at d22 and d54, but had no effect on average daily gain, daily feed intake, or feed conversion ratio. The intestinal microbiota alpha-diversity was unaffected by XOS, though jejunal beta diversity differed between the control and XOS-500 groups at d22. Jejunal Chao richness correlated positively with d54 body weight, while ileal Chao richness correlated negatively with daily feed intake. Salmonella was present in all diet groups but did not differ in abundance; however, the levels were negatively correlated with alpha diversity. XOSs increased Lactobacillus (d22, d54) and Clostridium_XI (d22), while reducing Veillonellaceae spp. (d22). XOSs reduced jejunal goblet cell density at d22 but increased duodenal and jejunal goblet cells and reduced duodenal crypt depth at d54. XOSs upregulated the genes for the tight junction proteins CLDN2, CLDN3, ALPI, and ZO-1, while downregulating the cytokine IL-8.
Conclusion: These findings highlight xylo-oligosaccharide's potential to improve growth and gut health in weaning piglets with naturally occurring post-weaning diarrhea, to maintain productivity and enhance welfare.
Stanley JS, Mansbridge SC, Bedford MR, Connerton IF, Mellits KH. Prebiotic xylo-oligosaccharides modulate the gut microbiome to improve innate immunity and gut barrier function and enhance performance in piglets experiencing post-weaning diarrhoea. Microorganisms; 2025; 13(8), 1760. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13081760