Stimbiotic Supplementation Alleviates Poor Performance and Gut Integrity in Weaned Piglets Induced by Challenge with E. coli

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) caused the destruction of tight junction and epithelial cells, resulting in the increased gut permeability of pathogenic E.coli, and the reduction of the growth performance. Stimbiotic (STB), while generating specific Xylo-oligosaccharides and a positive effect on gut health, has been introduced as an antibiotics alternative. This study evaluated the effect in weaned piglets of experimentally induced PWD. Our results showed that the pigs were challenged by Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC). STB significantly increased the growth performance, immunity and intestinal health compared with the non-supplemented group. Therefore, STB can be used as an effective additive for weaned piglets. ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of stimbiotic (STB), a xylanase and xylo-oligosaccharide complex. A total of 36 male weaned pigs with initial body weights of 8.49 ± 0.10 kg were used in a 3-week experiment. The experiment was conducted in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement (six replicates/treatment) of treatments consisting of two levels of challenge (challenge and non-challenge) and three levels of STB (0, 0.5, and 1 g/kg diet). Supplementations STB 0.5 g/kg (STB5) and STB 1 g/kg (STB10) improved the G:F (p = 0.04) in piglets challenged with STEC. STB supplementation, which also decreased (p < 0.05) the white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6. Supplementations STB5 and STB10 improved (p < 0.01) the lymphocytes and neutrophils in piglets challenged with STEC on 14 dpi. Additionally, supplementations STB5 and STB10 improved (p < 0.01) the tumor necrosis factor-alpha in piglets challenged with STEC on 3 dpi. Supplementations STB5 and STB10 also improved the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (p < 0.01) in piglets challenged with STEC. Supplementation with STB reduced (p < 0.05) the expression levels of calprotectin. In conclusion, STB could alleviate a decrease of the performance, immune response, and inflammatory response induced by the STEC challenge.