131 Effects of a microbiome activator on nursery piglets fed varying fiber levels

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Abstract Excessive dietary inclusion of non-starch polysaccharides can hinder nutrient utilization in young pigs due to their immature gut microbiome. This study investigated the impact of a stimbiotic (Signis; AB Vista Marlborough, UK) on growth performance and health of nursery pigs fed diets with varying fiber levels. A stimbiotic increases fiber fermentability by stimulating fiber-degrading microbiota in the gut resulting in an increase in volatile fatty production. We hypothesized that the stimbiotic would enhance the fiber-fermenting microbiome, thereby improving intestinal health and facilitating a smoother transition through the weaning to the end of the nursery period. A total of 196 nursery pigs, weaned at 21 days (initial body weight of 6.14 ± 0.01 kg) were arranged in a 3 × 2 factorial randomized complete block design with 48 pens (4 pigs/pen) for a 35-day study. Factors consisted of 3 levels of wheat middlings (0, 3, or 6%) and 2 stimbiotic inclusion levels (0 or 0.01%). No significant differences were observed in final body weight, average daily gain, or feed intake (P > 0.42). Gain:feed ratio linearly decreased with increasing inclusion of wheat middlings (P = 0.004; 723, 702, and 683 g/kg), while stimbiotic supplementation tended to improve feed efficiency (P = 0.116; 711 vs. 694 g/kg). The greatest improvement in feed efficiency with the stimbiotic was observed in pigs fed 0% wheat middlings (P = 0.012; 747 vs. 699 g/kg). Fecal scores determined in individual pigs using fecal loops indicated that on day 14, the incidence of diarrhea tended to increase with higher inclusion of wheat middlings when no stimbiotic was included, but it tended to decrease in the presence of the stimbiotic (Chi-square P = 0.070). By day 28, the presence of the stimbiotic significantly reduced the incidence of diarrhea compared to diets without it (19.79% vs. 35.42%; Chi-square P = 0.016). Additionally, calprotectin levels were significantly higher on day 14 in pigs fed 6% wheat middlings without the stimbiotic compared to those fed 3%, indicating an inflammatory response that diminished by day 28 (P < 0.008). These results suggest that while wheat middlings negatively affected feed efficiency, the stimbiotic effectively enhanced feed efficiency, reduced calprotectin levels, and mitigated diarrhea, particularly in low-fiber diets.