Abstract

Simple SummaryThe maturation of the gut is a specific and very dynamic process in new-born piglets. Consequently, piglet’s gut is very susceptible to disturbances, especially in stressful periods of life, such as weaning, when the gut lining often becomes inflamed and leaky. Dietary fatty acids (FA) do not only serve as source of energy and essential FA, but they are important precursors for bioactive lipid mediators, which modulate inflammatory signalling in the body. The current review summarizes results on dietary sources of FA for piglets, the signalling cascades, bioactivities, the necessity to consider the autoxidation potential of polyunsaturated FA and the area of microbially produced long-chain FA. That said, porcine milk is high in fat, whereby the milk FA composition partly depends on the dietary FA composition of the sow. Therefore, manipulation of the sow diet is an efficient tool to increase the piglet’s intake of specific FA, e.g., n-3 polyunsaturated FA which show anti-inflammatory activity and may support intestinal integrity and functioning in the growing animal.Excessive inflammation and a reduced gut mucosal barrier are major causes for gut dysfunction in piglets. The fatty acid (FA) composition of the membrane lipids is crucial for mediating inflammatory signalling and is largely determined by their dietary intake. Porcine colostrum and milk are the major sources of fat in neonatal piglets. Both are rich in fat, demonstrating the dependence of the young metabolism from fat and providing the young organism with the optimum profile of lipids for growth and development. The manipulation of sow’s dietary polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) intake has been shown to be an efficient strategy to increase the transfer of specific FAs to the piglet for incorporation in enteric tissues and cell membranes. n-3 PUFAs, especially seems to be beneficial for the immune response and gut epithelial barrier function, supporting the piglet’s enteric defences in situations of increased stress such as weaning. Little is known about microbial lipid mediators and their role in gut barrier function and inhibition of inflammation in neonatal piglets. The present review summarizes the current knowledge of lipid nutrition in new-born piglets, comparing the FA ingestion from milk and plant-based lipid sources and touching the areas of host lipid signalling, inflammatory signalling and microbially derived FAs.

Highlights

  • In pig nutrition, lipids are principally considered as a source of energy and essential fatty acids [FA; i.e., alpha-linolenic acid, (ALA, 18:3n-3) and linoleic acid (LA 18:2n-6)] [1]

  • With our advancing understanding of the critical impact of dietary lipids in the modulation of the intestinal immune response, the aim of this literature review is to provide an overview of the current knowledge of lipid nutrition in the early life of pigs, focusing on the changes in FA ingestion from the suckling to the postweaning period by comparing milk fat and plant-based lipid sources used in solid diets, host lipid signalling, inflammatory pathways triggered by polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and the area of microbially derived long-chain

  • Adequate nutritional supply of bioactive FAs, such as n-3 rich PUFAs, may control the inflammatory response and support intestinal barrier functions by modifying the FA profile in membranous phospholipids when provided throughout the suckling phase

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Summary

Introduction

Lipids are principally considered as a source of energy and essential fatty acids [FA; i.e., alpha-linolenic acid, (ALA, 18:3n-3) and linoleic acid (LA 18:2n-6)] [1]. While for humans an optimal n-6:n-3 ratio of 2 to 3:1 has been suggested, various n-6:n-3 ratios have been proposed in pig nutrition, but ratios may differ for pigs of different ages and the search for an optimal proportion in the feed for sows and piglets is still in progress [7] Based on this information, more knowledge about the role of FAs in the early neonatal nutrition of pigs in relation to the maturation of the gut and immune system needs to be gained. With our advancing understanding of the critical impact of dietary lipids in the modulation of the intestinal immune response, the aim of this literature review is to provide an overview of the current knowledge of lipid nutrition in the early life of pigs, focusing on the changes in FA ingestion from the suckling to the postweaning period by comparing milk fat and plant-based lipid sources used in solid diets, host lipid signalling, inflammatory pathways triggered by PUFA and the area of microbially derived long-chain. These will be only briefly presented in the present review

Role of Lipids for Piglet’s Development
Lipids as Source of Energy and Nutrients
Lipid Digestion and Absorption
Gut Mucosal Recognition of FAs
Physiological Roles of PUFAs
Lipid Peroxidation
Lipid Sources from Birth to Postweaning
Lipid Composition of Porcine Colostrum and Milk
Lipids and Bioactive FA in Milk Replacers and Solid Diets
Microbially-Derived FA
Findings
Conclusions and Perspectives
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