The effects of dietary probiotic supplementation with viable Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens spores on sow performance, immunity, gut functional status and biofilm formation by probiotic bacteria in piglets at weaning were investigated. Ninety-six sows reared in a continuous farrowing system for one full cycle were fed gestation diets during the first 90 d of pregnancy and lactation diets until the end of lactation. The sows were fed a basal diet without probiotics (control; n = 48) or a diet supplemented with viable spores (1.1 × 10⁹ CFU/kg of feed) (probiotic; n = 48). At 7 d of age, sucking piglets (n = 12/group) were provided prestarter creep feed until weaning at 28 d of age. The piglets in the probiotic group were supplemented with the same probiotic and dosage as their dams. Blood and colostrum collected from sows and ileal tissues collected from piglets on the day of weaning were used for analyses. Probiotics increased the weight of piglets (P = 0.077), improved the weaning weight (P = 0.039) and increased both the total creep feed consumption (P = 0.027) and litter gain (P = 0.011). Probiotics also improved the faecal score in the second (P = 0.013) week of life. The immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations in sow blood at farrowing and the IgM concentrations in piglet blood at weaning were higher in the probiotic group than in the control group (P = 0.046). The piglets from the probiotic-treated sows showed a higher IgM concentration in the ileal mucosa (P = 0.050) and a lower IgG concentration in the ileal mucosa (P = 0.021) compared with the piglets from control sows. The probiotic-treated piglets had a thicker ileal mucosa (P = 0.012) due to the presence of longer villi and larger Peyer's patches (P < 0.001). B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens were detected in the probiotic-treated piglets but not the control piglets; these bacteria were present in the digesta and villus structures and formed structures resembling biofilms. Overall, Bacillus-based probiotic supplementation improves the health indices of sows and their piglets.

Postweaning diarrhoea caused by Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a threat to the pig industry. With an intensified focus on finding alternatives to the use of medical zinc oxide and antibiotics in newly weaned pigs, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of early inoculation of probiotics to suckling piglets on subsequently ETEC faecal shedding and immune parameters in ETEC F18-challenged weaned piglets. Sixty pigs weaned on day 28 of age were assigned to three treatment groups: (i) Negative Control (non-challenged), (ii) Positive Control (challenged) and (iii) Probiotic (challenged and inoculated with a multi-species probiotic product during suckling). On days 1 and 2 postweaning, pigs in the Positive Control and Probiotic groups were challenged with 5 × 10⁸ colony-forming unit ETEC F18/pig/day, whereas pigs in the Negative Control group were provided with NaCl. Growth and diarrhoea incidence were not significantly affected by ETEC challenge or probiotic administration. ETEC F18 shedding and C-reactive protein concentration in plasma were significantly lower in the Negative Control group, confirming a successful challenge model. Pigs in the Probiotic group had a significantly reduced number of pigs shedding ETEC F18 and STb toxin in faeces compared with the Positive Control group. Probiotic application did not significantly impact the concentration of C-reactive protein, haptoglobin and cytokines in plasma nor haematology numbers. In conclusion, weaned pigs administered with a multi-species probiotic product early in life had a more rapid response towards the pathogen challenge and a faster clearance of ETEC compared with the Positive Control group. Administration of a multi-species probiotic to newborn piglets may thus promote resilience in the newly weaned pig. However, further studies with pigs subjected to a more severe pathogen challenge are needed to confirm these results and to investigate the mechanism of action of the probiotic intervention.

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of Bacillus-based probiotic diets on reproduction performance, fecal scores, microflora, and economic factors in lactating sows and suckling piglets across two productive cycles. A total of 96 sows, reared in a continuous farrowing system for two full cycles, were divided into two groups: a control group and an experimental group. Sows were fed a basal diet without the probiotic or a diet supplemented with viable bacterial spores. At seven days of age, control group piglets were offered standard creep feed, whereas piglets in the experimental (probiotic) group received a diet containing the probiotic fed to their dams. Sows receiving probiotic-supplemented diets were characterized by significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) average daily feed intake in lactation, lower (p ≤ 0.01) body weight (BW) loss during lactation, and reduced loss of backfat thickness as well as higher body condition score after lactation. Dietary probiotic supplementation increased (p ≤ 0.01) birth weight, total creep feed consumption, litter weight gain, and piglet weaning weight. The probiotic also improved (p ≤ 0.01) overall fecal scores, decreased total E. coli count on day seven and Clostridium perfringens count (trend) in sucking piglets. The total feed cost per weaned piglet was lower in the experimental (probiotic) group. Supplementing the diet with a probiotic containing Bacillus strains improved the reproductive performance of sows and the performance and health of piglets.

Probiotics provide health benefits and are used as feed supplements as an alternative prophylactic strategy to antibiotics. However, the effects of Bacillus-based probiotics containing more than two strains when supplemented to pigs are rarely elucidated. SOLVENS (SLV) is a triple-strain Bacillus-based probiotic. In this study, we investigate the effects of SLV on performance, immunity, intestinal morphology, and microbial community in piglets. A total of 480 weaned pigs [initial body weight (BW) of 8.13 ± 0.08 kg and 28 days of age] were assigned to three treatments in a randomized complete block design: P0: basal diet (CON); P200: CON + 200 mg SLV per kg feed (6.5 × 10⁸ CFU/kg feed); and P400: CON + 400 mg SLV per kg feed (1.3 × 10⁹ CFU/kg feed). Each treatment had 20 replicated pens with eight pigs (four male/four female) per pen. During the 31 d feeding period (Phase 1 = wean to d 14, Phase 2 = d 15 to 31 after weaning), all pigs were housed in a temperature-controlled nursery room (23 to 25 °C). Feed and water were available ad libitum. The results showed that the pigs in the P400 group increased (p < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) in phase 2 and tended (p = 0.10) to increase ADG overall. The pigs in the P200 and P400 groups tended (p = 0.10) to show improved feed conversion ratios overall in comparison with control pigs. The pigs in the P200 and P400 groups increased (p < 0.05) serum immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G, and haptoglobin on d 14, and serum C-reactive protein on d 31. The pigs in the P200 group showed an increased (p < 0.01) villus height at the jejunum, decreased (p < 0.05) crypt depth at the ileum compared with other treatments, and tended (p = 0.09) to have an increased villus–crypt ratio at the jejunum compared with control pigs. The pigs in the P200 and P400 groups showed increased (p < 0.05) goblet cells in the small intestine. Moreover, the pigs in the P400 group showed down-regulated (p < 0.05) interleukin-4 and tumor necrosis factor-α gene expressions, whereas the pigs in the P400 group showed up-regulated occludin gene expression in the ileum. These findings suggest that SLV alleviates immunological reactions, improves intestinal microbiota balance, and reduces weaning stress in piglets. Therefore, SOLVENS has the potential to improve health and performance for piglets.

The CoMiniGut in vitro model mimicking the small intestine of piglets was used to evaluate four probiotic strains for their potential as a preventive measure against development of diarrhea in weaned pigs. In the in vitro system, piglet digesta was inoculated with pathogenic enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F4 (ETEC F4), and the short-chain fatty acid profile and the gut microbiota composition were assessed. A total of four probiotic strains were evaluated: Enterococcus faecium (CHCC 10669), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (CHCC 11994), Bifidobacterium breve (CHCC 15268) and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (CHCC 28556). The significant differences observed in metabolite concetration and bacterial enumeration were attributed to variation in inoculating material or pathogen challenge rather than probiotic treatment. Probiotic administration influenced the microbiota composition to a small extend. Learnings from the present study indicate that the experimental setup, including incubation time and choice of inoculating material, should be chosen with care.