Abstract
Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the potential of administering bovine colostrum to suckling and weanling piglets to modulate the growth, body composition, intestinal architecture, immunity, as well as remodeling and permeability. Twenty-four litters adjusted to 12 piglets each were selected at birth; one-half of them received liquid bovine colostrum (LC+) from d 5 to d 10, whereas the remaining litters did not receive any supplementation (LC-). Starting from d 11, all the litters received a creep feed either supplemented or not with 5% dehydrated bovine colostrum (BC+ and BC-, respectively). Animals were classified as “eaters” or “non eaters” according to their activity towards the feeders recorded by direct observation and presence of dietary marker (ferric oxide) in feces. At weaning (d 21), 16 LC+/BC+ and 16 LC-/BC- piglets (with an equal number of "eaters" and "non eaters" in each group) were selected and fed for 10 days with the same diets administered during lactation. Growth performance was recorded at d 0, 21 and 31. At d 31 bone mineral content, total body fat and lean contents were measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry; furthermore, animals were euthanized at d 31 and intestinal samples were collected to evaluate the intestinal morphology and concentration of TNFα, IL10, CXCL10, occludin, caspase 3 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Our results showed that LC+ and BC+ treatments increased creep feed consumption during lactation (P=0.01 and P=0.08, respectively) and affected litter weight at weaning (LC×BC interaction, P=0.04). Ten days after weaning, BC+ supplementation increased the intestinal villous to crypt ratio and reduced the occludin concentration (P<0.05). Piglets classified as creep feeding "eaters" showed greater intestinal occludin concentrations compared with "non eaters" animals (P=0.005). This study highlights the potential of bovine colostrum to increase piglet growth performance during lactation and affect the intestinal health in the peri-weaning period.
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