O’Doherty, J.; Dowley, A.; Conway, E.; Sweeney, T. Nutritional Strategies to Mitigate Post-Weaning Challenges in Pigs: A Focus on Glucans, Vitamin D, and Selenium. Animals2024, 14, 13.
O’Doherty, J.; Dowley, A.; Conway, E.; Sweeney, T. Nutritional Strategies to Mitigate Post-Weaning Challenges in Pigs: A Focus on Glucans, Vitamin D, and Selenium. Animals 2024, 14, 13.
O’Doherty, J.; Dowley, A.; Conway, E.; Sweeney, T. Nutritional Strategies to Mitigate Post-Weaning Challenges in Pigs: A Focus on Glucans, Vitamin D, and Selenium. Animals2024, 14, 13.
O’Doherty, J.; Dowley, A.; Conway, E.; Sweeney, T. Nutritional Strategies to Mitigate Post-Weaning Challenges in Pigs: A Focus on Glucans, Vitamin D, and Selenium. Animals 2024, 14, 13.
Abstract
This review examines the challenges faced by the pig industry, with a specific emphasis on improving the health and growth of weaned pigs. It emphasises the immediate necessity of investigating alternative approaches to managing pig nutrition and health due to restrictions on the use of antibiotics and the prohibition of zinc oxide in weaned pig diets. The weaning phase is identified as a critical stage in piglet development, characterized by stressors that affect their gastrointestinal health, immune responses, and overall physiology. The primary challenge during weaning arises from transitioning piglets from a digestible milk-based diet to a less digestible cereal-based feed, causing nutritional stress. This manifests as reduced feed intake, leading to gastrointestinal disturbances, intestinal inflammation, and adverse effects on intestinal structure and microbiota. To address these challenges and optimise piglet development, various nutritional strategies have been explored. Notably, glucans, particularly β-glucans from fungi, cereals, algae, and yeast, show promise in alleviating weaning-related issues. Furthermore, it's important to highlight the critical roles played by vitamin D and selenium in piglet nutrition. These essential nutrients can be sourced naturally from enriched mushrooms that are specifically enriched with vitamin D and selenium, providing a valuable dietary option. In conclusion, effective nutritional strategies, including glucans, vitamin D, selenium, and enriched mushrooms, are beneficial for addressing weaning-related challenges.
Keywords
pig; weaning; β-glucans; mushrooms, vitamin D, selenium, dam
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Zoology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
