Faecal microbiota profiles associated with performance and birthweight of piglets

As demands for pig production increase one response from industry has been to increase litter size, but this has resulted in a higher proportion of low birthweight piglets born per litter. Low birthweight piglets often present higher morbidity and mortality rates, poorer growth rates and feed efficiency and have a higher propensity to develop enteric health problems. Some low birthweight piglets can exhibit compensatory growth, although the mechanism behind this is still uncertain. The overarching aim of this study is to assess the use of faecal microbial profiling as a method to identify low birthweight pigs able to exhibit compensatory growth and therefore likely to benefit from intervention strategies, from those whose growth remains stunted irrespective of farmers best efforts.