Promotion of Early Gut Colonization by Probiotic Intervention on Microbiota Diversity in Pregnant Sows

Probiotic Bacillus licheniformis DSMZ 28710 improves sow milk microbiota and enhances piglet health outcomes

Maintaining a diverse and balanced sow milk microbiome is essential to piglet development. Thus, this study aimed to examine the effects of probiotic Bacillus licheniformis supplementation on the microbiome composition of sow colostrum and milk, and to review associated health findings in piglets. B. licheniformis DSMZ 28710 was supplemented at 10 g/day as feed additive before predicted farrowing until weaning by top dressing. Colostrum and milk samples were collected for metagenomic DNA extraction, 16s rRNA sequencing, and bioinformatics analyses for bacterial microbiota diversity. Results indicated that the supplementation increased the abundances of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Bacteroides, and Bifidobacterium, while decreasing the abundances of pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacteriaceae, and Campylobacter in the colostrum. The supplementation increased diversity while maintaining richness and evenness. Moreover, the rise in predicted microbial community metabolic function in membrane transport pathways provides crucial evidence showing that the supplementation is potentially beneficial to piglets, as these pathways are important for providing nutrients and immunity to offspring. This research highlights the importance of microbiome composition in sow milk and the potential of B. licheniformis supplementation as a means to improve piglet health and development.

Live Multi-Strain Probiotics Enhance Growth Performance by Regulating Intestinal Morphology and Microbiome Population in Weaning Piglets

The effects of different forms of multi-strain probiotics on weaning piglets are limitedly addressed. Thus, this study investigated the effects of live or inanimate multi-strain probiotics comprising Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, intestinal morphology, fecal microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and intestinal gene expression of weaning piglets. A total of 160 weaning piglets (4 weeks old) were randomly allocated into four treatments (CON: basal diet; AB: basal diet with 110 ppm and 66 ppm colistin in the weaning and nursery phases, respectively; LP: basal diet with 2.0 × 109 CFU/kg live probiotics; and IP: basal diet with 2.0 × 109 CFU/kg inanimate probiotics). Piglets fed with LP had significantly lower FCR compared to those of the CON and IP groups in week 4 to week 8 (p < 0.05). Moreover, the LP group had significantly higher villus height (VH) compared with AB at week 6, lower crypt depth (CD) compared with IP, and higher VH/CD ratio compared to other treatments at week 10 (p < 0.05), which indicate healthier intestinal morphology. Probiotic treatments (LP and IP) increased Bifidobacterium population compared to CON at week 6 and lowered Enterobacteriaceae at week 6 and week 10 (p < 0.05). Regarding gene expressions of intestinal integrity, LP showed significantly higher TFF3 expression compared with CON and AB at week 6 and compared with other treatments in jejunum at week 10 (p < 0.05). IP treatment had significantly higher MUC2 expression compared to other treatments at week 6 and week 10 (p < 0.05). Overall, live multi-strain probiotics improved growth efficiency by enhancing gut integrity and microbiome balance, making them a potential antibiotic alternative to ameliorate weaning stress and promote productive performance in weaning piglets.

Effects of oral probiotic and lactoferrin interventions on iron-zinc homeostasis, oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium and diarrhoea incidence of neonatal piglets

