Supplementation with minerals and multi-strain probiotics attenuate neonatal piglet mortality, improve growth rate and augment systemic and mucosal immune parameters.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of minerals and potential multi-strain probiotic (MSP) intervention in early life of piglets on immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgG and secretory IgA (sIgA) concentrations and growth performance and mortality. A total of eight piglet litters from parity-matched sows were enrolled and allocated into one of the four interventions: normal saline (control), multimineral (MM), MSP, and MSP+MM. The MM was injected on day 0 and 7 of birth and MSP were administered once daily per os for first 7 days of life. The growth and piglet survival rates were significantly higher in the MSP group as compared to control group. The mean sIgA concentrations were significantly elevated on day 7 in control and MSP groups, and day 21 in MM+MSP group. A significant rise of mean IgA concentration was observed on days 14 and 21 in control and MSP groups and days 7, 14, and 21 in the MM+MSP group. The mean IgG concentrations were significantly increased on days 7, 14, and 21 in the control, MM, and MM+MSP groups. The comparison of the mean IgA and IgG concentrations among the groups showed a significantly higher IgA levels on days 14 and 21 in MSP and MM+MSP groups and significantly lower IgG levels on days 0, 7, and 14 in the MM, MSP, and MM+MSP groups, and day 21 in MSP and MM+MSP groups when compared with control group. The study indicated that neonatal MSP intervention improves growth and reduces the mortality of piglets until weaning through augmenting the systemic and mucosal immune parameters.