The Administration Effect of Lactic Acid Bacteria Reducing Environmental Alkyl and Fatty Acid Hydroperoxides on Piglets in the Absence of Antimicrobial Agents and in the Presence of Iron

Abstract

A lactic acid bacterium, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P1-2 (LpP1-2), can reduce environmental fatty acid hydroperoxides. The administration of LpP1-2 to oxygen-sensitive short-lived nematode mutants and iron-overloaded rats reduced the oxidative stress-related index. Since young piglets have a weak defense system against oxidative stress and are vulnerable to environmental stress, antimicrobial agents have been administered in the rearing. Based on these results, we investigated the effect of LpP1-2 administration to prepartum sows and infant piglets until weaning without antimicrobial agents on the growth of young piglets. The group including both sows and piglets that were administrated with lactic acid bacteria containing LpP1-2 (LABLp) until the end of lactation showed the growth-promoting effect of piglet from lactation to early regular rearing, and even in late regular rearing. Blood biochemical markers were in the normal ranges in both LABLp-administrated and non-administrated groups, but various disease-related markers tended to decrease in the administrated group. To investigate the effects of LABLp administration on postpartum piglets, the piglets born from prenatally LABLp-administrated sows were divided into two groups and then administrated with or without LABLp. The piglets in the LABLp-administrated group tended to grow very slightly higher than those in the non-administrated group from lactation to early regular rearing. After that, the growth in both groups was almost the same. These results suggest that LABLp administration to prepartum sows is essential for the growth-promoting effect. The postnatal LABLp-administrated piglets showed a lower serum lipid peroxidation index than the non-administrated piglets, and had higher numbers of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria in feces at the end of LABLp treatment. In fattening performances, the LABLp-administrated group showed a significant improvement in meat quality. We also discuss the growth and physiological effects by LpP1-2 administration with iron on piglets because iron administration is another important issue in piglet farming.