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of early-life host specific probiotic and lactoferrin (LF) supplementations on diarrhoea incidence, iron (Fe)-zinc (Zn) balance and antioxidant capabilities in serum of neonatal piglets. A total of eight sow litters obtained from parity matched sows were randomly divided into four groups and assigned to one of the four interventions: control (2.0 ml normal saline), bovine lactoferrin (bLF) (100 mg bLF in normal saline), probiotic (Pb) (1×109 cfu of swine origin Pediococcus acidilactici FT28 strain) and bLF+Pb (both 100 mg bLF and 1×109 cfu of P. acidilactici FT28). All the piglets received supplementations once daily orally for first 7 days of life. The incidence of diarrhoea markedly decreased in bLF group compared to control group. Notably, no incidences of diarrhoea were recorded in Pb and bLF+Pb groups. The Zn and Fe concentrations were significantly increased from day 7 to 21 in bLF and on day 21 in bLF+Pb group. No such changes were noted in Pb group. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in serum was significantly increased on days 7 and 15 in bLF group and on days 7 and 21 in bLF+Pb group. Malonaldehyde concentration was markedly reduced from day 7 to 21 in bLF and bLF+Pb groups. The concentrations of nitrate on days 15 and 21 and malonaldehyde on day 7 were significantly higher in Pb group, but mean TAC was unaltered from day 0 to 21. Although no correlation between the incidence of diarrhoea and Zn/Fe and oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis was noted in the Pb group, the supplementation of P. acidilactici FT28 alone was sufficient to prevent the incidence of diarrhoea in neonatal piglets. Taken together, it is concluded that strategic supplementation of P. acidilactici FT28 in early life could help in preventing diarrhoea until weaning of piglets.

Probiotics beyond the farm: Benefits, costs, and considerations of using antibiotic alternatives in livestock

The increasing global expansion of antimicrobial resistant infections warrants the development of effective antibiotic alternative therapies, particularly for use in livestock production, an agricultural sector that is perceived to disproportionately contribute to the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis by consuming nearly two-thirds of the global antibiotic supply. Probiotics and probiotic derived compounds are promising alternative therapies, and their successful use in disease prevention, treatment, and animal performance commands attention. However, insufficient or outdated probiotic screening techniques may unintentionally contribute to this crisis, and few longitudinal studies have been conducted to determine what role probiotics play in AMR dissemination in animal hosts and the surrounding environment. In this review, we briefly summarize the current literature regarding the efficacy, feasibility, and limitations of probiotics, including an evaluation of their impact on the animal microbiome and resistome and their potential to influence AMR in the environment. Probiotic application for livestock is often touted as an ideal alternative therapy that might reduce the need for antibiotic use in agriculture and the negative downstream impacts. However, as detailed in this review, limited research has been conducted linking probiotic usage with reductions in AMR in agricultural or natural environments. Additionally, we discuss the methods, including limitations, of current probiotic screening techniques across the globe, highlighting approaches aimed at reducing antibiotic usage and ensuring safe and effective probiotic mediated health outcomes. Based on this information, we propose economic and logistical considerations for bringing probiotic therapies to market including regulatory roadblocks, future innovations, and the significant gaps in knowledge requiring additional research to ensure probiotics are suitable long-term options for livestock producers as an antibiotic alternative therapy.

Review on Preventive Measures to Reduce Post-Weaning Diarrhoea in Piglets

In many countries, medical levels of zinc (typically as zinc oxide) are added to piglet diets in the first two weeks post-weaning to prevent the development of post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD). However, high levels of zinc constitute an environmental polluting agent, and may contribute to the development and/or maintenance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among bacteria. Consequently, the EU banned administering medical levels of zinc in pig diets as of June 2022. However, this may result in an increased use of antibiotic therapeutics to combat PWD and thereby an increased risk of further AMR development. The search for alternative measures against PWD with a minimum use of antibiotics and in the absence of medical levels of zinc has therefore been intensified over recent years, and feed-related measures, including feed ingredients, feed additives, and feeding strategies, are being intensively investigated. Furthermore, management strategies have been developed and are undoubtedly relevant; however, these will not be addressed in this review. Here, feed measures (and vaccines) are addressed, these being probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, proteobiotics, plants and plant extracts (in particular essential oils and tannins), macroalgae (particularly macroalgae-derived polysaccharides), dietary fibre, antimicrobial peptides, specific amino acids, dietary fatty acids, milk replacers, milk components, creep feed, vaccines, bacteriophages, and single-domain antibodies (nanobodies). The list covers measures with a rather long history and others that require significant development before their eventual use can be extended. To assess the potential of feed-related measures in combating PWD, the literature reviewed here has focused on studies reporting parameters of PWD (i.e., faeces score and/or faeces dry matter content during the first two weeks post-weaning). Although the impact on PWD (or related parameters) of the investigated measures may often be inconsistent, many studies do report positive effects. However, several studies have shown that control pigs do not suffer from diarrhoea, making it difficult to evaluate the biological and practical relevance of these improvements. From the reviewed literature, it is not possible to rank the efficacy of the various measures, and the efficacy most probably depends on a range of factors related to animal genetics and health status, additive doses used, composition of the feed, etc. We conclude that a combination of various measures is probably most recommendable in most situations. However, in this respect, it should be considered that combining strategies may lead to additive (e.g., synbiotics), synergistic (e.g., plant materials), or antagonistic (e.g., algae compounds) effects, requiring detailed knowledge on the modes of action in order to design effective strategies.

