Dietary bromelain-C.3.4.22.32 supplementation improves performance and gut health in sows and piglets

• Dietary supplementation of bromelain-C.3.4.22.32 (BR) improved growth performance.
• BR improved nutrient digestibility and serum IgG.
• BR increased fecal Lactobacillus counts and milk protein.
• BR reduced fecal E. coli, BUN, colostrum and milk somatic cell counts.

Ninety six multiparous sows (Landrace×Yorkshire, average parity=1.50±0.03) and/or their litters were used to investigate the effects of bromelain-C.3.4.22.32 (BR) on reproductive and growth performance, diarrhea score (DS), apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, blood profiles, fecal microbiota and colostrum and milk contents. The pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 treatments to give 24 replicates per treatment. Dietary treatments were as follows: (1) CON (basal diet), (2) BR1 (CON+0.5 g/kg BR), (3) BR2 (CON+1 g/kg BR) and (4) BR3 (CON+2 g/kg BR). Fecal samples (1 g) from each pen were diluted with 9 mL of 10 g/L peptone broth for evaluation of fecal microbiota. The piglets suckling sows fed the BR3 diet had linearly increased average daily gain (ADG) and weaning weight (P=0.02 and 0.01, respectively). Lactating sows fed the CON diet had less fecal Lactobacillus and more fecal Escherichia coli counts (linear P=0.03 and linear and quadratic P=0.01 and 0.04, respectively). At weaning, sows fed the BR3 diet had linearly higher apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nitrogen (N; P=0.04). Lactating sows fed the BR3 diet had linearly lower blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and higher lymphocyte counts (P=0.02 and 0.04, respectively). Consequently, piglets suckling sows fed the BR3 diet had higher IgG counts and lower blood urea nitrogen (BUN; linear, P=0.03 and 0.04, respectively). Sows fed the CON diet had linearly higher colostrum and milk somatic cell counts (SCC; P=0.01 and <0.01, respectively). Milk protein was linearly higher in sows fed the BR3 diet (P=0.04). In conclusion, the results indicated that dietary supplementation of BR in late gestation and lactation improved performance in sows and suckling piglets.