Perinatal short-chain fructo-oligosaccharide supplementation to sow affects colostrum quality, and consequently microbiota composition and performances of progeny

Perinatal nutrition of the sow plays a decisive role in controlling gut bacterial primo-colonization in the offspring and, thereby, is an important driver of the development of piglets. Since short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) are known to positively modulate the gut microbiota composition and its fermentative activity, our study aimed at evaluating the effects of such supplementation to the sow during the perinatal period on nutritional and immune quality of colostrum and milk, and gut microbiota establishment, and subsequent consequences on growth performances of piglets. Sows received a control diet or a diet supplemented with either a low dose (Low scFOS) or moderate dose of scFOS (Mid scFOS): 0.15% or 0.33% from day 28 pre-partum to day 2 post-partum, then 0.10% or 0.15% until the end of the lactation period, respectively. At 23 days of age, piglets were weaned on a standard diet and followed for growth parameters until 67 days of age. The supplementation of scFOS in sow diet improved the nutritional composition of colostrum and its immune quality by increasing protein content (Low and Mid scFOS), IgG (Low scFOS) and TGF-β1 (Mid scFOS) concentrations. Few changes were recorded regarding the sow fecal microbiota composition while the short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) synthesis was significantly increased in Low scFOS group, with Mid scFOS group being intermediate. On the contrary, in neonates, significant changes in fecal microbiota composition were measured, while SCFA production was not different between groups. Some strains of Lactobacillus were greatly increased upon maternal scFOS supplementation. The modulation of the microbiota resulted in a significant reduction of feed conversion ratio in weaned pigs born from scFOS supplemented mothers. Our results demonstrated that scFOS addition in the maternal diet represents a beneficial nutritional strategy to improve the quality of colostrum and modulate the gut microbiota colonization, positively impacting feed efficiency of piglets.