Survival and Interplay of γ-Aminobutyric Acid-Producing Psychobiotic Candidates with the Gut Microbiota in a Continuous Model of the Human Colon

Simple Summary

Appreciable evidence suggests that gut microbiota interact with the brain and play a key role in the pathogenesis of mental illnesses. Psychobiotics are beneficial bacteria (probiotics) or support for such bacteria (prebiotics) that can positively modulate microbiota–gut–brain interactions. Several trials suggest probiotics are involved in normalizing brain processes related to stress responses and mood improvements. Here, we studied the growth and competitiveness of recently identified GABA-producing psychobiotic candidates in a continuous model of the human colon. In summary, supplementation with these probiotic candidates positively modulated the gut microbiome composition and metabolism, suggesting their suitability for gut health-promoting applications.

Abstract

Over decades, probiotic research has focused on their benefits to gut health. Recently, the gut microbiota has been proven to share bidirectional connections with the brain through the gut–brain axis. Therefore, the manipulation of this axis via probiotics has garnered interest. We have recently isolated and characterized in vitro probiotic candidates producing γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major neuromodulator of the enteric nervous system. This study investigates the growth and competitiveness of selected GABA-producing probiotic candidates (Bifidobacterium animalis, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus) in the presence of human gut microbiota ex vivo in a model mimicking physiological and microbiological conditions of the human proximal colon. Supplementation with GABA-producing probiotic candidates did not affect the overall gut microbiota diversity over 48 h of treatment. However, these candidates modulated the microbiota composition, especially by increasing the Bacteroidetes population, a key gut microbe associated with anti-inflammatory activities. The level of microbiota-generated SCFAs within 12 h of treatment was also increased, compared to the control group. Results from this study demonstrate the probiotic potential of the tested GABA-producing bacteria and their impact on gut microbiota structure and metabolism, suggesting their suitability for gut health-promoting applications.

Silymarin Modulates Microbiota in the Gut to Improve the Health of Sow from Late Gestation to Lactation

Inflammatory responses reduce milk production in lactating sows. Silymarin may modulate inflammatory reactions. Here, we aimed to verify whether dietary silymarin supplementation could alleviate inflammatory responses in lactating sows through microbiota change in the gut. We also investigated how silymarin impacts inflammatory response in lactating sows. One hundred and ten sows were randomly assigned to a control diet (basal diet) or treatment diet (basal diet and 40 g/d silymarin) from the 108th day of gestation to weaning. Blood, milk, and feces from sows were collected for analysis. It was shown in the results that dietary silymarin supplementation decreased the level of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β (p < 0.05) on the 18th day of lactation in the blood of the sows. Dietary silymarin supplementation tended to decrease (p = 0.06) somatic cell count in the colostrum of sows. Dietary silymarin supplementation reduced the gut bacterial community and the richness of the gut microbial community (p < 0.01) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The fecal microbes varied at different taxonomic levels in the lactating sows with silymarin supplementation. The most representative changes included an increase in the relative abundance of Fibrobacteres and Actinobacteria (p < 0.05) and tended to reduce the relative abundance of Spirochaetaes and Tenericutes (p = 0.09, 0.06) at the phylum level. It is suggested that dietary silymarin supplementation in late gestation until lactation has anti-inflammatory effects in lactation sow, which could be associated with the modulation of gut microbiota.

