The gestation period of sows is a particularly vulnerable physiological stage, and corresponding measures should be taken according to its physiological characteristics to avoid adverse effects before and after delivery, such as insufficient milk production, frequent disease, and other phenomena. This period affects the health of piglets after birth and affects the reproductive cycle of sows. Dietary functional oligosaccharides can improve intestinal microflora structure, feed intake and nutrient digestion and absorption, antioxidant capacity and non-specifific immunity.
Dietary functional oligosaccharides can encourage better average daily gain, litter weight and healthy litter rate of postpartum weaned piglets added 400 mg/kg mannan oligosaccharides(MOS) in diets of sows and 800 mg/kg MOS in diets of piglets. They found that the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in jejunum of sows and piglets increased, while the relative abundance of E. coli decreased, and the secret immune globulin (SIgA) content in jejunum mucosa of piglets found an increase. In the piglets, they found that the mRNA expression levels of IL-8 and Toll-Like receptor ligand (TLRL) were decreased, and the contents of pro-inflammatory factors such as IL-2, IL-4 and interferon (IFN)-g in serum of piglets weredecreased, while the content of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 was increased, which proved that MOS can improve the intestinal flora structure and immunity of sows and piglets, and it also can inhibit the occurrence of intestinal inflammation and improve the survival rate and growth performance of piglets.
Fed 40 mg/kg chitosan oligosaccharides(COS) to sows during oestrus increasing litter size of sows by 18.5% and piglet survival by 19.2%. After feeding 30 mg/kg COS to sows in late gestation and lactation, the amino acid content in milk secreted by sows increased, and the daily gain and weaning weight of offspring increased. At the same time, the blood sugar level and liver glycogen content of piglets are reduced, which further improves the growth effificiency of piglets. In addition, relevant studies have proved that obesity in sows during late gestation will aggravate perinatal metabolic disorders and affect offspring piglets’ performance and intestinal health. Feeding gilts 1000 mg/kg of COS can reduce their final body weight and avoid excessive obesity . The effects of functional oligosaccharides on alleviating sow obesity and improving offspring survival were further verifified. Supplementation of 100 mg/kg COS in the diet of sows increased serum leptin and immunoglobulin content at 35 and 85 d of gestation, and increased fetal survival rate, number of live piglets per litter and average body weight
Reference:Applications and prospects of functional oligosaccharides in pig nutrition: A review