Impact of early-life feeding on local intestinal microbiota and digestive system development in piglets

Early-life gut microbial colonisation is known to influence host physiology and development, shaping its phenotype. Suckling piglets with a developing gastro-intestinal tract, provide a window of opportunity for programming their intestinal microbiota composition and corresponding intestinal development. Here, we investigated the impact of early feeding on jejunum and colon microbiota composition, and intestinal maturation in suckling piglets. The approaches in this study indicate that early feeding of a mixed-fibre (pre-weaning) diet changes the microbiota composition, pH, and fermentation products in the distal gut of piglets, while it also alters both macroscopic and microscopic intestinal measurements. These results exemplify the potential of early feeding to modulate intestinal development in young piglets.