Lactobacillus brevis BGZLS10-17 and Lb. plantarum BGPKM22 Exhibit Anti-Inflammatory Effect by Attenuation of NF-κB and MAPK Signaling in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Bronchial epithelial cells are exposed to environmental influences, microbiota, and pathogens and also serve as a powerful effector that initiate and propagate inflammation by the release of pro-inflammatory mediators. Recent studies suggested that lung microbiota differ between inflammatory lung diseases and healthy lungs implicating their contribution in the modulation of lung immunity. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are natural inhabitants of healthy human lungs and also possess immunomodulatory effects, but so far, there are no studies investigating their anti-inflammatory potential in respiratory cells. In this study, we investigated immunomodulatory features of 21 natural LAB strains in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). Our results show that several LAB strains reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine genes. We also demonstrated that two LAB strains, Lactobacillus brevis BGZLS10-17 and Lb. plantarum BGPKM22, effectively attenuated LPS-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation. Moreover, BGZLS10-17 and BGPKM22 reduced the activation of p38, extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK), and c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling cascade resulting in a reduction of pro-inflammatory mediator expressions in BEAS-2B cells. Collectively, the LAB strains BGZLS10-17 and BGPKM22 exhibited anti-inflammatory effects in BEAS-2B cells and could be employed to balance immune response in lungs and replenish diminished lung microbiota in chronic lung diseases.

The Potential of Probiotics to Eradicate Gut Carriage of Pathogenic or Antimicrobial-Resistant Enterobacterales

Probiotic supplements have been used to decrease the gut carriage of antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales through changes in the microbiota and metabolomes, nutrition competition, and the secretion of antimicrobial proteins. Many probiotics have shown Enterobacterales-inhibiting effects ex vivo and in vivo. In livestock, probiotics have been widely used to eradicate colon or environmental antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales colonization with promising efficacy for many years by oral supplementation, in ovo use, or as environmental disinfectants. In humans, probiotics have been used as oral supplements for infants to decease potential gut pathogenic Enterobacterales, and probiotic mixtures, especially, have exhibited positive results. In contrast to the beneficial effects in infants, for adults, probiotic supplements might decrease potentially pathogenic Enterobacterales, but they fail to completely eradicate them in the gut. However, there are several ways to improve the effects of probiotics, including the discovery of probiotics with gut-protection ability and antimicrobial effects, the modification of delivery methods, and the discovery of engineered probiotics. The search for multifunctional probiotics and synbiotics could render the eradication of “bad” Enterobacterales in the human gut via probiotic administration achievable in the future.

Escherichia coli Strains Producing Selected Bacteriocins Inhibit Porcine Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) under both In Vitro and In Vivo Conditions

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains are the causative agents of severe foodborne diseases in both humans and animals. In this study, porcine pathogenic E. coli strains (n = 277) as well as porcine commensal strains (n = 188) were tested for their susceptibilities to 34 bacteriocin monoproducers to identify the most suitable bacteriocin types inhibiting porcine pathogens. Under in vitro conditions, the set of pathogenic E. coli strains was found to be significantly more susceptible to the majority of tested bacteriocins than commensal E. coli. Based on the production of bacteriocins with specific activity against pathogens, three potentially probiotic commensal E. coli strains of human origin were selected. These strains were found to be able to outcompete ETEC strains expressing F4 or F18 fimbriae in liquid culture and also decreased the severity and duration of diarrhea in piglets during experimental ETEC infection as well as pathogen numbers on the last day of in vivo experimentation. While the extents of the probiotic effect were different for each strain, the cocktail of all three strains showed the most pronounced beneficial effects, suggesting synergy between the tested E. coli strains. IMPORTANCE Increasing levels of antibiotic resistance among bacteria also increase the need for alternatives to conventional antibiotic treatment. Pathogenic Escherichia coli represents a major diarrheic infectious agent of piglets in their postweaning period; however, available measures to control these infections are limited. This study describes three novel E. coli strains producing antimicrobial compounds (bacteriocins) that actively inhibit a majority of toxigenic E. coli strains. The beneficial effect of three potentially probiotic E. coli strains was demonstrated under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The novel probiotic candidates may be used as prophylaxis during piglets' postweaning period to overcome common infections caused by E. coli.

