As a farmer, ensuring the health and growth of your piglets during the weaning period is crucial for overall production success. The weaning stage is often challenging, with piglets experiencing stress due to changes in feed and environment, leading to diarrhoea and intestinal infections. The use of antibiotics in feed has been a common practice to combat these issues, but concerns about antimicrobial resistance and public health have highlighted the need for alternative solutions.
In Australia, like many other countries, researchers are exploring new options to maintain piglet health without relying on antibiotics. One promising alternative that has been gaining attention is the use of lactoferrin as a dietary supplement for weaning piglets. Lactoferrin is a multifunctional protein with various beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immune-modulating effects. In a recent study, researchers investigated the impact of lactoferrin supplementation on the growth performance and health of weaning piglets.
Study Setup
In the study, weaning piglets were divided into four groups with different dietary treatments:
- Negative control group (Control): basic diet, no additive
- Positive control group (Antibiotics): basic diet + 20 mg/kg flavomycin + 100 mg/kg aureomycin
- Low-level lactoferrin (BLF-Low): basic diet + 1 g/kg lactoferrin
- High-level lactoferrin (BLF-High): basic diet + 3 g/kg lactoferrin
The trial lasted for 14 days, allowing researchers to assess the impact of lactoferrin supplementation on various aspects of piglet health and growth.
Growth Performance and Diarrhoea
One of the key findings of the study was that both lactoferrin supplementation and antibiotic treatment significantly reduced the incidence of diarrhoea in weaning piglets. The results indicated that the higher the level of lactoferrin supplementation, the lower the rate of diarrhoea observed in piglets. Additionally, piglets in the high-level lactoferrin group showed the highest weight gain and feed intake, outperforming both the antibiotics group and the unsupplemented control group. Furthermore, the antibiotics and high-level lactoferrin groups exhibited superior feed conversion ratios compared to the control and low-level lactoferrin groups. These improvements in growth performance were attributed to enhanced immunity, intestinal integrity, and reduced diarrhoea incidents.
Improved Immunity and Antioxidant Activities
Supplementation with lactoferrin led to a significant increase in the concentration of plasma immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, and IgM), indicating a positive impact on adaptive immunity. Lactoferrin also promoted the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells, as demonstrated by an increase in the T-lymphocyte transformation rate. Additionally, the antioxidant capacity of the piglets’ bodies was enhanced by lactoferrin supplementation, as reflected in the increased activity of antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, coupled with a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) content. These effects were attributed to the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway, which regulates the expression of cytoprotective genes, including antioxidant genes.
Intestinal Integrity
Maintaining proper intestinal morphology is essential for the overall health and growth of weaning piglets. The study demonstrated that lactoferrin supplementation led to a significant increase in villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth, indicating improved intestinal morphology. Furthermore, the expression of tight junction proteins in the ileum, crucial for maintaining structural intestinal integrity and barrier function, was upregulated in response to lactoferrin supplementation. These findings underscore the importance of intestinal health in supporting the well-being of weaning piglets.
Modulation of Microbiota
The balance of intestinal flora plays a critical role in the health of weaning piglets, with disruptions in the microbiota contributing to intestinal inflammation and pathogen proliferation. Lactoferrin supplementation was found to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium while reducing the abundance of pathogenic E. coli in the caecum. The antibacterial effect of lactoferrin on E. coli was linked to its ability to degrade the bacteria’s lipopolysaccharide component. By modulating the microbiota, lactoferrin helps maintain a healthy intestinal environment during the critical weaning period.
The Cost Consideration
While the benefits of lactoferrin supplementation for weaning piglets are promising, researchers acknowledge that the cost of commercial lactoferrin as a feed additive remains a challenge. The high cost associated with lactoferrin products may limit widespread adoption in the industry. Moving forward, efforts should focus on developing a stable supply chain for lactoferrin products that are cost-effective, easy to prepare, and of high quality. By addressing these challenges, lactoferrin could emerge as a valuable alternative to antibiotics in promoting the health and growth of weaning piglets.
In conclusion, lactoferrin shows great potential as a safe and effective alternative to antibiotics for improving the growth performance and health of weaning piglets. By enhancing immunity, antioxidant activities, intestinal integrity, and microbiota balance, lactoferrin offers a comprehensive approach to supporting the well-being of piglets during the critical weaning period. While cost remains a consideration, ongoing research and development efforts aim to overcome this hurdle and unlock the full benefits of lactoferrin for both animal and human health.
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ANTIBIOTIC REDUCTION SPECIAL 2023 – read all articles
