Abstract
Simple SummaryIn recent decades, the ban of antibiotic growth promoters together with the reduction in the feed of trace minerals with antimicrobial properties such as zinc and copper, has increased the demand to identify organic alternatives with antimicrobial properties that may improve the production efficiency and sustainability in an antibiotic-free system. The sustainability of pig production can be enhanced, by increasing the feed efficiency, modulating the microbiota, and reducing the impact of different diseases through the use of natural substances. Considerable research has focused on the gut environment and microbiota modulation as key to boosting pig health. Sustainable dietary interventions that positively modulate the gut environment and microbiota in pigs are required to enhance pig health and welfare. In the field of natural substances, seaweed and their bioactive compounds have assumed particular importance as feed ingredients for pigs. In fact, seaweeds include numerous bioactive substances with prebiotic, anti-microbial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities. The present paper reviews the prebiotic effects of seaweed polysaccharides in pigs.To ensure environmental sustainability, according to the European Green Deal and to boost the One Health concept, it is essential to improve animals’ health and adopt sustainable and natural feed ingredients. Over the past decade, prebiotics have been used as an alternative approach in order to reduce the use of antimicrobials, by positively affecting the gut microbiota and decreasing the onset of several enteric diseases in pig. However, dietary supplementation with seaweed polysaccharides as prebiotics has gained attention in recent years. Seaweeds or marine macroalgae contain several polysaccharides: laminarin, fucoidan, and alginates are found in brown seaweeds, carrageenan in red seaweeds, and ulvan in green seaweeds. The present review focuses on studies evaluating dietary seaweed polysaccharide supplementation in pig used as prebiotics to positively modulate gut health and microbiota composition.
Highlights
Gut health, which is described as a generalized condition of homeostasis in the gastrointestinal tract [1], has been recognized as playing a key role in maintaining pig health
The review by Xiong et al [2] focused on the effects of several feed ingredients or additives such as functional amino acids, natural extracts, and short-chain fatty acids and prebiotics on gut health in weaned pigs
Considering the above mentioned properties, the present paper reviews the prebiotic effects of seaweed polysaccharides in pig nutrition
Summary
Gut health, which is described as a generalized condition of homeostasis in the gastrointestinal tract [1], has been recognized as playing a key role in maintaining pig health. The gut plays an important role in efficient feed digestion and absorption, for the protection of the gut barrier, the microbiota composition, and the improvement in the immune status [2]. Since the ban on in-feed antibiotics, reliable dietary interventions are needed that are capable of sustaining pig performance and improving gut health, by minimizing the use of antimicrobials. The review by Xiong et al [2] focused on the effects of several feed ingredients or additives such as functional amino acids, natural extracts, and short-chain fatty acids and prebiotics on gut health in weaned pigs. Natural bioactive compounds have been considered as attractive dietary interventions in pig in order to ensure environmental sustainability, in line with the European Green. Considering the above mentioned properties, the present paper reviews the prebiotic effects of seaweed polysaccharides in pig nutrition
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