Dietary Glyceryl Polyethylene Glycol Ricinoleate as an Additive to Improve Intestinal Health in Post-Weaning Piglets

Early weaning in intensive pig production induces stress, compromising gastrointestinal health. Poor fat digestion results from the piglets' underdeveloped digestive system. Dietary emulsifiers can enhance fat utilization, and glyceryl polyethylene glycol ricinoleate (GPGR) has been shown to improve pig performance. This study evaluated GPGR's effects on intestinal health in weaned piglets in a commercial production farm. A total of 380 just weaned (21 days old) piglets were divided in two groups of 190 animals each (in four replicates) that received either a basal diet (control) or a basal diet + 350 g/ton GPGR pharmaceutical formulation as top dress. Blood samples were collected at pre-established days, and intestinal sampling occurred 15 days post-weaning. Plasma cortisol, citrulline, intestinal morphology, mucus quality, enzymatic activity, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), and cecal microbiota were analyzed. GPGR did not alter plasma cortisol but increased citrullinemia (P: 0.024), suggesting greater enterocyte functional mass. GPGR piglets showed improved intestinal morphology (greater villus height, villus height:crypt depth ratio, and intestinal absorption area, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and higher enzymatic maltase activity (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.014). VFAs, bacterial adherence to mucus, and goblet cell counts were unaffected. Dietary GPGR increased <i>Firmicutes</i> and <i>Actinobacteria</i> (P: 0.014 and P: 0.045, respectively) while reducing <i>Proteobacteria</i> (<i>p</i> < 0.001). In conclusion, dietary GPGR promotes intestinal health in weaned piglets by improving epithelial structure, digestive function, and microbiota balance, representing a promising strategy to support piglets in overcoming the early nursery phase.