Beneficial effects of probiotics on the pig production cycle: An overview of clinical impacts and performance

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology 2022-06, Vol.269, p.109431-109431, Article 109431
• Main Authors: Pereira, Wellison A., Franco, Sara M., Reis, Iara L., Mendonça, Carlos M.N., Piazentin, Anna C.M., Azevedo, Pamela O.S., Tse, Marcos L.P., De Martinis, Elaine C.P., Gierus, Martin, Oliveira, Ricardo P.S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibiotic alternative; Antibiotic resistance; Antibiotics; Clinical aspects; Immune response; Lactation; Life cycles; Parturition; Pig production; Piglets; Pollutants; Probiotics; Sows; Swine
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2022.109431

In pig nutrition, antibiotics are used to promote growth and/or to treat diseases in order to improve animal performance. However, due to the potential risk of cross selective pressure for antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens, the development of new nutritional additives is needed. Among them, probiotics are of great interest since they could improve the immune response, maintain animal intestinal health, and improve nutritional efficiency. Studies with probiotics have also demonstrated their antimicrobial effects on several pathogenic strains, emphasizing that the form of administration can enhance the beneficial effects. In view of the promising advances in probiotic research, it is opportune to highlight their capacity to modulate health and improve performance at all stages of pig production. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss the benefits of probiotics on physiological, immunological, and clinical aspects during different stages of the pig’s life cycle. Specifically, probiotics improve performance during pregnancy, parturition and lactation in sows, they can improve immunohematological parameters and defenses in the growing phase, they can influence the quality of meat in the finishing phase and can also help in the reduction of environmental pollutants. •The use of probiotics has different effects on each life stage of pigs.•In sows, probiotics improve performance in pregnancy, parturition and lactation.•Growing phase: improvement in immunohematological parameters and defenses.•Finishing stage: better meat quality and reduction of environmental pollutants.