301 - Effect of Maternal Supplementation of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Var. Boulardii During Late-gestation and Lactation on Progeny Immune Status from Birth to 35 Days-of-age

Abstract: The use of probiotics in swine production may be an alternative to antibiotics for both disease prevention and growth promotion. Limited data exist on their potential to modulate offspring immune function when fed solely to the dam. A study was designed to assess the potential immunomodulatory effect of maternal supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii (scb) from gestational day 84 until the end of lactation (21-d period) on the immune status of the progeny in short- and long-term. A total of 84 female piglets born to 18 sows (n = 9/treatment) fed two boluses at 0600 h of either Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii CMCN-1079 (probiotic; PRO) or sugar (control; CON) were randomly selected at farrowing (n = 42/sow treatment). Blood samples were taken at birth (0), 1, 7, 14, 21 (weaning), 28, and 35 days-of-age to assess cortisol and descriptive and functional measures of the immune system of the progeny. Data were analyzed using MIXED procedure of SAS 9.4 with repeated measures. At birth, pigs born to CON-sows had greater (P< 0.001) plasma cortisol and % lymphocytes, but pigs born to PRO-sows had greater % neutrophils (P< 0.001). Progeny from PRO-sows had a greater (P< 0.001) percent natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity at 14 days-of-age, whereas progeny from CON-sows had greater (P< 0.001) concanavalin-A induced proliferation index at 21 days-of-age. Despite limited treatment x age effects, overall treatment effects with PRO progeny had greater (P< 0.001) C5a- and IL-8 neutrophil chemotaxis than CON. Conversely, progeny from PRO-sows had greater (P< 0.001) NK cytotoxicity and lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation index than CON. These data imply that there are few short- and long-term effects of scb on the immune status of the progeny, and maternal supplementation may be an opportunity to modulate the immune status of the progeny up to 35 days-of-age.