Early Intervention Using Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Combined with Probiotics Influence the Growth Performance, Diarrhea, and Intestinal Barrier Function of Piglets

• Main Authors: Quanhang Xiang, Xiaoyu Wu, Ye Pan, Liu Wang, Yuwei Guo, Chenbin Cui, Lingling Hu, Lingling Zhu, Jian Peng, Hongkui Wei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-01-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: early intervention; growth performance; intestinal barrier function; diarrhea; piglets
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/2/568

Early intervention with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) improves the growth performance and intestinal barrier function of piglets. Accelerating intestinal oxygen concentration is beneficial for symbiotic bacterial colonization. <i>Saccharomyces boulardii</i> (SB) is an aerobic fungus, which may contribute to the colonization of anaerobic symbiotic bacteria by competing for oxygen. <i>Clostridium butyricum</i> (CB) improves intestinal barrier function and performance, via regulating the gut microbiota composition of piglets. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of early intervention with FMT combining CB and SB on growth performance, diarrhea, and intestinal barrier function in piglets. A total of 77 litters of neonatal piglets assigned to one of six treatments, which treated with antibiotics (AB), placebo (CON), and FMT (FMT), FMT-added CB (FMT+C), FMT-added SB (FMT+S), and FMT-added CB and SB (FMT+C+S), respectively. FMT+C+S treated piglets had higher body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) both in weaning and finial period, and it significantly increased the levels of fecal mucin-2 (MUC2), fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and relative abundance of fecal <i>Lactobacillus</i> spp., and <i>Bifidobacterium</i> genus. Moreover, early intervention with FMT+C+S reduced the diarrhea rate during the experiment. FMT+C+S also decreased the level of plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactate (D-LA), and relative abundance of fecal <i>E. coli</i> during the suckling period. In summary, early intervention with FMT combining CB and SB improved the growth performance, intestinal barrier function, fecal SCFAs concentration, and fecal <i>Lactobacillus</i> and <i>Bifidobacterium</i> of piglets.