Abstract
The pig gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is an open ecosystem in which microorganisms and their host are mutually involved and continually adapt to different factors and problems which may or may not be host dependent or due to the production system. The aim of the present review is to highlight the factors affecting the GIT microbial balance in young pigs, focusing on the pre- and post-weaning phases, to define a road map for improving pig health and the production efficiency of the food chain. Birth and weaning body weight, physiological maturation, colostrum and milk (composition and intake), genetic background, environmental stressors and management practices, antibiotic use and diet composition are considered. Overall, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the effect that some factors, including weaning age, the use of creep feed, the composition of the colostrum and milk and the use of antibiotics, may have on the gut microbiome of piglets. Furthermore, the information on the gut microbiome of piglets is mainly based on the taxonomy description, while there is a lack of knowledge regarding the functional modification of the microbiota, essential for the exploitation of microbiota potential for modulating pig physiology.
Highlights
Increases in human population have impacted the estimated demand for food of animal origin, and a rise in per capita demand has been predicted to extend from 2000 to 2030
Bacteria belonging to the Bacteroidetes phylum and the Ruminococcaceae family increased in piglets which grew faster while Actinobacillus porcinus and Lactobacillus amylovorus were reduced in pigs with slower growth
Since pigs are subject to a number of stressful factors which contribute to generating an imbalance in the intestinal microbiome during weaning transition and which can result in post-weaning diarrhea, a potential strategy could be to select pigs for their robustness and to include markers related to the host-microbiota cross-talk in the genetic indices
Summary
Increases in human population have impacted the estimated demand for food of animal origin, and a rise in per capita demand has been predicted to extend from 2000 to 2030. The evolution of the definition of the proper management rules of pig production has had and still has great relevance in influencing the context of the host to microbiome interaction. The aim of the present review is to highlight and describe the factors affecting the GIT microbial balance in young pigs during the pre- and post-weaning phases. This information represents a prerequisite to defining a road map for improving pig health and the production efficiency of the pig food chain
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