Dietary administration of Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK 70258 enhances the growth performance of growing pigs via the improvement of the leaky gut and liver function.

Heyndrickxia coagulans is known for its health-conferring effects on livestock. Previously, weshowed that administering H. coagulans SANK70258 to coccidiosis-infested broilers improved theirgrowth performance by inducing antiinflammation. Here, we evaluated if SANK70258 could helpimprove the growth of pigs between weaning and fattening periods. Twenty-four weaned LWDpiglets were divided into control (C; 4 pens) and 0.01% SANK70258 supplementation (P; 8 pens)groups. Diets and water were given ad libitum in days 0-126. After the weaning period (day 42), thepigs in group P were further sub-divided into pens with (4, Pa) or without SANK70258administration (4, Pw). SANK70258 improved growth performance during the growing period.During the weaning period, P pigs experienced an improved liver function and hence, a putativeimproved leaky gut condition. Nonetheless, during the fattening period, positive effects observedwere confounded with a pathogenic infection expressing a drastic increase in plasma aspartateaminotransferase on day 126. Nonetheless, a healthy fatty acid composition in meat of Pa pigs wereobserved on day 126. Our results suggested that the SANK70258 administration may be a goodnatural product to improve the growth performance of pigs during production stages with a lowerprobability of infection like the growing period.