Probiotics can improve swine gut health and effective use of nutrients

In line with the growing need for ideal alternatives to in-feed antibiotics following the restrictions placed on antibiotic growth promoters, scientists from the Mississippi State University and the University of Manitoba have published a paper that outlines “up-to-date knowledge and comprehensive references” for probiotic use for swine production. The study, which appeared in the journal Animal Nutrition, is targeted to both manufacturers and researchers alike, in the hopes of better product development in the long run.

• The study highlighted the importance of healthy gut microbiota, even for pigs: The state of the microbiota of a pig is directly linked to its gut health, nutrient absorption, and overall body health.
• It also listed the current state of probiotic use in both humans and animals. Currently, probiotic strains are selected based on its resistance to gastric acids and bile salts, ability to colonize the intestine, and its capacity to antagonize potential pathogens.
• There are a number of commercial products that contain probiotic species of bacteria; in the study, authors classified it into four main categories: single versus multi-species/strain probiotics, bacterial versus non-bacterial probiotics, spore-forming versus non-spore forming probiotics, and allochthonous vs. autochthonous probiotics.
• The authors also listed the functional mechanisms influenced by probiotics. These include the modulation of gut microbiota, modulation of immune responses, reduction of diarrhea and antitoxin effects, and modulation of nutrient digestibility, among others.
• In the paper, the authors proffered the need to explain the benefits of probiotics further, as the evidence backing up these functional mechanisms is still incomplete.
• Finally, the safety and risk of using probiotics were discussed. The authors noted that probiotic usage is generally regarded as safe for both human and animal use, but there is still a risk of an adverse reaction depending on a host’s susceptibility and physiological condition.

The authors deduced that an increase in the knowledge of gut microbiota and the effects of probiotics could lead to innovations in the field and further improve sustainable – and profitable – swine manufacturing practices.

Find the full text of the study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Liao SF, Nyachoti M. USING PROBIOTICS TO IMPROVE SWINE GUT HEALTH AND NUTRIENT UTILIZATION. Animal Nutrition. 2017;3(4):331–343. DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2017.06.007