Live Multi-Strain Probiotics Enhance Growth Performance by Regulating Intestinal Morphology and Microbiome Population in Weaning Piglets

Abstract

The effects of different forms of multi-strain probiotics on weaning piglets are limitedly addressed. Thus, this study investigated the effects of live or inanimate multi-strain probiotics comprising Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, intestinal morphology, fecal microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and intestinal gene expression of weaning piglets. A total of 160 weaning piglets (4 weeks old) were randomly allocated into four treatments (CON: basal diet; AB: basal diet with 110 ppm and 66 ppm colistin in the weaning and nursery phases, respectively; LP: basal diet with 2.0 × 10⁹ CFU/kg live probiotics; and IP: basal diet with 2.0 × 10⁹ CFU/kg inanimate probiotics). Piglets fed with LP had significantly lower FCR compared to those of the CON and IP groups in week 4 to week 8 (p < 0.05). Moreover, the LP group had significantly higher villus height (VH) compared with AB at week 6, lower crypt depth (CD) compared with IP, and higher VH/CD ratio compared to other treatments at week 10 (p < 0.05), which indicate healthier intestinal morphology. Probiotic treatments (LP and IP) increased Bifidobacterium population compared to CON at week 6 and lowered Enterobacteriaceae at week 6 and week 10 (p < 0.05). Regarding gene expressions of intestinal integrity, LP showed significantly higher TFF3 expression compared with CON and AB at week 6 and compared with other treatments in jejunum at week 10 (p < 0.05). IP treatment had significantly higher MUC2 expression compared to other treatments at week 6 and week 10 (p < 0.05). Overall, live multi-strain probiotics improved growth efficiency by enhancing gut integrity and microbiome balance, making them a potential antibiotic alternative to ameliorate weaning stress and promote productive performance in weaning piglets.

Keywords: gene expression; growth performance; intestinal integrity; probiotics; weaning piglets.

Figure 1

Histological representations of intestinal samples (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) from experimental pigs at week 6 (A) and week 10 (B) (scale bar = 250 µm). CON, piglets were fed with basal diet; AB, piglets were fed with basal diet containing 110 ppm colistin in the weaning phase and 66 ppm colistin in the nursery phase; LP and IP, piglets were fed with basal diet containing 2.0 × 10⁹ CFU/kg live and inanimate multi-strain probiotics containing L. plantarum, S. thermophilus, and B. subtilis, respectively.

Figure 2

Effects of live or inanimate multi-strain probiotics on relative gene expression of weaning pigs. *, **, and *** indicate that means are significant difference among each other at p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.001, respectively, which are statistically tested by Kruskal–Wallis test. (A) TFF2, Trefoil factor 2; (B) TFF3, Trefoil factor 3; (C) MUC2, Mucin 2; (D) ZO1, Zonula occludens-1; (E) Claudin 1; and (F) Occludin. CON, piglets were fed with basal diet; AB, piglets were fed with basal diet containing 110 ppm colistin in the weaning phase and 66 ppm colistin in the nursery phase; LP and IP, piglets were fed with basal diet containing 2.0 × 10⁹ CFU/kg live and inanimate multi-strain probiotics containing L. plantarum, S. thermophilus, and B. subtilis, respectively.