Maternal Probiotic or Synbiotic Supplementation Modulates Jejunal and Colonic Antioxidant Capacity, Mitochondrial Function, and Microbial Abundance in Bama Mini-piglets

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of maternal probiotic or synbiotic supplementation during gestation and lactation on antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial function, and intestinal microbiota abundance in offspring weaned piglets. A total of 64 pregnant Bama mini-sows were randomly allocated into the control group (basal diet), antibiotic group (basal diet + 50 g/t virginiamycin), probiotic group (basal diet + 200 mL/d probiotics per pig), or synbiotic group (basal diet + 200 mL/d probiotics per pig + 500 g/t xylo-oligosaccharides). On day 30 of post-weaning, eight piglets per group with average body weight were selected for sample collection. The results showed that maternal probiotic supplementation increased the catalase (CAT) activity in plasma and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in plasma, jejunum, and colon of piglets while decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) and H₂O₂ concentrations in plasma compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, maternal synbiotic supplementation increased the plasma CAT activity, jejunal glutathione and GSH-Px activities, jejunal and colonic total antioxidant capacity activity, and plasma and colonic SOD activity while decreased the colonic MDA concentration of offspring piglets compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The mRNA levels of antioxidant enzyme-related genes (copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 1, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) and mitochondrial-related genes (adenosine triphosphate synthase alpha subunit, adenosine triphosphate synthase β, and mitochondrial transcription factor A) in the jejunal mucosa were significantly upregulated, while the level of colonic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α was downregulated by maternal synbiotic supplementation (P < 0.05). Maternal probiotic supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the Bacteroidetes abundance in the jejunum and Bifidobacterium abundance in the jejunum and colon, and synbiotic supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the abundances of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus in the jejunum of piglets. Furthermore, correlation analysis revealed that intestinal microbiota abundances were significantly correlated with antioxidant enzyme activities and mitochondrial-related indexes. These findings indicated that maternal probiotic or synbiotic supplementation might be a promising strategy to improve the antioxidant capacity and mitochondrial function of offspring weaned piglets by altering the intestinal microbiota.

Management and Feeding Strategies in Early Life to Increase Piglet Performance and Welfare around Weaning: A Review

The performance of piglets in nurseries may vary depending on body weight, age at weaning, management, and pathogenic load in the pig facilities. The early events in a pig's life are very important and may have long lasting consequences, since growth lag involves a significant cost to the system due to reduced market weights and increased barn occupancy. The present review evidences that there are several strategies that can be used to improve the performance and welfare of pigs at weaning. A complex set of early management and dietary strategies have been explored in sows and suckling piglets for achieving optimum and efficient growth of piglets after weaning. The management strategies studied to improve development and animal welfare include: (1) improving sow housing during gestation, (2) reducing pain during farrowing, (3) facilitating an early and sufficient colostrum intake, (4) promoting an early social interaction between litters, and (5) providing complementary feed during lactation. Dietary strategies for sows and suckling piglets aim to: (1) enhance fetal growth (arginine, folate, betaine, vitamin B12, carnitine, chromium, and zinc), (2) increase colostrum and milk production (DL-methionine, DL-2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid, arginine, L-carnitine, tryptophan, valine, vitamin E, and phytogenic actives), (3) modulate sows' oxidative and inflammation status (polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, selenium, phytogenic actives, and spray dried plasma), (4) allow early microbial colonization (probiotics), or (5) supply conditionally essential nutrients (nucleotides, glutamate, glutamine, threonine, and tryptophan).

