Effects of long-term feeding diets supplemented with Lactobacillus reuteri 1 on growth performance, digestive and absorptive function of the small intestine in pigs

Abstract

• LR1 promoted pig growth. • LR1 improved intestinal hormone, digestion and absorption. This study aimed to investigate the effects of long-term feeding diets supplemented with antibiotics and Lactobacillus reuteri 1 (LR1) on growth performance, intestinal digestion and absorption in pigs. The results showed that both LR1 and the antibiotics increased body weight of the piglets after 42-d ( P < 0.05), and showed a tendency to promote growth performance in growing-finishing pigs. LR1 significantly improved jejunal and ileal mucosal morphology and increased expression of jejunal glucosidase and ileal cholecystokinin, digestive enzymes and nutrient transporters. The antibiotics decreased jejunal lactase , B0 + AT1 , FATP1 , GLUT2 , ileal y + LAT1 , and GLUT2 ( P < 0.05). LR1 stimulated protein synthesis of ileal mucosa rather than jejunal mucosa compared to control and antibiotic groups ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, LR1 could be an alternative to antibiotics as a growth promoter that improves mucosal morphology, synthesis and secretion of cholecystokinin and digestion and absorption of small intestine.