Abstract
BackgroundIn pig production systems, weaning is a crucial period characterized by nutritional, environmental, and social stresses. Piglets transition from a milk-based diet to a solid, more complex plant-based diet, and their gut physiology must adapt accordingly. It is well established that piglets weaned later display improved health, better wean-to-finish growth performance, and lower mortality rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of weaning age on fecal microbiota diversity and composition in piglets. Forty-eight Large White piglets were divided into 4 groups of 12 animals that were weaned at different ages: 14 days (early weaning), 21 days (a common weaning age in intensive pig farming), 28 days (idem), and 42 days (late weaning). Microbiota composition was assessed in each group by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene using fecal samples taken on the day of weaning, 7 days later, and at 60 days of age.ResultsIn each group, there were significant differences in fecal microbiota composition before and after weaning (p < 0.05), confirming that weaning can drastically change the gut microbiota. Microbiota diversity was positively correlated with weaning age: microbial alpha diversity and richness were higher in piglets weaned at 42 days of age both on the day of weaning and 7 days later. The abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was also higher in piglets weaned at 42 days of age.ConclusionsOverall, these results show that late weaning increased gut microbiota diversity and the abundance of F. prausnitzii, a microorganism with positive effects in humans. Piglets might thus derive a competitive advantage from later weaning because they have more time to accumulate a higher diversity of potentially beneficial microbes prior to the stressful and risky weaning period.
Highlights
Weaning is one of the most important life transitions experienced by pigs raised for commercial meat production, and piglets go through post-weaning transient anorexia, which results in undernutrition and weight loss [1]
Effect of weaning age on piglet weight and occurrence of diarrhea Forty-eight Large White piglets (23 females and 25 males) were divided into four groups of 12 animals that were weaned at different ages: 14 days (W14), 21 days (W21), 28 days (W28), and 42 days (W42)
In conclusion, our results suggest that piglet gut health could be enhanced by late weaning, as it would give the gut microbiota more time to diversity prior to weaning
Summary
Weaning is one of the most important life transitions experienced by pigs raised for commercial meat production, and piglets go through post-weaning transient anorexia, which results in undernutrition and weight loss [1]. In modern pig production systems, weaning usually occurs between the third and fourth week of life [4], and piglets are forced to switch from a highly digestible milk-based diet to a more complex, less digestible, and solid plant-based diet [1]. During this period, piglets may be afflicted with diarrhea due to gut dysbiosis and/or the colonization of the gut by enteric pathogens [1, 5]. Piglets transition from a milk-based diet to a solid, more complex plant-based diet, and their gut physiology must adapt . Microbiota composition was assessed in each group by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene using fecal samples taken on the day of weaning, 7 days later, and at 60 days of age
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