The Microbiome and Alzheimer's Disease: Potential and Limitations of Prebiotic, Synbiotic, and Probiotic Formulations

The Microbiome has generated significant attention for its impacts not only on gastrointestinal health, but also on signaling pathways of the enteric and central nervous system via the microbiome gut-brain axis. In light of this, microbiome modulation may be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating or mitigating many somatic and neural pathologies, including neurodegenerative disorders. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that interferes with cerebral function by progressively impairing memory, thinking and learning through the continuous depletion of neurons. Although its etiopathogenesis remains uncertain, recent literature endorses the hypothesis that probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic supplementation alters AD-like symptoms and improves many of its associated disease biomarkers. Alternatively, a dysfunctional microbiota impairs the gut epithelial barrier by inducing chronic gastric inflammation, culminating in neuroinflammation and accelerating AD progression. The findings in this review suggest that probiotics, prebiotics or synbiotics have potential as novel biological prophylactics in treatment of AD, due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, their ability to improve cognition and metabolic activity, as well as their capacity of producing essential metabolites for gut and brain barrier permeability.

Dietary Probiotics or Synbiotics Supplementation During Gestation, Lactation, and Nursery Periods Modifies Colonic Microbiota, Antioxidant Capacity, and Immune Function in Weaned Piglets

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary probiotics or synbiotics supplementation on colonic microbiota, antioxidant capacity, and immune function in weaned piglets. A total of 64 pregnant Bama mini-sows and then 128 of their weaned piglets were randomly assigned into control group, antibiotics group, probiotics group, or synbiotics group. The results showed that colonic Firmicutes and Bifidobacterium abundances in the probiotics group and total bacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Lactobacillus abundances in the synbiotics group were increased (P < 0.05), while Escherichia coli abundance in the synbiotics group was decreased (P = 0.061) compared with the control group. Firmicutes, Bifidobacterium, and total bacteria abundances were increased (P < 0.05) in the probiotics and synbiotics groups compared with the antibiotics group. Probiotics supplementation up-regulated (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression of GPR109A compared with the control and antibiotics groups. Dietary probiotics or synbiotics supplementation improved the antioxidant capacity by increasing (P < 0.05) the colonic CAT, GSH-Px, SOD, and T-AOC levels and plasma CAT, GSH, GSH-Px, and SOD levels and by decreasing (P < 0.05) the colonic and plasma MDA and H₂O₂ levels. Compared to the control group, the colonic IL-10, IFN-α, and sIgA concentrations and plasma IgA and IgM concentrations were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the probiotics and synbiotics groups. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that the changed colonic microbiota, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were correlated with the alteration of antioxidant indexes, cytokines, and immunoglobulins. In conclusion, dietary probiotics or synbiotics supplementation during gestation, lactation, and nursery periods could be used as an alternative for antibiotics in terms of gut health of weaned piglets.

Diversity of non-starter lactic acid bacteria in autochthonous dairy products from Western Balkan Countries - Technological and probiotic properties

The aim of this review was to summarize the data regarding diversity of non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) isolated from various artisanal dairy products manufactured in Western Balkan Countries. The dairy products examined were manufactured from raw cow's, sheep's or goat's milk or mixed milk, in the traditional way without the addition of commercial starter cultures. Dairy products such as white brined cheese, fresh cheese, hard cheese, yogurt, sour cream and kajmak were sampled in the households of Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. It has been established that the diversity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from raw milk artisanal dairy products is extensive. In the reviewed literature, 28 LAB species and a large number of strains belonging to the Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Pediococcus, Leuconostoc and Weissella genera were isolated from various dairy products. Over 3000 LAB strains were obtained and characterized for their technological and probiotic properties including: acidification and coagulation of milk, production of aromatic compounds, proteolytic activity, bacteriocins production and competitive exclusion of pathogens, production of exopolysaccharides, aggregation ability and immunomodulatory effect. Results show that many of the isolated NSLAB strains had one, two or more of the properties mentioned. The data presented emphasize the importance of artisanal products as a valuable source of NSLAB with unique technological and probiotic features important both as a base for scientific research as well as for designing novel starter cultures for functional dairy food.

Dietary Lysozyme Alters Sow's Gut Microbiota, Serum Immunity and Milk Metabolite Profile

The aim of current study was to determine variations in sow's gut microbiota, serum immunity, and milk metabolite profile mediated by lysozyme supplementation. Twenty-four pregnant sows were assigned to a control group without supplementation and two treatments with 0.5 kg/t and 1.0 kg/t lysozyme provided in formula feed for 21 days (n = 8 per treatment). Microbiota analysis and metagenomic predictions were based on 16s RNA high-throughput sequencing. Milk metabolome was assessed by untargeted liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Serum biochemical indicators and immunoglobulins were also determined. Gut microbial diversity of sows receiving 1.0 kg/t lysozyme treatment was significantly reduced after the trial. Spirochaetes, Euryarchaeota, and Actinobacteria significantly increased while Firmicutes showed a remarkable reduction in 1.0 kg/t group compared with control. Lysozyme addition rebuilt sow's gut microbiota to beneficial composition identified by reduced richness of Escherichia coli and increased abundance of Lactobacillus amylovorus. Accordingly, microbial metabolic functions including pyrimidine metabolism, purine metabolism, and amino acid related enzymes were significantly up-regulated in 1.0 kg/t group. Microbial metabolic phenotypes like the richness of Gram-positive bacteria and oxidative stress tolerance were also significantly reduced by lysozyme treatment. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) activity and IgA levels were significantly down-regulated in the 1.0 kg/t group compared with control, but IgM levels showed a significantly increase in 1.0 kg/t group. Milk metabolites such as L-glutamine, creatine, and L-arginine showed significantly dose-dependent changes after treatment. Overall, lysozyme supplementation could effectively improve the composition, metabolic functions, and phenotypes of sow's gut microbiota and it also benefit sows with better serum immunity and milk composition. This research could provide theoretical support for further application of lysozyme in promoting animal gut health and prevent pathogenic infections in livestock production.

Treatment With Probiotic Bacteria Does Not Diminish the Impact of a Cystoisospora suis Challenge in Suckling Piglets

Colonization of newborn piglets with beneficial and ubiquitous microorganisms in combination with colostral passive immunity is the prerequisite for development of immunity and gut maturation. In this study living strains of Clostridium perfringens type A (CpA) and non-pathogenic Escherichia (E.) coli strains harvested from healthy piglets were administered to piglets prior to first colostrum intake in order to prevent disease caused by pathogenic variants of the same bacterial species by competitive exclusion. In addition, it was investigated whether these potential beneficial colonizers were able to prevent harmful effects of infection with Cystoisospora (C.) suis as a primary invasive pathogen. In a first trial, half of the piglets from four litters were treated with a bacterial cocktail consisting of two E. coli and four CpA strains immediately after birth on two consecutive days, while the other half of the litters served as control group. In a second trial, piglets were treated following the protocol of the first trial, and additionally all piglets were infected 4 h after the end of littering with ~1,000 sporulated oocysts of a C. suis laboratory strain. General health, body weight development, fecal consistency and, in the second trial, oocyst excretion were monitored from birth until weaning. No adverse effects of the cocktail on the health status were observed. Treated piglets of the first trial showed a higher average daily weight gain until weaning. In the second trial, no significant differences were found with respect to average daily weight gain, fecal consistency, amount, and duration of oocyst excretion assessed in daily samples. In treatment group 51.1% and in the control group 38.5% of the fecal samples were positive for oocysts in autofluorescence. The average duration of oocyst excretion was longer in treatment group (7.7 days) than in control group (5.6 days). Application of bacterial cocktail could not effectively minimize disease symptoms caused by C. suis. There was a trend toward an increase in severity of disease symptoms in treated pigs, suggesting that the synergism between CpA and C. suis was independent of the bacterial strains, but is exclusively dominated by the pathogenic effect of C. suis.